Two Lesser-Known Enduro Forks: DVO's Onyx SC Air and Ohlins' RXF36 m.2 Coil
April 01, 2024
Sometimes weight is important when building a bike. Other times it is less important. Right now we have two of the burliest and heaviest single crown forks I've seen here in the shop, so it seemed like a good time to do a quick overview of the two. I haven't ridden either of these forks yet, but the Onyx SC is going on my new Ripmo AF build so stay tuned for an actual riding review!
DVO Onyx SC
This fork comes stock in 180mm and is adjustable down to 160mm with parts included in the box. It has 36mm stanchions and is available for 27.5" and 29" wheels. The fork I have here is for 29" wheels and I'll be running it at 170mm of travel. Adjustments include high and low speed compression, a single rebound knob, and DVO's signature OTT (off the top) adjuster. Unlike other forks that use self-equalizing positive and negative air chambers, DVO uses a positive air spring and a coil for the negative spring. The OTT adjuster allows you to fine tune the negative spring, allowing for a plusher initial stroke without sacrificing support in the midstroke or bottoming out. Obviously this comes with a weight penalty, and at 2310g with the included bolt-on axle this fork is 1/3-2/3 lbs heavier than most other air forks. One feature found on DVO forks that you won't find elsewhere is the included bolt-on fender. Like DVO's other top-end forks, the Onyx SC is available with black, blue, or green painted lowers and retails for $1049.
Ohlins RXF36 m.2 Coil
Ohlins is a new brand for us, so getting this fork in was a special treat. It is available in multiple offsets for 27.5" and 29" wheels with travel ranging from 120mm all the way up to 170mm. Pictured is a 170mm 29" fork. Ohlins offers your choice of spring rate with this fork, so it should work for just about any rider. Externally, you have a coil preload adjuster, high and low speed compression, and a rebound knob. While the air version of this fork weighs about 2100g, we weighed this fork at 2380g with the included bolt-on axle. One cool feature about the Ohlins coil fork is that the coil spring assembly is an enclosed unit. This allows to the ability to swap back and forth between coil and air with no issues. One of the drawbacks of converting a Fox or Rockshox fork to coil was that the inner stanchion would scratch, rendering it incapable of holding an air seal. It is nice to see someone address that. The RFX36 m.2 retails for $1250 in either the air of coil version and is available now!
Have any questions about either of these forks (or any other fork)? Want to see a different product featured? Email arin@probikesupply.com and I'll do my best to take care of it.
