NEW IN 2018: ÖHLINS PRESENTS THE RFX 36 ALSO FOR THE 27,5 "SIZE
AND MANY OF YOU WILL THINK: “IT WAS NOW!”.
AIR MODEL FOR BOOST HUBS WITH A MAXIMUM PERMITTED SECTION OF 2,8 ”. VERSIONS WITH EXCURSION FROM 140MM TO 170MM.
The RFX 36 is Öhlins' enduro fork, now available in both 29 "and 27,5" sizes. Operation is air operated even if (another 2018 novelty) is the presentation of the spring model: the RXF 36 Coil, but for this gem we give you an appointment for the next issues.
This format "delay" is due to the fact that Ohlins collaborates primarily with Specialized and the priority was to create a competitive enduro 29 "fork, then mounted on the American company's Enduro. Still TTX (Twin Tube) technology, which keeps the compression separate from the return thanks to the separation of the oil flows with two separate tubes, with the particularity of having an ad hoc chamber that allows you to externally adjust the progressivity in the final part of the stroke ( without having to go to insert tokens inside the sheath).

Compatibility only with Boost hubs and low speed adjustment (LSC-15 click, blue ring), high speed (HSC-5 click, black ring) and rebound (15 clicks). The adjustments are very precise and fine: both at the return and at the low, there are 15 clicks that are well exploitable, unlike other brands where the extremes are difficult to use (for example the slow return) and which can lead to having a fork not usable with dignity in case of wrong setting. On the left stem we find the 2 rings for low and high speeds. The black knob (high speed), when turned all the way to the closing side, is used to make the fork steady when climbing.
It is not a total closure like other models but it is still effective. On the right stem we find instead the classic valve to introduce air into the positive chamber while at the bottom there is another valve that serves to inflate an additional chamber that serves to make our Ohlins more or less progressive. It is not to be confused with the negative room, which is present but "self-calibrates" as it communicates with the positive. So this chamber is separate and has the "only" function of adjusting the progressivity of the final part of the stroke: the more air is inserted, the more resistance at the end of the stroke increases. One of the strengths of the RXF 36 is precisely the fact that, with a minimum of patience and sensitivity, you can really do a job well done, without having to go to suspension centers to find a "square". I say patience because to properly calibrate a suspension, especially if equipped with high and low speed adjustment, it requires sensitivity and various test runs to find the best setting.
RESPONSE OF THE TEST
We tested the new Öhins RFX 36 on the Cannondale Jekyll but it also made an appearance on the Yeti SB5. The stiffness and weight is based on its direct competitors, namely the Fox 36 and the RockShox Lyric: it is an enduro fork with 36mm stems that allow you to have a rigid and precise front end. The weight is 2087gr. The possibility then to calibrate it as you want, allows you to make it as docile as a lamb (reducing the air in the chamber for progressivity) or ready to face the most ignorant bottoms! The pleasant sensation of the new RXF is the lack of gaps throughout the stroke, it is sustained from start to finish, the rebound does not affect the compression and, even by modifying the air in the progressivity chamber, it messes up the parameters in the first part of the stroke. . A fork where each setting works in full functionality without "hindering" the others. It differs from many products due to its "fullness": even in the first mm of stroke you feel that it supports a lot and does not cause you to lose millimeters of stroke unnecessarily and then maybe get to wall. The starting point is already a sustained compression curve, where we can make the last part more progressive (or less) thanks to the relative chamber we were talking about before (under the right stem).
In steep sections it is a product of excellence: the fact that it does not easily lose millimeters of travel helps to preserve the correct geometry of the bike and to drive aggressively where, in case we use a product that is not so technical, we will fall back on an attitude defensive. With the excellent hydraulics of the fork, the TTX technology and the room for progressivity, it is possible to satisfy both the super PRO and the amateur, you can create a fork that absorbs small bumps well but does not go to the bottom of the stroke. In other products, you choose to satisfy more the competitive biker (with more progressivity) or the average biker (with a more linear compression curve), here instead we can create an already excellent fork without the need to put your hand on it or take out cartridges. In the jumps, both in the "pumping" phase and in the landing, it is very stable thanks to the excellent support that does not present "gaps" in its run. Uphill, once the ring is closed, you ride it well: it is not a total block but it is not at all annoying and, in the stretches of technical climbs, it is an ideal block. The lever is comfortable and easy to operate. The weight, as mentioned, is based on the value of the direct competitors (Lyrik and Fox 36 in the first place) and also the list price. Rockshox and Fox, just to give 2 examples, have the advantage of being mounted on many bikes as the first assembly and therefore it often happens to find, on the web or in shops, very advantageous prices, unlike Ohlins who, at the moment, practice the list price. So that's why in practice the Ohlins RXF seems more expensive. Is this upgrade worth it? If we have the possibility, yes, it is difficult to be disappointed by such a product, also given the possibility of being able to calibrate it according to your needs. After a couple of test runs, we will surely find a perfect feeling (and a smile) thanks to this fork.
