RockShox Pike Select Charger RC Suspension Fork [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

The RockShox Pike has been around for a long time and we have seen many variations of the fork over the years. Today, the Pike is almost unmatched in it's capabilities. Luckily, RockShox offers more than just an Ultimate version of the fork so riders of all skill levels get to experience how good of a platform the Pike is. Our friend recently purchased the Pike Select Fork and sent over this review, let's see what they thought:

Pike Review

I got the Pike Select for my specialized fuse 2020. There was a huge difference between the standard coil fork that my bike came with. I am a heavier rider at 300 lbs so I went with the 140 mm travel and the 29-inch size to accommodate my 27.5 inches by 3-inch tires. I wouldn't recommend getting more travel than 140 mm for a regular trail bike. I do not do anything serious like jumps or drops. Anything with more travel I think would create difficulty in climbs, hills, etc. After testing it out at 150 psi with the 1 token it came with, I did have to add the other 2 tokens that came with the fork. It was way too soft and was very close to bottoming out on just basic parts of the trails I ride. I also dropped the psi to 120 with the 2 additional tokens. I think it rides perfect for me now. I did not want a cheap fork but didn't need top of the line.

Getting an air fork is definitely the way to go through. Makes a huge difference when it comes to riding over roots and rocks.

I find myself keeping my speed and momentum going more consistently with less effort. I like my fork stiffer with a little give to roll over rocks and roots. With the 3 tokens at 120 psi, I use almost all of the travel even going down some very bumpy terrain at my weight. Here in the Northeast, 90 percent of the trails we have here are very rooty and rocky. I personally have not had a fork with high-speed compression, but if you can find the Pike ultimate at a price close to the select model, I would recommend going with the top model.

As for installing it, my buddy and I installed it. I definitely would recommend having a bike shop do it if you or a friend have never done it before. It's not difficult but with all the bearings and washers that are inside the headtube, if you don't put them back the way they were it can cause the steerer tube to be a little loose. If you or someone you know has swapped out a fork before then you shouldn't have an issue. Definitely invest in a pipe cutter to trim down the steerer tube. I wouldn't recommend a hack saw or angle grinder to cut it down. You also need an FR5.2 cassette lockring tool to remove the left cap to add tokens. I guess my only complaint which isn't unique to Rockshox, its for all bike/ bike part manufacturers, is they don't make it easy to add or replace things with common tools. Why they need to have this 12 spline cap instead of something you could use with a common socket head, I don't know.

Conclusion

"Having the ability to customize your fork will only make riding that much more enjoyable. I love riding, but with my old fork, I would dread any of the more technical trails because it would beat the hell out of me no matter how well I was riding. A coil fork just does not roll over as well as the air forks especially since I am heavier than most. I knew an air fork would help but I underestimated how much smoother riding would be. I actually enjoy the technical stuff now because I can roll right over it without my front end getting knocked back."