First Ride on the New RockShox Lyrik – What’s Changed?

Today, RockShox have launched their brand new trail line, including completely overhauled Zeb and Lyrik forks as well as Vivid and Super Deluxe shocks. We recently covered the launch of the brand new BoXXer fork, and RockShox have brought across top-tier technology from that release in their new trail line, including the Charger 3.2 Damper, a completely redesigned chassis and the Linear XL airspring and air annexe. We have spent about a week putting the new Lyrik through its paces – and twiddling with settings to put this completely overhauled fork through its paces.

RockShox Lyrik: Ground-Up Redesign

RockShox has rebuilt the Lyrik from the ground up, introducing an entirely new chassis alongside a suite of internal updates aimed at improving sensitivity, consistency and tuning capability for the 140–170mm trail fork. The new chassis is available on Lyrik Select models and above, with Lyrik base retaining the existing fork chassis. 

At the heart of the new fork sits the Charger 3.2 damper, featuring revised high-speed and low-speed compression adjustment. A redesigned bezel reduces cross-talk between the HSC and LSC circuits, meaning each adjustment works independently. In practical terms, riders can fine-tune support and bump compliance without one setting unintentionally influencing the other – creating a broader, more intuitive setup window. 

The Charger 3.2 damper will be specced on new Lyrik Select+, Ultimate and Flight Attendant forks, with Ultimate and Flight Attendant also featuring ButterCups for vibration reduction. Lyrik Select and Base model forks feature the Delta RC damper.

Other notable changes include the pressure-relief bleeders being moved to the top of the crown-steerer unit (CSU), and a removable guard on the crown allows mudguards to mount more cleanly and securely. New lower-leg castings and precision CNC finishing on the uppers round out the visual overhaul for Lyrik Select and above models.

Throughout the Lyrik range, rebound adjustment remains fixed at a single factory tune, simplifying setup while ensuring consistent performance out of the box.

New Air Spring and Chassis Design

The Lyrik’s air spring has also been heavily revised on the Lyrik Select models and above featuring the new Linear XL air spring. The updated tube-in-tube design results in increased overall air volume, requiring higher operating pressures while promising to deliver a more stable and supportive ride feel. Volume spacers have the capacity to thread directly into the underside of the top cap, though previous 35mm spacers are no longer compatible due to the updated architecture.

Another new feature, the Linear XL Air Annexe, was recently launched with the new BoXXer and is a small matchbox-sized chamber on the lower fork leg on the airspring side, addressing trapped air inside the lower legs. By increasing internal air volume of the overall fork, the system reduces unwanted pressure buildup during compression, helping the fork maintain a more linear feel through the stroke – promising to be supple at the top, supportive through the midstroke and with an extra buffer from the ABO as you reach the limit of travel – more on that in a minute.

Adjustable Bottom-Out Control

A major addition is ABO – Adjustable Bottom Out. Acting as a safety net, ABO engages in the final 20mm of travel, using a bumper system to absorb harsh impacts near full compression. Plus, it’s fully adjustable so you can basically switch it off with just a few turns using a 5mm hex. Similar in concept to HBO (hydraulic bottom-out) systems found in rear shocks, it’s designed to work subtly in the background – unnoticed and unactivated during normal riding, but there to hopefully give you that extra margin for error when big hits arrive and you’re out of travel.

Without air in the fork, you can feel the ABO bumper in the last 20% or so of travel, but on the trail it’s not something you’re likely to feel or think about when it comes to crunch time. It will be saving your bacon in those brown-pants scenarios talked about at the pub after the ride. 

ButterWagon Tech, Lubrication and Long-Term Performance

Internally, RockShox introduces updated lubrication management – referred to as ButterWagon tech (yeehaw) – improving oil distribution across bushings, foam rings and dust seals. The goal is longer-lasting small-bump sensitivity and reduced performance fade between services, and we would hope that the standard recommended 50-hour service intervals will be increased to match rider feedback, while ensuring more consistent ride quality between services. For Ultimate and Flight Attendant models RockShox have also specced vibration reduction ButterCups.

Our Experience with the Lyrik Ultimate

On the trail, the updated Lyrik Ultimate aims less at dramatic character change and more at refinement of a classic with significant tech updates. The new Lyrik runs higher air pressures but offers a wider ‘window of happiness’ for setup, making it easier to achieve the desired level of support without sacrificing small-bump sensitivity.

Firstly – more air volume means more pressure in the fork. Compared to my existing Lyrik fork, pressure has doubled in the new Lyrik Ultimate – up from around 60PSI in the outgoing model to ~110PSI in the new fork. 

Weight difference is also significant – the new Lyrik Ultimate weighing in at 2255g (actual) compared with last year’s Lyrik Ultimate at 2045g (actual) – nearly a 200g increase. Most riders on 140–170mm bikes aren’t necessarily chasing the grams, and on the trail I struggled to feel the difference in terms of weight alone. It’s also notable that the comparative Fox 38 weighs in at 2440g.

The ABO functions primarily as a safety net rather than a noticeable feature, while the revised damper targets riders who want greater front-end control – especially those pushing harder into steep terrain or loading the fork aggressively – it’s adjusted at the bottom of the airspring side.

The new Lyric fork promises improved suppleness, clearer adjustability and greater composure deep in the travel and when things get a bit out of hand, all wrapped in an entirely new platform. Plus, it looks amazing. But how does it ride?

On the Trail

In comparison to the outgoing Lyrik (albeit a lower model) on my Santa Cruz Bronson, the new Lyrik features significantly more suppleness off the top – a result of the discrete LSC and HSC adjustment on the new Charger 3.2 damper. 

This also allows for more optimal preload, really increasing the playfulness and my own capacity to manage the overall heft of the Bronson. As a rider on the smaller side, this makes a huge difference to how I’m approaching obstacles and technical features, and has closed the chasm between my do-it-all cross country/trail bike and the Bronson.

In terms of ABO – I haven’t had an opportunity to fully explore the limits here – we need to pin a number on at a few enduros to reach those bottom-clenching moments, so it’s just a matter of time on the bike and between the tape. 

Another thing of note is just how calm the front end feels. There is no undue vibration through the front end – testament to the ButterCups doing their job.

While I feel I have explored the tuning of the LSC in my local undulating trails, I am keen to head to some faster, steeper trails to really dial in the HSC and explore how the Lyrik’s AirAnnexe performs to retain consistent feel on aggressive assaults – watch this space for a full review in issue #217 of AMB.

Lyrik Ultimate Flight Attendant

• DAMPER: Charger 3.2 Flight Attendant w/ButterCups
• SPRING: Linear XL w/ButterCup
• TRAVEL: 140mm, 150mm, 160mm, 170mm
• FORK OFFSET: 37mm (27.5”), 44mm (27.5”), 44mm (29”)
• WHEEL SIZE: 27.5”, 29”

RRP $2920

Lyrik Ultimate

• DAMPER: Charger 3.2 RC2 w/ButterCups
• SPRING: Linear XL w/ButterCup
• TRAVEL: 140mm, 150mm, 160mm, 170mm
• FORK OFFSET: 37mm (27.5”), 44mm (27.5”), 44mm (29”)
• WHEEL SIZE: 27.5”, 29”

RRP $2165

Lyrik Select

• DAMPER: Charger 3.2 RC2
• SPRING: Linear XL
• TRAVEL: 140mm, 150mm, 160mm, 170mm
• FORK OFFSET: 37mm (27.5”), 44mm (27.5”), 44mm (29”)
• WHEEL SIZE: 27.5”, 29”

RRP $1595

Read more here: sram.com/en/rockshox