RockShox Pike Ultimate Review – Now with Charger 3.1 Damper & ButterCups

Key Details – Rockshox Pike Ultimate

• Product: RockShox Pike Ultimate C2 (Charger 3.1 + ButterCups)
• Weight: 1887g
• Travel Options: 120mm, 130mm, 140mm (as tested)
• Wheel Sizes: 27.5” and 29”
• Damper: Charger 3.1 with independent HSC/LSC
• Additional Tech: ButterCups vibration reduction
• Price: $1805 AUD (includes spacers, fender, setup info)
• Intended Use: Aggressive trail riding, light enduro, technical XC
• Available From: RockShox dealers & service partners

For over 20 years, the Rockshox Pike has been getting it done on mountain bikes: trail bikes, slalom bikes, and jump bikes have all sported Pike’s, a testament to its versatility. In 2024, the Rockshox Pike even finds itself refined enough to be found on capable cross-country bikes, adding to the increasingly blurred lines between disciplines.

We have a Rockshox Pike Ultimate C2 on test, kindly sent out with 120mm, 130mm and 140mm Debonair+ air assemblies which are all sporting ButterCups (we will explain more on this later), meaning we could play around with setups. As tested, the Rockshox Pike weighs in at a respectable 1887g, featuring a rotor size range of 180–220mm and is available in 27.5” and 29” options. Pike Ultimate’s will set you back $1805 and come with additional volume spacers, a fender and set-up info on the back of the fork.

Related links
– Trail Bike Group Test
– AMB’s Trail and Enduro Tyre Group Test
– Mountain Bike Gloves Group Test

Stanchions remain 35mm in diameter, giving the fork a stiff and precise feel. Like most RS, the Lowers are torque-cap compatible, giving more hub-to-lower contact and increased control. The machined lightweight crown on the Ultimate model looks gorgeous and shaves some precious grams!

The intended use will vary among riders, but the 120-140mm travel range allows aggressive XC through to Trail and end-light Enduro use. We have used the Rockshox Pike Ultimate on a few rigs over the years, including on capable short-travel trail bikes such as the Forbidden Druid and, more recently, a steel ‘Party Hardtail’. We will be switching out our now aging but very much still plush and capable Rockshox Pike Ultimate with Charger 2.1 to the latest iteration to see how it compares.

Intended uses of the Rockshox Pike

1. Trail Riding (Primary Use)

• The Rockshox Pike Ultimate C2 is optimised for aggressive trail riding. It’s built to balance efficient climbing with control on descents, making it popular for riders who prioritise versatility and adaptability on various terrain types.
• Travel options typically range from 120–140mm, which is ideal for trail riding, offering enough suspension to absorb rough terrain without being too heavy for climbs.

2. Light Enduro

• While it’s not a full-blown enduro fork like the Lyrik or Zeb, the Rockshox Pike Ultimate C2 can be used for light enduro racing or riding, particularly in less extreme conditions. Its robust chassis and damper (Charger 3.1) make it capable of handling some aggressive riding and moderate jumps or drops.

3. Cross-Country 

• For cross-country riders looking for more plushness and control on rougher courses, the Rockshox Pike Ultimate C2 can be a good choice. However, it’s slightly overbuilt for pure XC use, so it’s more suited to riders who tackle technical XC trails or who prefer a beefier fork for downhill sections and are happy with a slight weight penalty.

I was specifically looking at the advancements of the latest iteration of the RockShox Pike equipped with Buttercups and Charger 3.1 damper. The Charger 3.1 damper uses the same body as the Charger 3, with the updated internal architecture of the High and Low-speed compression (HSC, LSC) assemblies, increasing the overall adjustment range. It has the same number of clicks as the Charger 3, but when LSC is set to open, it lets the damper fluid through rapidly to deliver a more supple ride.

The Charger 3.1 Damper is available is available in Rockshox Pike, Lyrik and Zeb Ultimate forks, as an upgrade for existing Rockshox Pike, Lyrik and Zeb owners or as a Charger damper upgrade kit for those savvy rebuilding-boffins looking for gains.

ButterCups were introduced along with the Charger 3 and have been extremely well received by riders at all levels and disciplines by reducing trail chatter and, in turn, fatigue while increasing control. Buttercups are vibration-dampening cups on the bottom of both the air shaft and damper that reduce feedback from the ground. A technology adapted by Rockshox after –weirdly enough – cutting wood with two chainsaws, one with a rubber-damped grip and the other without. Long story short, the tiny rubber of ButterCups results in a 20% reduction of trail chatter to the hands.

One of the primary goals of the Charger 3.1 was expanding the damper’s range, which will suit more riders of varying weights and styles, and increasing the oil flow through the LSC assembly. This was achieved with a 68% increase in flow through the LSC, aiding the forks’ ability to move over low-speed terrain and bumps, increasing traction and reducing feedback.

RockShox expand on how the new damper upgrade works, ‘In traditional dampers, HSC and LSC are a part of the same flow network—adjusting one also adjusts the other. For example, you adjust your HSC because the fork feels rough or jarring on a trail (but felt great on the last one), and that also adjusts the LSC, which then can make the fork feel unsupported or floppy. We call this “cross-talk”—when one adjustment “talks” over the other.

‘By designing the valves to be sequential, Rockshox has the oil flowing through the HSC first and then then the LSC, Low-Speed movements the oil will flow freely through the HSC valve and too when the HSC valves is closed, Oil is still free to pass freely though the LSC valve until a higher speed impact occurs which will be restricted and stopping the fork from diving and blowing through the travel.

Rockshox Pike on the trail

Setting up a fork on a hardtail differs slightly from a dual-suspension bike. Typically, I will run my fork firmer so it doesn’t dive as much and alter the bike geometry, remembering that when you land or push into a turn on a dually, both ends squat (not always in unison). On a hardtail, it’s just the fork that dives, pitching you forward. As such, I run little to no LSC, so the fork remains supple; 3-4 clicks of HSC to keep it riding high and resisting big impacts, and all the tokens to again keep the fork riding high, but often limit the fork’s overall travel.

Having removed the older model Rockshox Pike, I was tempted to just run the same settings and give it the beans, but I really wanted to see the difference between the HSC and LSC in both dampers, so I opted to try the recommended pressure of 85psi for my 74kg weight, which is higher than the recommended pressure of 100psi and what I normally run at 115psi.

The recommended 85psi was a little on the soft side for my ride style on the hardtail after a good climb and run. I quickly upped the pressure to 100psi and 3 tokens, and things started to feel more familiar on my series of test trails. The test trails in question have a good variety of janky sections, supportive features, and loose, choppy corners. 

The Buttercup and Charger 3.1 damper-equipped bike is much smoother yet supportive! After some dial fiddling at both ends of the scale, we opted for a LSC setting of 0: adding +1 HSC the Pike was performing nicely. We found with the increased range of the HSC we were able to get the support needed for the big hits without added pressure or tokens. This, combined with the now more open LSC circuit means the sensitivity of the fork is like nothing else out there, it’s absolutely brilliant.

The Rockshox Pike is equally as impressive under brakes and tipping into corners, far stiffer than and more precise than I was expecting, handling braking bumps nicely. Overall, I was surprised that what seemed like such a small upgrade to the Rockshox Pike Ultimate resulted in a noticeable difference in feel and handling in a very positive way. The Charger 3.1 damper exceeded all our expectations and earned its spot as my versatile trail fork of choice.