The Radavist

Welcome to Shock Value, a semi-regular series about all things suspension. The entries will range from deep histories to surface-level tutorials. Today, we’re starting with the basics. First, there’s now a glossary of terms on The Radavist site that we will link to any time there’s a jargon-heavy article or product review. But the post you’re reading now is even more basic. It’s a brief summary of how we feel about suspension and why we think it deserves its own regular spotlight. We hope you’re looking forward to it as much as we are.

The first entry in our Shock Value education series is this extensive glossary. We hope it will serve as a way to demystify the jargon in the stories and reviews you’ll read here at The Radavist. But we also think it functions as a standalone educational tool. There are a lot of systems and concepts at work in our suspension. We’re not just here to explain how they affect your ride but also how they function. So, we invite you to take a leisurely scroll through. You may find it will deepen your understanding of what makes your suspension tick and how to make it tick better. Or, simply use your browser’s search function to find the word you’re looking for.

Miguel reviews the Cane Creek Invert Fork and dives deep into suspension with Radavist author Travis Engel, who gives Miguel a straightforward answer to the question he’s been asking ever since taking on the fork to review…

Please, if you enjoy these videos, hit the subscribe button below! If we hit 10k subscribers, John will do a gravel race. If we don’t, Miguel has to shave his mustache!

The Wolf Tooth Resolve Dropper Post rev2 expands the first-of-its-kind specs of the original Resolve Dropper Post with updates including 34.9 diameter sizing, 242mm travel option, and new internal components.

Josh has been riding with the new Resolve rev2 on his Otso Hoot ti review bike, in addition to getting a sneak peek at the new post internals and assembly process on a recent trip to Wolf Tooth HQ. Read on below for all the details of the new Resolve rev2…

Aeroe’s popular Spider Rear Rack just got a matching setup for the front of touring and commuter bikes. The Spider Front Rack ($120) works with suspension forks and acts as a pannier rack or a modular rack for Aeroe’s system bags. Let’s check it out below.

SRAM and RockShox always do this. They collect a bunch of minor and major innovations within a given product line, throw in a new model or two, and unleash it all at once on an unsuspecting public. I suppose it beats the alternative. If we had to wait several years for a component to get a top-to-bottom rebuild before any improvements could be made, we’d miss out on the types of innovations RockShox collected today for the 2025 model year. They’ve improved the bushing design on the Pike, Lyric and Zeb forks, revamped the damper in the Super Deluxe air shock, and introduced an entirely new Vivid Air dh-oriented coil shock. They’ve also updated their TrailHead tuning-guide app, which should help with my favorite news of the day, an updated Charger 3.1 damper.

I’ve actually got a new Pike featuring a Charger 3.1 in for test. I just haven’t had enough time on it yet to bring you a thorough review. But on the one ride I’ve managed to squeeze in between installing and writing, it’s already changed my mind a little about the compromises we’re used to making when setting up our suspension. No spoilers, but this is the first fork where I’ve increased high-speed compression damping and not paid for it with a significant increase in harshness. Again, I’ll save that for the review. For now, here’s what’s new in the news.

Introducing the ShockStop PRO Endurance Seatpost. This new seatpost broadens Redshift’s range of suspension seatpost options giving every cyclist the perfect setup that compliments their riding style, bike type, and the terrain they ride…

Travis‘s Otso Fenrir shows up a lot in his reviews. So does the 85mm-travel Fox Step-Cast 34 he customized for it. We’ve gotten some questions about how he finagled this hack. He’s here to give answers, but not to recommend you try it.

Sometimes, the bike industry throws cost-conscious consumers a bone, and the 2024 RockShox Psylo Gold RC is a meaty one. Travis has been chewing on it for a couple weeks now, and he’s got a review with almost no flesh-based metaphors.

Announced this morning, Cane Creek enters the gravel bike suspension market with two inverted forks; Invert SL 30 mm ($1099.99) and Invert CS 40 mm ($1199.99). Let’s check out more below.

For the past 50 years, Fox has been pushing suspension design and in 2024 FOX is launching three new dampers—each engineered from the ground up—that represent the pinnacle of suspension performance. Announced today, the GRIP X2 for ultimate descending performance, The GRIP X for uncompromised all-mountain traction, and the GRIP SL, the lightest XC damper with unparalleled ride feel…

In the world of gravel suspension forks, KS Suspension just announced its 40mm travel GTC Gravel Suspension Fork, which features carbon lowers, rebound adjustment, an aluminum crown, and it clears a 50mm tire. Let’s check it out…

If you own a car, you change your oil. And not just because it’s part of adulting. Even if you know nothing about engines, you probably know what can happen if you push it too far. Debris will eventually build up, viscosity will eventually break down, and the more miles your car travels in that condition, the fewer miles it will last. But if you own bicycle suspension, the specific reasons for performing regular service may not be quite so clear.

Travis Engel knows a lot more about shocks and forks than he does about rods and pistons, but he doesn’t know exactly what happens when he blows past the manufacturer-recommended 50- and 200-hour service intervals. And like many riders, he pretty much always blows past them. So, he did some research and is here to tell us what we are (and aren’t) risking when we ignore the proverbial sticker in the upper left corner of our suspension’s proverbial windshield.

Before you even hit the parking lot to test ride a suspension bike, most shops will walk you through a careful sag and damping adjustment. But few of them will tell you that there is a whole other dimension of control inside your fork or shock’s air spring. By inserting or removing volume spacers, you can make your suspension more or less resistant to bottom-out. In turn, that may allow you to run more or less preload. This deceptively simple adjustment has gotten a reputation for being only for racers, or nerds, or nerdy racers. But Travis Engel believes everyone can benefit from volume tuning. So, he has this quick explainer on what it can do for you, and how you can try it for yourself.

Today, Fox Shox announced an updated FLOAT rear shock and a brand new, lightweight version called the FLOAT SL. After pouring over the PDFs, we figured it was worth pulling out of the quick-hit Radar Round-Up to give it its own spotlight. It’s more than just the next iteration of the most popular rear shock on the mid-travel market. It’s a sign of the times.

The Norco Search got some updates for 2021, including an optional build that features the 50mm SR Suntour GVX gravel fork which offers 50mm of travel. This X6 butted aluminum frame, when paired with this fork softens the ride quality while injecting a bit of fun to your normal rides. The bike comes with the standard bells and whistles of a modern gravel bike with a GRX kit, thru-axles, tubeless wheels, and best of all, the retail on the Search XR A Suspension is a mere 1,899.00. See more at Norco.