Hello Vital MTB Visitor,
We’re conducting a survey and would appreciate your input. Your answers will help Vital and the MTB industry better understand what riders like you want. Survey results will be used to recognize top brands. Make your voice heard!
Five lucky people will be selected at random to win a Vital MTB t-shirt.
Thanks in advance,
The Vital MTB Crew
I prefer Vital because people are allowed to have different opinions here—most people seem to remember we’re just talking about expensive toys for grownups on this site. I can’t go to pinkbike anymore because of the holier-than-thou attitude on all topics, and if you don’t agree you are treated like a leper. I don’t have extreme opinions by any means, but it feels like I do on PB since everyone’s reaction there is so vitriolic.
Thanks for being real, Vital.
I might have to revisit this statement after seeing how the BK/Jenna thread goes over the next few days. 🤣
It’s hard to keep the independent air chambers from leaking one way or another. Ie neg leaking into positive.
Dimple resets any leak every stroke. It’s huge for durability.
Ok I see your post in two ways now. You’re right, a linear fork is not the same as a coil shock, since a good rear setup will have progressive linkage to counter the linear spring.
But on the other side is the fact that my post was about the more linear coil bikes (stumpy 15, etc) and how you might as well have a linear front end to match, without assessing performance, and that overall there are enough riders enjoying coil forks and coil conversions that a suspension brand has reason to develop a coil version of their air forks.
You might be right, linear to match linear - have you tried a coil fork? I think if you want more linear front suspension you’re better off with a dual air chamber design, my experience and that of my riding group is that coil forks feel great initially but lead to issues in large G-out scenarios, maybe due to the mismatched progression front to rear 🤷♂️ unsure.
Linear forks (and shocks) work best with higher amounts of damping like an Ohlins, or Avy setup, essentially anything with more damping than a stock rockshox or Fox damper. The extra damping dissipates more energy consistently through the stroke meaning you can still run a spring with great small bump and have less bottom outs as it takes more total energy to achieve a bottom out.
But also, sometime you just clap your forks, it happens, it's not the end of the world
I found that my fox 38 forks provide an adequate amount of damping, in that you can really feel when you're missing a few clicks. Maybe not to the level of an Ohlins shock, but they're quite well tuned to the fairly linear air spring they have. Maybe that would fall apart if I were to drop a coil in them, but my suspicion is that they would work fine.
Anyone else having flashbacks to the sounds of old Marzocchi forks bottoming? KLANG!!! Hmm, guess I better add another capful of fork oil to each side. Miss/don't miss those old beasts.
What pedals are these?

https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/28698351/
I think Daks been on the YOSHIMURA prototypes all season
Having worked with marzocchis from 20 years ago with 3 or 4 air valves - anything beyond 1 valve adds exponential complication for set up with negligible benefit, at least none that couldn't be achieved in a simpler way. Adjustable negative springs only work up until you have the same pressure as the positive chamber or else they lose travel. And that's just the same as using a dimple. I think negative spacer clips are a tidier solution - not sure why that one hasn't been used more!
It's not as simple as a clip, but I've just adjusted negative volume by adding or removing the top out bumper, as most dampers have enough rebound to negate a top out clunk anyway.
The rockshox HBO feature on the zeb is an interesting one, as I don't think we've seen any of the prototype forms with a coil spring from what we can tell, it would certainly be a possibility with the HBO feature though.
The parent application only included air springs, so maybe we won't see a Zeb coil anytime soon
Might be that there is already an hbo patent for coil?
Did I miss something?
This is from Fanatik, there’s no info online or on WAO website about it, was a v2 released at some point? What’s new?
I know they expanded the convergence line, but I thought the original ie triad's etc stayed the same. Maybe they improved them too.
New Trek Slash+ with the TQ HPR60 has been quietly released in some markets. Similar release to the Kenevo SL2 in the sense that the frame is identical, it's just the motor and a few components that have been updated.

At least for the prior models the motor can be upgraded/replaced. Always thought it was kinda shitty of specialized with the Kenevo SL to not let customers buy the new motor when purchasing it out of warranty even though the bolt pattern and battery was identical.
2026 Slash+ 9.7
2026 Slash+9.9
Someone will figure out a way around that peak power limit...
It'll be interesting to see how Trek handles this, especially now that they've released the 2026 Slash+. That new bike has the more powerful HPR60, and with it, a new plastic part to accommodate the cooling fins. The supposed reason the 2025 bikes were limited to 300W was for heat management without those fins.
Now that an official part exists, it should be possible to retrofit the full-power motor into the previous models without having to cut away at the plastic like others have done online. Trek will have to decide whether they intentionally hobble the previous models to sell the new ones, or or build goodwill by allowing existing customers to upgrade.


(Image below from the Slash+ FB group, somebody got a warranty HPR60 and cut away at the plastic to fit the cooling fins, same for the EXE below)
Does anyone seriously believe that 99% of the people in this thread aren’t also in the PB comments.
The irony of claiming PB is filled with virtue signalers, while simultaneously saying Vital is better than PB.
Both sites have their differences and are staples.
Z1's too.
RS Coil kits aren't that hard to make...
I wonder how many people freaked out when Kaz said something to the effect of, "It's funny when people in the chat refer to Vital as the other site.. Like you can't say their name here.. We don't care if you visit more than one site. In fact, you should. Get another opinion before spending your money..." This was on the podcast within the last few weeks.
This other site, that happens here too, is such a weird thing. We're not talking about Voldermort...
Is this diy?
It makes a nice little joke if you're familiar with the Westminster tradition of parliamentarians referring to the house of parliament in which they don't sit as "another place", but it might not make much sense to users not from Commonwealth countries...*
But like Kazimer I've always found it funny (and slightly frustrating) when people are overly cryptic about where they read something. Just speak plainly and stop making me guess!
* It could be widespread, but it could also be limited to the UK, I don't actually know.
Yes it is
Regarding “tHe oTheR sITe,” I think we all know why we are over here. I mean, I still have this URL bookmarked “Littermag.” 🤣
Care to share the deets?
pinkbike
(did the vital break yet?)
Why do companies not make coil forks with progressive coil springs like how CC/DVO/MRP have done for their rear shocks? It feels wonderful for those who are about that. At least as far as rear shocks go. But I have yet to buy a coil fork because I love a lot of progression and I worry Id get one and there would definitely be very little support.
Only if Outside bought it.