Combine the sensitivity of a coil spring with the tunability of air. Increase comfort and traction without compromising support and control, or tune your fork for hard charging without adding harshness. TopHat's dual-stage air spring system allows for lower initial operating pressure for a supple feel off the top, while the secondary spring provides tunable support and bottom out resistance. Combine improved ride characteristics and options for factory level suspension tuning in one simple, user-friendly package.
TopHat simultaneously satisfies the most performance-minded suspension tuners while remaining incredibly simple to use for riders just looking for an effective, set-and-forget upgrade. For riders on a budget, or who can’t justify the marginal gains of a new $1200 fork, TopHat offers greater performance benefits at a fraction of the cost.
- Installation and initial setup in under 5 minutes.
- Two-stage, dual air spring system for independent tuning of beginning, middle, and end stroke.
- 10-15 psi lower base pressure increases sensitivity off the top without a loss in support.
- Easy to use tuning guides for riders of all experience levels from beginner to professional.
- Adjustable floating piston height and chamber volumes for a custom tunable spring curve.
- Unique volume spacer design adds bottom out resistance with zero effect on initial spring rate.
- Fully adjustable without disassembly.
- User friendly modular design is rebuildable and upgradable without special tools.
- Includes replacement seals and optional chamferless socket tool.
- Weighs only 40 grams more than stock cap assembly.
- Two color options: blue or black (FOX) / red or black (RockShox)
- Lifetime warranty.
- Ships worldwide, prices include all import fees and VAT.
- Reduced launch price of $239 for US customers
- €245 in Europe and worldwide (prices will vary depending on individual markets). Prices include all tariffs, associated fees, and VAT.
Legacy Technology Optimized for Modern MTB Forks
First introduced in motocross by Yamaha and KYB in 1976, dual-stage air spring technology has featured in various MTB forks and suspension products for more than a decade. At the consumer level these systems have remained relatively unchanged over the past fifty years, and aftermarket products built for first generation enduro forks have not evolved in step with current fork technology. Ride 886 designed TopHat to bring a legacy air spring concept fully up to date with modern MTB fork chassis, air springs, and dampers.
TopHat Explained
For those unfamiliar with dual-stage air springs their defining characteristic is the division of the traditional single positive air spring chamber into two different chambers in series, with the primary chamber at a lower pressure and the secondary chamber at a higher pressure. This creates a low pressure and low volume initial chamber to build midstroke support at the dynamic sag point, then transitioning to a larger chamber to maintain the supportive midstroke before ramping up to prevent bottom out. In addition to creating a more optimal spring curve, both chambers are infinitely adjustable making them more tunable as compared to traditional single positive chamber and volume reducer designs. Öhlins, Manitou, EXT, Formula, and Intend have all offered forks with some basic variation of this technology.
TopHat vs Volume Reducers
Traditional volume reducers offer a simple to understand, but rather blunt tuning option mostly directed at bottom out resistance. And while they do this rather well, installing or removing reducers influences the entire spring rate, requiring a compromise with small bump compliance and mid stroke support. Additionally, the abrupt ramp up they introduce can feel like hitting a wall toward the end of the stroke, making it difficult to use full travel efficiently. Often the adjustment riders want versus what can be achieved with volume reducers doesn’t align. To quote a multiple World Cup winner, “I always have a hard time with volume spacers. They always feel so progressive for the feeling you want.”
The TopHat Advantage
While simple enough to use for someone with no background in suspension tuning, TopHat’s advanced adjustment features unlock tuning potential previously unavailable.
Traditional dual-stage air springs allow only pressure adjustment, where adding bottom out control requires increasing air pressure in the secondary air chamber. For less progression the same process is repeated in reverse. While this maintains a level of simplicity, the limitation comes from a need to keep the pressure ratio between the two chambers in an optimal window. Too much pressure in the secondary chamber will aid in bottom out while also introducing a harsh spike early in the midstroke. The result is a loss of control in rough terrain, excessive feedback through the handlebars, and a front end that is easily deflected or stood up in corners. Conversely, too little pressure and the mid-stroke support falls off and the fork begins to wallow in its travel. While many riders are able to find an optimal setting while maintaining an optimal pressure ratio there’s little room to deviate, especially in designs built for a narrow, pre-defined spring curve. Anyone looking for more personalized ride characteristics is forced to make the same compromises they experienced with volume reducers.
The Ride 886 TopHat solves this problem through careful design and the introduction of additional adjustment features that do not rely solely on air pressure.
- Precision internal machining maximizes the volume of both chambers. More system volume means a more linear spring rate with reduced baseline progression, less sensitivity to small changes in pressure, and a broader range of usable adjustment.
- Traditional volume reducers can be used in the secondary chamber to increase bottom-out resistance and end of stroke progression without changing the pressure ratio between the two chambers.
- Because the reducers are decoupled from the system initially, off the top feel, sag, dynamic ride height, and midstroke support are unaffected. Adjusting bottom out resistance can be fine-tuned precisely without affecting the rest of the stroke.
- Individual chamber volumes can be adjusted with 10mm spacers installed under the floating piston.
- This allows for how quickly or slowly initial pressure builds in the primary air chamber and influences off-the-top feel and the bias of the upper chamber between mid-stroke or end-stroke support.
- The TopHat Advanced Tuning Guide provides easy to use, infographic based support for riders who wish to explore more advanced tuning options.
Find Your Optimum Setup in 5 Minutes or Less
Recognizing that many riders would prefer to enjoy the additional benefits of the TopHat system without added complexity, the Quickstart Guide will get you from unboxing to the trail with an optimum setup in 5 minutes or less. For riders looking to set-and-forget, simply type your current or recommended fork pressure into the Quickstart Calculator to get your optimal settings instantly. Inflate your fork to the new pressure and you’re ready to ride. Should you need to make small changes later, the TopHat Standard Tuning Guide provides easy to follow instructions to dial in your ideal setup.
User Friendly Service and Adjustment
Performance and adjustability are useless if accessing them is a hassle, so TopHat was designed specifically with the end user in mind. All adjustment features can be accessed by a single bolt at the bottom and no special tools are needed for disassembly. Basic service and lubrication can be completed in a couple minutes with only a 4mm allen wrench. Additionally, all critical parts have redundant tool interfaces so your day won’t be ruined by a slipped wrench or an accidentally stripped bolt head. All o-rings are standard metric sizes easily available and sourced locally if needed, and complete o-ring specs for each model are published on the service page of the website. A set of complimentary replacement piston seals is included.
Where to Buy
TopHat can be purchased direct from the Ride886.com website.
All models are currently offered in blue or black color options for all Fox 36, 38 and Podium forks with additional red and black RockShox models scheduled for release later this summer.
- Reduced launch price of $239 for US customers
- €245 in Europe and world wide (prices will vary depending on individual markets). Prices include all tariffs, associated fees, and VAT.
About Ride 886
Founded and operated by cycling industry and media veteran Lee Trumpore. After racing downhill professionally in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, he moved into a photography and tech journalism role for several mainstream publications. Lee regularly covered manufacturing and emerging suspension technology, particularly the development and testing of early suspension data acquisition systems. He maintains extensive connections to the World Cup downhill and EWS/EDR race circuits.
Eric Olsen, owner of Pacific Northwest based brand Jank Components, handles all primary engineering duties. A professional enduro racer, coach, and previous Pinkbike Academy contestant, Eric is also the director and producer of several video features including the documentary film series Atmospheric River Rats.
Website: Ride886.com
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Instagram: Ride.886
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ride886
Contact:
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ales@ride886.com" rel="nofollow">Sales@ride886.com for dealer inquires and partnerships
what does this better than all these other dual spring systems that look exactly the same?
They have a cool picture of a 1970s mx fork.
I have one of these and Im liking it!
Biggest difference from the DSD Runt is this physically takes up less volume in the fork vs the Runt so you get a bit more headroom on the setup window for useable settings without making the fork too progressive.
I've been running one for a couple months now on a '25 Fox 38 and it really opens up the ability to change the character of the fork without cracking it open. I haven't messed around with spacers yet, just pressures and ratios and am very satisfied. It does what is claimed; more top end sensitivity. I find I'm running less compression damping than with my previous 2 spacer setup at Fox recommended pressures.
Messed around with some very progressive ratios just for fun and you can get to very supple top end with bottomless feeling, however it sacrificed too much support for my liking. Settled on close to recommended TopHat settings (1.5:1 ratio) and vary the ++ pressure by a PSI or so based on terrain steepness to dial in the support.
Overall I highly recommend if you are into optimizing setup or just want to noodle with a fresh gadget that has real effect.
This looks pretty cool. If it's as quick and easy to adjust as they say, then you could just pop a couple spacers in for park days and pop them back out at session's end without too much faffing around.
Would you say it's a good candidate to make a 180 zeb less progressive?
Not sure, Im on a Fox 38. Its given me better control over the whole air-spring and how progression ramps up but I was also running one volume spacer before I got this so I could afford to physically take up space in my positive air chamber.
It's not gonna do much for absolute force to bottom out if keeping the same sag, however since it will make mid stroke more linear, it could feel less rampy.
Not less progressive than no tokens.
Yes and no. The Zeb has some challenges with inherent ramp up due to its chassis design that make it more progressive at the end of its travel. The TopHat doesn't take up much space inside the air spring, but it doesn't take up zero space either so that would be something to keep in mind. That said, due to the way TopHat affects the spring curve, namely the ability to run a slightly lower pressure while gaining more support can help it feel less abruptly progressive, and less progressive overall.
Can it help? We would say yes, it will help improve the characteristics of the Zeb air spring as a whole. Will it completely solve the Zeb's built in challenges? No.
Lee from Ride 886 here. A primary goal when designing the TopHat was to address what we felt were limitations with the products currently available aftermarket. Namely, reducing unnecessary internal volume as much as possible, adding additional tuning option that are decoupled from the pressure ratio, purposely not designing around a predetermined ratio or theoretical spring curve, creating a modular design that can be adapted cheaply to a new fork purchase whenever possible, adding value for customers by manufacturing and including a quality installation/removal tool, including replacement seals and publishing all other o-ring specs, building a robust website with easy to follow tuning advice, offering free replacement of small small parts should you lose something, a lifetime warranty, improved aesthetics, stable stock levels, and a price that is accessible to a worldwide market rather than a regional one. Ultimately, adding a second option to what is otherwise a single product market in either the US or Europe gives consumers more choice and presents other manufacturers a reason to update and refine their own products. My personal take on the latter is there seems to be more effort spent arguing with each other about who supposedly came up with a fairly obvious idea first, as if it's a performance metric, rather than trying to innovate or differentiate.
Not everyone will find the same value, or agree that a TopHat offers the improvement we promise. That's okay, it's not going to appeal to everyone. But I'll stand by the claim that TopHat offers better value, range of performance, support and ease of use than other legacy aftermarket options.
I ordered one up for the 2024 fox 36 that I am running on my HT4. That fork has a glidecore air spring and an mrp lift damper in it along with bushing burnishing I have done. I'm not unhappy with the fork, but certainly I have opinions about balancing ramp up and support in 160mm travel 36mm forks and I'm looking forward to playing with this. I've run a vorsprung secus on a 160mm 36 before and while it was an improvement, it was not a night and day improvement to the 36 that it was on a (prior to 26' my) zeb.
Stoked to try this out. @Ride886 bit of constructive feedback here. Your documentation is stellar, as is the advanced tuning guide. That being said, page 36-38 is a bit confusing. I only mention it as it's a stand out head scratcher of a section compared to the previous 35 pages that were chocked full of info, and easy to understand.
Well that’s embarrassing. I was editing the user guide last week based on some feedback from early customers and uploaded the wrong draft. Page 34 should be the last page, all the rest of what you were seeing are templates and fragments of previous pages meant for the website graphics or social media. Thanks for the constructive feedback for sure.
Is the Fox 40 one dropping soon?
Anyone got this in the US? Curious about the final bill (tariffs).
You can change the effective piston stroke, the initial volume it takes up in the fork, and the internal volume of the unit itself (to alter the ramp characteristics). It is not limited to a specific travel like the other options are if you want to change air springs. And it comes with a top cap socket tool. A true puzzlers delight! 😊
I'm hoping they'll make one for Intend forks at some point. The Linearizer option Intend makes is quite limited in comparison.
Yeah, with the opportunity to change air volume and travel in the secondary positive air spring, this appears to offer a lot of tuning parameters that simply don't exist with the other comparable products. I'm not sure of any other company (DSD, Ohlins, Manitou, Chickadee Hill, Formula, etc) who offer the adjustments that the Tophat does.
Does the average customer need that much adjustment? Of course not, because the average customer doesn't need any of these extremely niche products. But I definitely think there's a customer who would benefit from it. I'm excited to get one and try it on the Podium, because I've had occasional but nasty bottom outs on my Podium and I haven't wanted to stuff it full of volume reducers or close of HSC compression. This seems like a great solution, and all those adjustments give me peace of mind that there will be at least one configuration that keeps the weirdly firm but supple top end feel and support that I've come to love while canceling out the brutal bottom out clank.
Looks like a cool product. Color me curious!
US orders are shipped both from the US and direct from the supplier in Taiwan. If stock in the US runs low we can switch to fulfilling orders direct from the factory. In either case you will never get a tariff bill or have to deal with customs in any way, that is all paid for and handled on our end in advance. No surprises, no extra fees for customers later on. The same is true for international orders, we handle the customs and import procedures rather than passing that burden and the cost on to you.
This is a pretty big deal, thank you for managing that. As an anecdote, I bought an product/company name redacted this last year. Great product and I'm stoked with it. But I paid ~225usd for it and got a 75 dollar tarrif bill. Definitely takes the lustre off of it a bit. Not product/company name redacteds fault, they aren't the ones that @+_)#ed around and found out playing stupid tarrif games. Still though, the forethought of working this out for us consumers is greatly appreciated and obviously a huge factor to keeping the barrier to entry low.
A lot of companies will ship internationally but pass the tariff bill on because the actual invisible cost is so high. Let's say you have a $50 part imported into the US direct to consumer and you want to cover the costs by sending it DPP (delivery duty paid). UPS will pay the $10 fee and invoice your account. For this service they charge a disbursement fee of 2% of the tariff bill or $17, which evert is higher. So the actual cost of import is $22. No matter how cheap the imported item is it will get hit with that $17 fee. We're working on setting up a bond with US customs that allows them to pull the charges directly from our bank account, but until then we're just eating that cost every time. The tradeoff is a frictionless experience for customers who don't have to deal with customs or unexpected additional fees.
You could pass this on to the customer for them to deal with but that may also come with additional customs processing and brokerage charges that are usually waived for corporate contracts. Their actual out of pocket expense is even higher.
It gets even more fun with international shipping. With a reasonably negotiated shipping contract with UPS your base rate may be $20, plus a 45-50% fuel surcharge set weekly. But if the address is considered 'out of area' or 'rural' you get an additional $35 charge (international surcharges are considerably higher than the $5-8 domestic fees). This extra fee is also subject to the fuel surcharge multiplier and can easily add another $50. Making actual imported and delivered cost $90-100. Obviously this cost shrinks dramatically with a bulk shipments as there is only one fee rather than hundreds, but for a lot of small manufacturers or startups this isn't immediately feasible.
If you've ever wondered how a part that cost $20 to manufacture ends up costing $150 at retail this may help explain it. When you're charged $20 for shipping, in reality that's only a fraction of the actual fulfillment cost.
Very curious to try one. I always end up running higher than normal pressures in my zeb.
The 40 is ready to go, it's already been World Cup race tested, but got bumped by ZEB in the production order due to likely much lower demand.
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