ÖHLINS UNVEILS THE RXF34 m.2 – THE GOLD STANDARD FOR DOWNCOUNTRY TRAIL FORKS
Öhlins announces the launch of the RXF34 m.2 – the latest edition to the brand’s leading range of high-performance MTB forks. Designed for downcountry use, the new fork replaces the original RXF34, and offers a short-travel 120-130mm setup optimized for lightweight 29er trail bikes. The RXF34 m.2 is available to order now and priced at $1,180 USD / €1,294 / £1,185 / SEK 13,744 MSRP*.
The RXF34 m.2 benefits from the brand’s near half a century of experience crafting suspension products, from Formula 1, to motocross and MotoGP, enduro riding, downhill, and now downcountry. Weighing in at just 1698g**, the fork can boast of a brand new air spring and damper adapted for the demands of the emerging riding style, while still carrying all the hallmarks of Öhlins’ race-proven performance suspension seen from its long-travel cousins.
OTX18 – the ‘downcountry damper’
The RXF34 m.2 uses Öhlins’ newly-designed OTX18 damper. Sprung out of the highly successful TTX18 found in the brand’s downhill and trail forks, the OTX18 is purpose-built for lightweight trail bikes. It shares several key components with its bigger TTX18 brother, but weighs 27% less and is optimized for faster and more fluid trail riding, striking the optimal balance between traction, control, weight and stiffness.
Like all Öhlins dampers, the OTX18 offers impressive adjustability for fine-tuning, with fifteen clicks of low-speed compression and rebound adjustment alongside three for tweaks to high-speed compression. As always, a large and extensively-tested setting bank is also available for those who wish to customize their ride feel even further.
Lightweight air spring
The new damper is paired with a robust yet lightweight air spring that features a positive and self-adjusting negative chamber. The positive chamber allows riders to tune the spring curve according to their needs using Öhlins’ easy-to-use volume spacer system. The negative chamber, meanwhile, has been designed for fast trail riding and provides a plush initial feel and superb small bump sensitivity. The spring’s surface and seals also minimize friction and breakaway force to enhance the fork’s smooth ride feel.
Race-proven chassis design
With a flex pattern tailored for lightweight trail riding, the RXF34 m.2’s super-stiff chassis delivers point-and-shoot precision steering. This has been achieved via a closed-end outer tube design to increase stiffness, impact resistance and the volume of the lower legs. Increased air volume at the bottom of the fork increases the impact of the air spring on overall performance. This in turn gives the rider more power to fine-tune performance to their liking for greater confidence and control.
The RXF34 m.2 also benefits from the same race-proven floating axle design found in the RXF36 m.2 and RXF38 m.2, which decreases friction and further increases stiffness.