The RockShox Lyrik Ultimate isn’t exactly long in the tooth; the Charger 3 iteration launched only two years ago, in May 2022.
However, the release of a new RockShox fork doesn’t mean product development stops – and the next generation of improved Lyrik is already here.
This model year (MY) 2025 fork gets plenty of internal updates, including a new Charger 3.1 damper and re-worked bushings.
The updates, RockShox says, result in a reduction in friction, and lighter compression and rebound tunes – along with even more adjustability from the external dials.
Retailing for £1,079 / $1,099 / €1,199, this trail-focused 150mm-travel model weighs a respectable 2,044g.
Out on the trail, RockShox’s latest updates have worked wonders for the Lyrik’s performance. The fork is hyper-responsive at the start of its travel, providing exceptional grip and comfort, no matter how hard you’re hitting the harshest bumps.
Deeper into their stroke, there’s bucket loads of support and damper control; you can confidently weight the front wheel for grip and control, however rowdy the trail is – and there’s seemingly no penance for pushing up to and beyond your limits.
The travel is used generously but not excessively, which feels nothing short of inspiring.
Deep-stroke travel is managed beautifully; predictable soft-touch, full-travel moments are the rule not the exception, helping the Lyrik punch in a class well above its relatively light weight.
RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25 details and specifications
Visibly indistinguishable from the MY23 Lyrik launched in May 2022, this latest model even shares the same green and black paintjob of the outgoing fork.
It’s no surprise the angular chassis hasn’t changed; its slimmed-down shape gives it an aggressive look, but it’s still claimed to be 20 per cent stiffer compared to the Lyrik’s two previous versions.
Gone are the pressure-release valves on the rear of the lower legs, which have been replaced by threaded caps. An ongoing lawsuit between Fox – the complainant – and RockShox – the defendant, is likely the reason they’ve been removed from the MY25 Lyrik.
Air can still be released from the lowers by partially undoing the caps; they serve the same purpose as the valves.
Bushing tolerances have been improved significantly in this latest iteration. Specifically, the bushing reaming process and size specifications have been updated, along with increased quality control at the manufacturing stage.
RockShox says all these changes should result in significantly lower friction and a smoother, plusher ride as the forks cycle through their travel.
Charger 3.1 damper
Changes significant enough for RockShox to give the Charger a 3.1 moniker are claimed to vastly improve performance.
An internal redesign sees a reduction in damper forces (the amount of resistance created by oil flowing through valves) across the board. High- and low-speed compression and low-speed rebound damping have all been lowered in a bid to improve comfort and traction.
RockShox has achieved this by various means.
Increasing oil flow – by a claimed 68 per cent – in the low-speed compression circuit’s open position reduces damping and improves comfort.
A reconfigured high-speed compression circuit generates more damping force when it’s in the closed position – so more support can be added – but when it’s set to the more open positions, it should be similar to the Charger 3.
The damper’s internal floating piston (IFP) spring has been stiffened to match the increase in oil flow.
The mid-valve check spring has been redesigned to further reduce damper forces.
Three rebound tunes – light, medium and heavy – are now available. The forks come delivered with the medium tune fitted, which is the same tune found on the Charger 3.
There are now two compression tunes, too – a standard and heavy.
Impressively, RockShox has increased the range of external damper adjustments. The closed positions for all adjustments are firmer, while the open position is more free-moving than the Charger 3.
RockShox hopes riders will sit closer to the damper’s middle positions rather than fully opening the adjusters, as was common practice with the Charger 3.
The damper’s low-speed compression adjuster has 15 clicks, the high-speed compression adjuster five clicks and the low-speed rebound 18.
DebonAir+ air spring
Unchanged for the Lyrik MY25 is the DebonAir+ air spring.
This Ultimate model features the brand’s ButterCups, which are small rubberised pucks sandwiched between the bottom of the spring (and damper’s) shafts and the base of the lower legs. These are designed to absorb high-frequency, low-volume vibrations.
According to RockShox, the Lyrik’s spring has been designed specifically for the chassis’ size and intended riding use. It takes into account the pressure build-up in the lower legs as the forks compress.
How much does the RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25 weigh?
My 150mm-travel, 29in-wheel, 44mm-offset Ultimate-level Lyrik with uncut steerer tube (245mm), brake hose guide and front axle (110x15 Boost) weighs 2,044g. That's slightly heavier than the 2,028g claimed by RockShox.
RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25 performance
I tested the MY25 RockShox Lyrik on my Marin Rift Zone long-term test bike. From the factory, the Marin comes fitted with a Lyrik, albeit in the Select+ guise with Charger 3 damper. This made the new forks a perfect match to the bike.
I tested them on a plethora of my home trails in Scotland’s Tweed Valley. From undulating singletrack and bridleway bashing through to trail-centre loops and gnarly enduro-style descents, they got a thorough workout.
RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25 setup
Despite updates to the damper, getting the Lyrik ride-ready is a familiar affair that's helped by the reworked Trailhead smartphone and web app.
For my 75kg weight, it recommended 73psi in the air spring and +7 clicks (from fully open) of rebound. There were no specific high- or low-speed compression-damping adjustment or volume-reducer spacer recommendations.
However, during the launch of the MY25 forks, SRAM recommended starting with the damper adjustments in their middle positions (+7 low speed, +2 high speed, both from fully open), so this is where I set them when I started testing.
During testing, I upped spring pressure to 82psi and installed two volume-reducer spacers because the fork ran too low in its travel and bottomed out too easily.
While quoting sag figures is useful for context, I wouldn’t use my setup as a barometer for your own forks. Lots of factors, including frame size and geometry, bar height, riding style, body morphology and simply how much weight is on the front wheel can influence fork sag.
However, when weighing the front wheel with 43kg (measured using scales under the front wheel on a flat surface with me in the static riding position) – as I did for all the forks I tested when measuring sag, this setup gave me 44mm, or 29.33 per cent sag.
At the damper, I opened the rebound to +3 clicks (from fully open) and closed the low-speed compression to +8 clicks from fully open. I opened the high-speed compression to +1 click, also from fully open.
Finally satisfied with the feel, this is how I left the fork for the duration of the test period.
RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25 ride impressions
The Charger 3.1-equipped Lyrik is incredibly plush.
While the Charger 3 was broadly criticised for its slightly stiff beginning stroke, the 3.1 damper and re-worked bushings of the MY25 forks swing the pendulum in the opposite direction.
Sitting on the bike pedalling along a gravel fireroad highlights this best, where the fork willingly moves in and out of its sag point, absorbing the smallest bumps.
There’s no lag in their movement and the front wheel remains glued to the trail.
Comfort, therefore, is exceptional; there’s absolutely zero harshness or buzz transmitted through the bar into your hands.
With such a plush and forgiving feel, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Lyrik’s performance may be compromised when bump frequency and amplitude increase.
In reworking the bushings and adjusting the low-speed compression tune, RockShox has ensured the Charger 3.1 fork means riders can have their cake and eat it.
Not only does it achieve the holy grail of fork performance by generating grip and rider insulation akin to an under-inflated tyre, the amount of control deeper into its travel is magnificent.
The mid- and deep-stroke support are the characteristics that shone so brightly on the previous-generation Charger 3 Lyrik.
Supporting rider-weight shifts impeccably, the fork’s stable, not diving into its travel even when the front wheel is loaded intentionally for grip or accidentally if you make a mistake.
This ups control and confidence, knowing rowdy behaviour won't be punished with unnecessary diving.
It’s the same in high-load berms. The fork can be weighted and driven hard without feeling your hands are plunging towards the floor; the travel is used sparingly, but most crucially very effectively.
Up bump ferocity further and the fork shows no chinks in its armour.
High-frequency hits – regardless of their amplitude – are smoothed, dulled and damped with absolute perfection.
Responding quickly and dutifully, the front wheel remains glued to the floor and vibrations are isolated from your hands and wrists.
Not a hint of compression spike seeps in, even in the most demanding, deep-stroke hits.
The newest Lyrik achieves a previously unattainable breadth of performance where they’re soft, supple and smooth, provide ride-stabilising mid-stroke support, and can absorb the biggest, wildest hits without groaning.
This incredible performance feels epic on all types of terrain, at any rider speed.
They’re totally silent on both the compression and rebound strokes, something you may not appreciate until you ride them back-to-back with a noisier fork, which can border on distracting in comparison.
How does the RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25 compare to Fox’s Factory 36 GRIP X and the Öhlins RXF36 M.2?
Compared to the 36, RockShox’s Lyrik is heavier by a mere 29g (2,044g versus 2,015g), but significantly cheaper at £1,079, compared to the Fox’s £1,259 asking price.
External damper adjustments are identical, but RockShox officially supports re-tuneable rebound and compression damping. While tuning the 36’s GRIP X is possible, you will need to speak to your local Fox service centre for the exact ins and outs of what they can offer.
On the trail, the Lyrik is happier sitting much deeper into its travel. Its softer feel helps it track the ground impeccably. While there’s not a lack of support from the Lyrik, the 36 has more, even with the damper’s compression adjusters set to full open.
This is most noticeable on undulations and small compressions. The Lyrik works harder to keep the bar level with the horizon, while the 36 pushes feedback from the terrain into your hands, causing the bar to trace the ground’s shape.
Surprisingly, however, neither fork feels better than the other on deep-stroke hits.
The Lyrik is smoother on high-speed hits. While the 36 doesn’t compression spike or pack down, the Lyrik moves out of the way of those square-edged bumps quicker and returns to full travel more freely. This keeps the wheel tracking the ground better.
Lined up against the Öhlins, the Lyrik is 82g lighter and £231 less expensive (2,126g and £1,310 for the RXF 36). Both forks also share the same external damper adjustments, and re-tunes are officially supported by each manufacturer.
They’re very similar in feel on the trail, both performing best when run softer to give a sucked-down, ultra-compliant and smooth feel.
While the Öhlins fork is impressively supple, the Lyrik takes it one step further, truly ironing out all imperfections.
Deeper into the travel, neither can be overwhelmed with large weight shifts and high-load compressions, using travel – crucially – very effectively.
RockShox’s air spring has a much faster and more obvious final ramp-up compared to the RXF36. The volume-spacer reducer design of the Lyrik, compared to Öhlins’ tertiary ramp-up piston design, is the cause of this, where the Öhlins has a softer touch to the progression.
Of the three forks, the Lyrik is the best all-rounder. It’s the most intuitive to set up, gives the best balance of asking price with weight and seems to offer the best bits of the Öhlins and Fox out on the trails.
Trail suspension forks | How we tested
In a three-way shootout, Alex put three of the biggest names in mountain bike suspension forks against one another.
RockShox’s newest Lyrik Ultimate MY25, Fox’s recently launched 36 Podium Gold GRIP X and Öhlins’ bougie RXF36 m.2 were all bolted to the front of the same bike and tested back-to-back on trails Alex knows like the back of his hand.
This type of comparative testing meant Alex could do a deep dive on each fork’s performance, firstly judging whether they meet the manufacturer’s claims and secondly how they fare against one another.
To be a top performer, they must feel supple at the start of their travel by absorbing smaller bumps to provide comfort and traction without spiking. Deeper into their mid-stroke, they need to have support in high-load situations such as berms or compressions. Finally, the forks must have plenty of smooth bottom-out resistance.
But that’s not all; they need to be relatively easy to set up and offer plenty of usable adjustability so they’ll work for people at the extreme ends of the riding style and weight bell curves.
Forks on test
- Fox 36 Podium Gold GRIP X / Fox 36 Factory GRIP X
- Öhlins RXF36 m.2
- RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25
RockShox Lyrik Ultimate MY25 bottom line
A masterpiece of damping technology, the Charger 3.1 Lyrik’s breadth of performance is outstanding.
With class-leading initial-stroke smoothness, mid-stroke support and excellent deep-travel management, RockShox’s latest fork has basically ripped up your excuses playbook; fork performance no longer limits how hard you can push.
In the highly unlikely situation their stock performance isn’t enough or suited to your needs, RockShox’s wide-ranging off-the-shelf tunes should have you covered.
The new Lyrik is irreproachable.
Product
| Brand | rockshox |
| Price | 1199.00 EUR,1079.00 GBP,1099.00 USD |
| Weight | 2044.0000, GRAM () - uncut 245mm steerer |
Features
| br_wheelSize | 29in_700c |
| br_offset | 44.0000 |
| br_offset | MILLIMETER |
| br_travel | 150.0000 |
| br_travel | MILLIMETER |
