RockShox Vivid Ultimate review: trail-smoothing traction and ample adjustability equal impressive performance

RockShox’s gravity-oriented rear shock, the Vivid, was relaunched in 2023 with a high-volume air spring and travel-sensitive damping performance – dubbed TouchDown – designed to improve sensitivity and deliver more traction, comfort and control.

On the trail, the Vivid is a true performer. It blends supple and predictable coil-like spring performance at the start and into its mid-stroke with the ultra-adjustable ramp-up of an air spring towards bottom-out.

Retailing for £779 / $729 / €874, the 205x65mm metric trunnion Vivid I tested weighs a respectable 683g.

That means gravity-focused riders will love the feel and adaptability of the Vivid, but they’ll have to pay a high price for the privilege.

RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock specifications and details

TouchDown is the juiciest bit of new tech in the Vivid. Its aim is to improve shock sensitivity and bump response times by reducing damper resistance in the first 10 per cent of its travel.

By allowing the damper’s oil to flow past the shock’s main piston during compression, it should be freer to cycle into its travel, helping your bike’s rear wheel track the ground to provide a smoother, plusher ride.

From 10 per cent up to 80 per cent of the shock’s stroke, the damper is ‘reactivated’ to provide control and support via its tune.

In the last 20 per cent of its stroke, the five-position adjustable hydraulic bottom-out system slows down shaft speeds as it reaches bottom-out, in a bid to provide a soft-touch, full-travel feel.

The RC2T damper has both low- and high-speed external compression damping adjustment with five clicks of adjustment each, and low-speed rebound adjustment with 20 clicks to choose from.

Like the Super Deluxe shocks, cross talk – which is the effect one adjustment has on another, so low-speed damping affecting the high-speed or vice versa – between adjustments is said to have been eliminated on the Vivid.

The Vivid’s high-volume air spring is unique in the RockShox range. It’s claimed to provide a linear spring rate, which can also be tuned with volume reducers to add bottom-out resistance.

This, according to RockShox, means the shock should feel more consistent throughout its travel thanks to a straighter, more coil-like spring curve, especially compared to lower-volume offerings.

Thanks to its adjustability, it should be suited to bikes with less and more progressive leverage rates.

RockShox states the Vivid’s service intervals are rated to 100 hours of riding time, thanks to its dust wiper seal design and generous lubrication oil volume.

RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock performance

I tested the RockShox Vivid Ultimate on my trusty – and now superseded – Marin Alpine Trail. This has a 150mm-travel single-pivot, linkage driven suspension design with roughly 17 per cent progression. It’s best suited to air springs or shocks with HBO adjustment.

This 205x65mm metric trunnion shock was delivered with the R55 rebound tune and C30 compression tune. According to SRAM, this was best suited to the Alpine Trail.

However, during testing, I quickly felt the shock’s damper forces needed to be reduced on both the rebound and compression, given I had all the external adjusters set to fully open.

The shock was re-tuned with the C26 compression tune and R25 rebound tune, which were the lightest at the time. Since then, RockShox has added an even lighter C22 compression tune and R23 rebound tune.

RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock setup

Once I’d got the Vivid re-tuned, I went about setting it up properly.

For my 75kg kitted-up weight, after experimenting with different pressures, I ended up with 176psi and 29 per cent sag. I left the two stock volume reducers installed.

In terms of compression and rebound-damping adjustments, I still ran the low-speed rebound and high-speed compression adjusters fully open. However, unlike before the re-tune, I didn’t feel the damping needed to make it lighter still.

I closed the low-speed compression adjuster by +1 click (from fully open) and did the same with the HBO.

Satisfied, I left these settings as they were for the duration of the test period.

RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock adjustability

Just like the Super Deluxe, the Vivid’s adjustability is impressive. Each of the dials has a marked effect on their respective damping adjustment, whether that’s firming everything up or keeping it open and free-moving.

Cross talk between adjustments is certainly limited but not eliminated, especially when the damping is set towards its firmest positions. Set the low-speed compression damping to fully closed and the shock’s responsiveness to high-speed hits is reduced compared to when the adjuster is fully open.

Here, chattery, harsh bumps aren’t absorbed as proficiently compared to when the low-speed adjuster is closer to open.

Likewise, the inverse is true; leaving the low-speed open but firming up the high-speed makes the bike sit higher in its travel in high-load situations – as you’d expect it to if only the low-speed compression damping was closed.

But outside of the adjustment extremes, there’s limited interference between the low- and high-speed compression adjusters, and the range of practical usability is very good.

RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock on-trail feel

With an initial stroke that feels much closer to a coil-spring than an air shock, RockShox has managed to achieve its aims.

The Vivid moves smoothly in and out of its stroke, easily and freely fluttering with the trail’s imperfections.

This is most notable when it extends to full travel – as the rear wheel lifts off the ground – and then compresses back into its stroke.

Its suppleness feels akin to gently and smoothly caressing a purring cat’s back; it puts a soft and velvety filter on the trail’s harsh inputs.

Its coil-like off-the-top feel is impressive; TouchDown – along with the spring’s relatively low initial force requirements – clearly has a positive effect on performance.

Deeper into its travel, I was impressed by the amount of support and control on offer.

The damper’s low-speed compression did a great job of dealing with the forces created by loading up the bike in berms and through deeper, longer undulations. It doesn’t blow through travel unnecessarily, but still uses enough travel when hitting bumps to keep the bike’s chassis stable.

It’s impressively quiet, even when it’s being worked hard. There’s no damper whoosh or suck, even as it moves from full extension to full travel quickly and repeatedly.

The spring clearly plays its part too.

The typical air shock mid-stroke spring-force dip or flat spot is reduced by the Vivid’s high-volume design. Here, after the rise in forces required to initially compress the spring, it doesn’t then sink down, tracing much closer to the linear rate of increase seen on coils.

Along with the damper’s tune, this helps boost the geometry-stabilising mid-stroke support that’s essential for a predictable, controlled ride.

Unlike a coil-sprung shock, the Vivid ramps up significantly towards the end of its travel. How much the spring forces increase can be tuned with volume spacers and boosted further by the HBO.

When relying on these to provide bottom-out resistance – compared to the bike’s suspension kinematics – I found the final bit of the shock’s travel to punish rear wheels and tyres.

The HBO certainly can’t be described as harsh-feeling for the rider. However, once cranked up beyond half-closed, I noticed more dongs and bangs being emitted from the rear wheel on sharp-edged impacts (such as rocks and roots) usually embedded in the middle of a compression.

On the one hand, this indicates it’s doing its job well – by insulating the rider from harsh bottom-outs – but on the other it suggests HBO adjustment should be used sparingly to avoid punctures and possible damage to your rear wheel.

RockShox Vivid Ultimate lifespan and longevity

With RockShox’s 100-hour service interval claims, I was keen to put in as much time as possible on the Vivid. I exceeded the interval period, clocking up just over 112 hours before the shock went in for servicing.

While the damper worked as it did on day one, and the seals weren’t weeping oil or leaving streaks on the shaft as the lubrication oil dried out, the air spring had begun to leak air at a rate of around 30psi every four to five days.

Once at the service centre, SRAM identified a small scratch/nick on the stanchion at around 60 per cent of its travel. The damage was likely caused by very muddy conditions making a small stone rub the shaft, damaging it.

Each time the shock cycled past the damage, it would leak a small amount of air, explaining the gradual pressure loss.

SRAM stated the shock’s seal head had been damaged by the chip and that plenty of dirt had worked its way into the air spring. The damper body (which includes the stanchion) and seal head were replaced as a goodwill gesture.

This serves as a reminder that if you want your kit to last as long as possible (which is likely the case given its cost) you need to keep on top of the maintenance schedule prescribed by the manufacturer, including regular inspections for external damage.

How does the RockShox Vivid Ultimate compare to the Fox Float X2?

Both are similar in design and looks – the Fox Float X2 also has a high-volume air spring and piggyback reservoir – but there are differences elsewhere.

In total, although both have the same number of external adjustments, some of the dials perform different functions.

The Float X2 has low- and high-speed rebound and compression adjustment, but lacks an equivalent to RockShox’s HBO. In comparison, the Vivid forgoes a high-speed rebound adjuster but benefits from HBO. Your needs – or your bike’s kinematics – may dictate which shock is better suited to you.

Costing £779 / $729 / €874, the Vivid is either slightly cheaper or more expensive than the Float X2’s £809 / $699 / €929, depending on which currency you’re using, but neither shock is ‘cheap’.

The Float X2 is marginally lighter at 664g, compared to the same-size Vivid’s 683g.

Both can be re-tuned depending on your needs and, like the Vivid, I struggled with the X2’s stock damper tune feeling too firm. I ended up running all the adjusters fully open.

In terms of feel, there’s little to separate them. Mid-stroke support and progression to bottom-out are similar, although when RockShox’s HBO is increased it gives the shock more end-stroke damping support in comparison. Adding volume-reducer spacers to the Fox makes it feel similar but doesn’t quite emulate the Vivid.

It’s at the start of the travel where the biggest differences are felt. The RockShox has a slightly softer and more supple beginning, potentially thanks to the TouchDown technology. That said, the Fox is hardly harsh, but there’s clearly marginally more friction involved as it gets moving.

Your bike’s kinematics and your individual rider needs are going to dictate which shock is best for you, but I think the Vivid is a slightly better shock; it’s smoother off the top and has more adjustability towards bottom-out.

RockShox Vivid Ultimate rear shock bottom line

The Vivid is an impressive mountain bike rear shock, no matter how hard it’s being worked, living up to RockShox’s claims as a gravity-focused damper.

Adjustability is brilliant, with the dials having a marked effect on feel. If the stock tune isn’t suitable for your needs, or – like me – you’re running the adjusters fully open or almost fully open, there are plenty of official alternatives that can be fitted.

The air spring balances suppleness with support, and thanks to both volume spacers and HBO, plenty of end-stroke resistance that can be tuned in depending on how you like or need it.

This breadth of performance and adjustability means it’ll be suited to plenty of different suspension designs and riders, with seemingly few compromises.