RockShox
Encyclopedia
RockShox Inc. is an American
company founded by Paul Turner and Steve Simons in 1989, that develops and manufactures bicycle suspension
s. The company led in the development of mountain bike
s. It is now part of SRAM Corporation.
, USA. It moved to California
three years later.
Turner raced motorcycle
s in his teens. In 1977, aged 18 he established a company that sold motorcycle components. He later worked for the Honda Motor Company as factory mechanic
for their professional motocross
team. This put him in contact with designers of suspension systems for motorcycles and other motocross industry people.
Simons was a former professional motocross rider and entrepreneur. In 1974 he designed a shock absorber for the company that became Fox Racing Shox
, and then established his own company Simons Inc. to develop suspension forks. He had two patent
s on suspension forks, one which he licensed to motorcycle and suspension manufacturers.
In 1989, Turner approached Simons to develop a suspension fork for mountain bikes. Turner had in 1987, with the help of Keith Bontrager
, presented a full bike with front and rear suspension at the bicycle industry trade show in Long Beach
. The industry was not impressed. Two years later Turner and his wife Christi were manufacturing suspension forks in their garage with parts bought from Simons, who soon partnered Turner in the newly formed company.
Simons became CEO of RockShox. Turner brought in Greg Herbold
as a test rider and company spokesman. Herbold became the first world champion in downhill mountain biking on one of the first suspension forks for mountain bikes made. In August that year the company manufactured its first 100 suspension forks, the RS-1. The start-up was financed by the Asian bike component manufacturer Dia-Compe, the founders, and other investors. Dia Compe manufactured the next series of forks but later withdrew from manufacturing and disposed of its shares. From then the forks were primarily manufactured at Rock Shox.
Stock Exchange (ticker: RSHX), and raised 65 million dollars ($72 million before deduction of IPO related costs). The company had 300 employees, most in the company's US factories
. RockShox had a market share of 60 percent.
Rock Shox was one of many brands that marketed suspension forks for bicycles, others were Answer Manitou, Marzocchi and RST. During this time Fox Racing Shox also enterred the bicycle industry. As the number of direct substitutes to Rock Shox' products increased, the company experienced difficulties in protecting its position as the leading manufacturer in the business.
In June 2000 RockShox moved production to Colorado
, which saved an estimated $5 million a year. In 2001 the company lost $10 million.
to SRAM. SRAM took over the company and its debt
obligations for $5.6 million. The company had 300 employees in Colorado Springs. In 2002, production in Colorado moved to Taichung
, Taiwan
. A small test facility remains in Colorado Springs.
Paul Turner has been nominated for the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
several times but declined.
Other features:
There are usually several versions of each product, typically distinguished by the presence or absence of certain features, such as material type, preload, rebound damping, compression damping, lockout, remote lockout and replaceable bushings. This article does not attempt to list all specifications for all versions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
company founded by Paul Turner and Steve Simons in 1989, that develops and manufactures bicycle suspension
Bicycle suspension
A bicycle suspension is the system or systems used to suspend the rider and all or part of the bicycle in order to protect them from the roughness of the terrain over which they travel...
s. The company led in the development of mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
s. It is now part of SRAM Corporation.
Start
RockShox was founded by Paul Turner and Steve Simons in 1989 in North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, USA. It moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
three years later.
Turner raced motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s in his teens. In 1977, aged 18 he established a company that sold motorcycle components. He later worked for the Honda Motor Company as factory mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
for their professional motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
team. This put him in contact with designers of suspension systems for motorcycles and other motocross industry people.
Simons was a former professional motocross rider and entrepreneur. In 1974 he designed a shock absorber for the company that became Fox Racing Shox
Fox Racing Shox
Fox Racing Shox is a brand used by Fox Factory to sell off road racing suspension components.- History :Fox Racing, Inc. was founded in 1980 by Bob Fox in Watsonville, California. It started as a small business distributing suspension components for motocross bikes...
, and then established his own company Simons Inc. to develop suspension forks. He had two patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
s on suspension forks, one which he licensed to motorcycle and suspension manufacturers.
In 1989, Turner approached Simons to develop a suspension fork for mountain bikes. Turner had in 1987, with the help of Keith Bontrager
Keith Bontrager
Keith Bontrager is a motorcycle racer who became a pioneer in development of modern mountain bike. Between 1980 and 1995 he was president of Bontrager Cycles...
, presented a full bike with front and rear suspension at the bicycle industry trade show in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. The industry was not impressed. Two years later Turner and his wife Christi were manufacturing suspension forks in their garage with parts bought from Simons, who soon partnered Turner in the newly formed company.
Simons became CEO of RockShox. Turner brought in Greg Herbold
Greg Herbold
Greg "H-Ball" Herbold is an american mountain bike racer. He was inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1996.Greg Herbold won the first dual slalom race at Mammoth Mountain in 1987...
as a test rider and company spokesman. Herbold became the first world champion in downhill mountain biking on one of the first suspension forks for mountain bikes made. In August that year the company manufactured its first 100 suspension forks, the RS-1. The start-up was financed by the Asian bike component manufacturer Dia-Compe, the founders, and other investors. Dia Compe manufactured the next series of forks but later withdrew from manufacturing and disposed of its shares. From then the forks were primarily manufactured at Rock Shox.
Growth and IPO
Eight years after inception the company manufactured and sold a million RockShox forks and had revenues of $100 million. The company went public in October 1996, was listed on the NasdaqNASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
Stock Exchange (ticker: RSHX), and raised 65 million dollars ($72 million before deduction of IPO related costs). The company had 300 employees, most in the company's US factories
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
. RockShox had a market share of 60 percent.
Competition and cost savings
Towards the end of the 1990s competition was fierce and profits were thin.Rock Shox was one of many brands that marketed suspension forks for bicycles, others were Answer Manitou, Marzocchi and RST. During this time Fox Racing Shox also enterred the bicycle industry. As the number of direct substitutes to Rock Shox' products increased, the company experienced difficulties in protecting its position as the leading manufacturer in the business.
In June 2000 RockShox moved production to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, which saved an estimated $5 million a year. In 2001 the company lost $10 million.
SRAM takeover
In 2002 RockShox defaulted on a loanLoan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
to SRAM. SRAM took over the company and its debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
obligations for $5.6 million. The company had 300 employees in Colorado Springs. In 2002, production in Colorado moved to Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. A small test facility remains in Colorado Springs.
Paul Turner has been nominated for the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Crested Butte Colorado. The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in 1988 to chronicle the history of mountain biking....
several times but declined.
Product chronology and common specifications
Suspension Forks| Product | Year introduced | Year discontinued | Stanchion Diameter | Travel Lengths | Spring Types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-1 | 1991 | 1991 | 25.4mm (1") | Air, oil return | |
| Mag 20 | 1992 | 1992 | 25.4mm | 48mm | Air, oil return |
| Mag 30 | 1992 | 1992 | 25.4mm | 48mm | Air, oil return |
| Mag 21 | 1993 | 1995 | 25.4mm | 48mm (60mm long travel) | Air, oil return |
| Mag 10 | 1993 | 1995 | 25.4mm | 48mm | Air, oil return |
| Mag 21 SL | 1994 | 1994 | 25.4mm | 48mm (60mm long travel) | Air, oil return |
| Quadra | 1993 | 25.4mm | Elastomer | ||
| Quadra 5 | 1994 | 25.4mm | 48mm | Elastomer | |
| Quadra 21 R | 1994 | 25.4mm | 60mm | Elastomer | |
| Judy XC | 1995 | 2001 | 28mm | 50mm, 63mm | MCU spring (elastomer), oil return |
| Judy SL | 1995 | 2001 | 28mm | 50mm, 63mm | MCU spring (elastomer), oil return |
| Judy DH | 1995 | 1998 | 28mm | 80mm | MCU spring (elastomer), oil return |
| Indy | 1995 | MCU spring (elastomer) | |||
| SID | 1998 | Present | 32mm (as of 2009; previously, 28mm) | 80/100mm or 120mm | Dual Air |
| DHO | 1998 | 28mm | 100mm | MCU spring (elastomer) | |
| Jett | 1999 | 2001 | |||
| BoXXer | 2000 | Present | 35mm | 150mm (early), 180mm, 200mm (present) | Coil (World cup model with solo air) |
| Ruby (road/700cc) | 2000 | 2000 | |||
| Metro (road/700cc) | 2001 | 2005 | |||
| Psylo | 2001 | 2005 | |||
| Duke | 2002 | 2005 | 30mm | ||
| Pilot | 2003 | 2005 | |||
| Reba | 2005 | Present | 32mm | 80/100/120mm Dual Air, 90-120mm Air U-Turn, 130/140mm Trail Specific 29" | Dual Air, Air U-Turn, Trail Specific 29" |
| Recon | 2006 | Present | 32mm | 80/100/120mm, 80/100 29" | Solo Air / Coil |
| Revelation | 2006 | Present | 32mm | 130/140/150mm Dual Air, 120-150mm Dual Position Air | Dual Air, Dual Position Air |
| Argyle | 2007 | Present | 32mm | 80/100mm | Coil |
| Dart | 2007 | Present | 28mm | 80, 100 and 120mm | Coil |
| Domain | 2007 | Present | 34mm | 200mm | Coil |
| Lyrik | 2007 | Present | 35mm | 115 to 160mm 2-Step and Coil U-Turn, 160/170mm T/A Solo Air and Coil | 2-Step and Coil U-Turn, Solo Air and Coil |
| Tora | 2007 | Present | 32mm | 80/100/120mm, 80/100mm 29" Coil; 85-130mm Coil U-Turn and Solo Air | Coil, Coil U-Turn and Solo Air |
| Totem | 2007 | Present | 40mm | 180mm | 2-Step, Solo Air or Coil |
| Sektor | 2011 | Present | 32mm | Up to 150mm | Coil U-Turn and Solo Air |
Other features:
There are usually several versions of each product, typically distinguished by the presence or absence of certain features, such as material type, preload, rebound damping, compression damping, lockout, remote lockout and replaceable bushings. This article does not attempt to list all specifications for all versions.