Mountain Biking - RST Rapide..?

anyone heard of this fork?

http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/2006_front_shocks/product_126954.shtml

number of reviews: 0

Doug?

Doug?

I was just thinking that.

He's our resident RST guy ^_^

Here I am - - Yes I've heard of the Rapide; I've had one.

Rapide was the 2005 RST freeride line. There were (if I remember correctly) just two models: Super and Hill. The Rapide Hill was the 7" dual-crown; the Rapide Super was a 6-7" single-crown fork. Both were descendants of the 6", 36mm-stanchioned, through-axled Alfalfa models.

Both shared the same magnesium lowers with 20mm through-axle. They also both had 36mm stanchions, black anodized, and shared the same basic rebound damper cartridge, which was nearly identical to the Alfalfa's and to the next-generation R1's damper.

My particular pre-production prototype suffered bushing failure and had to go back to the factory for analysis. I have no idea if it was typical to Rapides but I doubt it. The same basic internals have been around since at least the '02 model year. In 2006, RST updated the dual-crown Rapide into the R1. The single-crown became what is now known as the Storm. I have had two R1s - - a pre-production proto and a production 07 model and both performed without a hitch.

Hope that helps. PM me, alby, if you need more info.

thanks guys..

Now to turn this into a full blown RST Question thread....

Ever ridden a Storm Doug?

I haven't yet, BFG; but it's next in my list to try out. I have my son's old XTS-Moto frame that I want to build into a long-legged, all-day trail bike and so I thought I'd talk Aaron into sending me one to put through the wringer. I compared axle-to-crown between the Storm and the original Jr. T. that came on the Moto and they are close enough.

BTW, the Storm should be using virtually the same cartridge damper that the R1 does - - meaning it is not terribly sophisticated but it's time-proven and effective. The whole thing is an o-ring-sealed unit that resides in the right leg and provides rebound-only damping. The rest of the fork is grease-lubricated, so the seals only have to keep out dirt and dust; they don't have to try to retain open-oil-bath fluids.

I haven't yet, BFG; but it's next in my list to try out. I have my son's old XTS-Moto frame that I want to build into a long-legged, all-day trail bike and so I thought I'd talk Aaron into sending me one to put through the wringer. I compared axle-to-crown between the Storm and the original Jr. T. that came on the Moto and they are close enough.

BTW, the Storm should be using virtually the same cartridge damper that the R1 does - - meaning it is not terribly sophisticated but it's time-proven and effective. The whole thing is an o-ring-sealed unit that resides in the right leg and provides rebound-only damping. The rest of the fork is grease-lubricated, so the seals only have to keep out dirt and dust; they don't have to try to retain open-oil-bath fluids.

i have no idea what you just said..but it sounds fun..

I haven't yet, BFG; but it's next in my list to try out. I have my son's old XTS-Moto frame that I want to build into a long-legged, all-day trail bike and so I thought I'd talk Aaron into sending me one to put through the wringer. I compared axle-to-crown between the Storm and the original Jr. T. that came on the Moto and they are close enough.

BTW, the Storm should be using virtually the same cartridge damper that the R1 does - - meaning it is not terribly sophisticated but it's time-proven and effective. The whole thing is an o-ring-sealed unit that resides in the right leg and provides rebound-only damping. The rest of the fork is grease-lubricated, so the seals only have to keep out dirt and dust; they don't have to try to retain open-oil-bath fluids.

XTS-Moto as in Diamondback? I've always wanted one of those.
That sounds like it would be a great build - trust you to think it.

Interesting they use the same damper as the R1. I'd ask how you like that too, but i'm sensing a bit of bias...

XTS-Moto as in Diamondback? I've always wanted one of those.
That sounds like it would be a great build - trust you to think it.Yup, a DB. He got a great deal on it when he was still working at the bike shop in HS; but it soured quickly when it wasn't up to what he wanted it for. I figured its real calling is a long-travel trailbike. He even gave me his slightly-tweaked disc wheelset that had gone from it to his Bullit. Even if I can't resurrect the rims (but just watch me try :)), I have the disc hubs to build new wheels from.


Interesting they use the same damper as the R1. I'd ask how you like that too, but i'm sensing a bit of bias...You'll notice I did not over-hype it earlier ("not terribly sophisticated but time-proven and effective"). It does the job of providing rebound damping -- the true essential. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of high- and low-speed compression damping, complex circuitry and all of that but it gets the job done and Ive never had one blow out on me. I've run the same essential design of cartridge in about six RST forks.