The Upside Down PUSH Nine.One fork is finally here – mountain bike function

Vital first rode a prototype PUSH Nine.One inverted mountain bike fork a year ago, in February 2023. On the same day, we recorded an interview with PUSH owner Darren Murphy where we learned all the details about the fork ahead of its release. At this point, the planned release of the Nine.One was just a few months away and PUSH finally showed the fork at the Sea Otter Classic. A few months turned into 4, then 7, then 8. Fast forward 12 months later and the fork is now available to the public.

Topics for discussion

• 0:00 – Introduction (2024)
• 1:00 – (Starting February 2023) Why make a fork at all?
• 4:23 – Why do an inverted fork?
• 8:43 – PUSH Nine.One Fork Specifications and Features
• 10:21 – The “Grab the Bars Torsion Stiffness Twist Test” is stupid
• 15:54 – Modular, upgradable axle mounts for wheel size, offset and brake mounts, travel adjustment
• 20:23 – Easy fork maintenance via vents, long term product use
• 25:47 – Why is it a $2,600 mountain bike fork? Weight, manufacturing details
• 31:44 – Comparing other inverted fork designs, why not carbon?
• 34:22 – Spring, damper and internals
• 38:20 – The parking lot test
• 41:45 – Jason’s riding experience on the PUSH Fork
• 44:57 – Intentionally not as torsionally rigid as a normal fork
• 47:14 – Availability
• 48:47 – What about scratches/guards on the supports?
• 51:47 – Why did it take so long? (2024)
• 1:00:44 – Has anything changed on the fork over the year?
• 1:02:30 – Fork specs (again : )
• 1:05:14 – Four years of work
• 1:06:58 – FIXED BUSHINGS and why
• 1:09:51 – Would Darren do it again?
• 1:11:53 – The twist test is still pointless
• 1:16:00 – Which MTB standard would Darren change?

The coil spring Nine.One costs $2,600 and is made in the USA at the PUSH factory in Colorado. It features user-adjustable travel of 140-170mm in 10mm increments and uses modular axle mounts that accommodate 27.5 or 29-inch wheels with integrated brake mounts for 180mm or 200mm discs can. The damping technology is that of the PUSH Elevensix shock absorber and the oil can be changed and serviced via vents on the top of the fork.

While most riders can’t imagine spending so much money on a fork, Darren and PUSH set out to create a sophisticated suspension piece that will last for years and can be upgraded. We’ll cover why PUSH makes a fork, what philosophy makes for good suspension, what misconceptions exist in upside-down fork design, why it took so long to produce, and why anyone would want such an expensive MTB fork.

PUSH Nine.One Fork Details and press release

• MSRP: $2,600
• Travel: 140-170mm in 10mm increments. User adjustable
• Axle: 15mm x 110mm floating thru axle
• Axle Clamp: Oversized 38mm clamping area, 4-bolt design
• Steerer: 1.5 inch tapered
• Brake mounting: Dual Standoff Direct 180/185mm and 200/203mm
• Made in Colorado
• MTB and E-MTB compatible
• Mainspring: Coil with silent surround noise cancellation technology
• 28 clicks to externally adjust low-speed compression
• 28 clicks of high-speed external compression adjustment
• 18 clicks for external low speed rebound adjustment
• Independent, externally adjustable bottom-out pneumatic piston
• Motorex 3D Response Technology fork oil
• Weight: 2,790 grams

Official press release

Loveland, CO PUSH Industries introduces the new NINE.ONE Inverted Fork

It’s time to expect more from your front fork.

Upper structure:

The inverted design brings flexibility and the ability to decouple the different components. These freedoms allow the use of various crown, outer tube and bushing configurations that would otherwise be relatively fixed. Using a variety of FEA simulation tools, testing equipment, and hours of riding evaluations, PUSH engineers tirelessly analyzed and optimized every aspect of the fork’s upper structure. This included examining both major and minor adjustments to crown shape and overlap, outer tube diameter and taper, and floating and fixed fork bushings. The result? The NINE.ONE features a uniquely tuned 44mm upper casing where front end rigidity has been increased to handle large square impacts without sacrificing torsional rigidity needed to improve cornering traction by reducing front end thrust from chatter.

Fork bushings:

The fork bushings were the focus of chassis development, with the development of design layouts and material structures being driven forward extensively. The proprietary fork bushings are precisely matched to the matching stanchions and individually blued by hand. The NINE.ONE also features a bushing design that ensures the bushings remain submerged in the fork oil, providing constant and even lubrication, resulting in a fork that is soft, active and free of binding friction, even at the highest Breaking loads.

Fork seals:

Each fork is equipped with our exclusive and proprietary ULF fork seals. Longer lasting, more powerful and designed to reduce hand fatigue by reducing sliding friction. Like our fork bushings, NINE.ONE fork seals are constantly and evenly lubricated to improve performance and increase durability.

Standpipes:

NINE.ONE forks feature 36mm centerless ground and polished stanchions that use our proven MicroXD microfinish hard-coating process to reduce friction and increase durability.

Axle eyelets:

The axle eyelets of the NINE.ONE follow an innovative design approach. Their bolt-on design allows riders to easily switch between axle offsets and wheel sizes without having to purchase a new fork. The extremely stiff 38mm clamping area of ​​the tabs contributes to both the overall feel of the fork and the harmonious braking stiffness. The brake side axle eyelet also features our exclusive Dual Standoff Direct Mount brake mounting system, eliminating the need for mounting brackets for 180/185mm and 200/203mm brake disc sizes. This feature shortens setup time and improves braking stability.

Fork protection:

The lightweight integrated fork guards provide excellent lower leg protection and feature integration of both the front brake hose routing and the traditional low-mount fender. The guards are manufactured from a high-impact polymer material that provides high rigidity with excellent impact and break resistance.

Quiet coil spring

From the Kings of the Coil. Have you ever noticed that air suspension forks are often described as having “the springiest ride”? This is because coil-sprung forks offer a smoother and more active initial travel, better mid-travel support, and the smoothest final stroke. We made it easy… the NINE.ONE is equipped with a coil spring. Better yet, the fork spring assembly sits in our lubricated “Silent Surround” chamber, allowing for quiet, smooth and maintenance-free operation without the use of secondary devices such as heat shrink tubing.

Independent external ground control

The NINE.ONE also features our exclusive position-sensitive ABS pneumatic floor system. Independent of the main coil spring, the ABS unit provides additional spring support for the final 10-45mm of wheel travel. The engagement position is automatically adjusted based on the base pressure. The base pressure is set externally using a standard shock pump, with the recommended pressure being between 5 and 50 psi. Additionally, as an additional tuning tool, more aggressive riders can remove the ABS unit and reposition the ABS main piston.

NINE.ONE damper

With its pressure reservoir, Internal Floating Piston (IFP), and large-volume compression base valve, the components of the NINE.ONE shock resemble an advanced rear shock absorber. Designed and engineered specifically for the unique characteristics of the chassis, the damper features a uniquely engineered damping characteristic that offers a new level of speed sensitivity and control. With 28 clicks of low- and high-speed compression damping adjustment and 18 clicks of low-speed rebound damping adjustment, riders can dial in just the right level of performance, comfort and control. In addition to external adjustments, internal tuning of the compression base valve, rebound piston and midvalve is available for riders competing at the elite level.

User adjustable travel

To give the rider more options, the NINE.ONE features a proprietary travel adjustment system that allows the rider to internally adjust the fork’s travel in 10mm increments between 140mm and up to 170mm without additional Parts need to be purchased.

Durable construction

Throw a punch…he can take it. Not particularly satisfied with the durability of modern forks, PUSH engineers took a new approach to performance with a consistent focus on durability. Both component design and material selection were chosen based on the results they achieved after a full season, rather than just their performance after a rebuild.

Floating axle

Reducing friction leads to better traction. The NINE.ONE’s floating axle design eliminates friction caused by tolerances and variations in hub width. With this design, hub preload and fork leg alignment are completely independent of each other.

Speed ​​service function

While regular maintenance is required to maintain the NINE.ONE fork’s maximum performance, riders can remove the fork’s lubricating fluid and replace it through our outer tube speed service feature. This is basic maintenance that can be performed without removing the fork from the bike.

Pressure relief valves

Featuring a patent-pending design and conveniently located on the back of the fork crown, our pressure relief valves make equalizing pressure on the NINE.ONE a breeze. The valves’ fully sealed pull-to-release design eliminates the common problem of dirt ingress and lubricating oil leakage.

Native

What matters is that it is manufactured here. Producing high-quality products manufactured right here under the roof of our Colorado factory by skilled workers, the level of detail simply cannot be beat. The result: quality, durability and performance.

Warranty reset

A revolutionary suspension warranty first introduced with our ELEVENSIX rear shock, our Warranty Reset ensures that you receive a full factory warranty reset for an additional year of use after every annual service performed by one of our factory authorized service centers. Additionally, all PUSH forks and shocks come with a fully transferable warranty.

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