Cane Creek

Helm Coil 27.5 Boost Fork

There's no getting around the fact that a coil sprung fork is always going to be plusher than an air sprung fork. Given the linear nature of a coil spring and the reduction in the number of friction inducing seals, you wind up with a fork that's way more sensitive to trail chatter thus offering up a smoother ride. Why don't you see more coil forks spec'd on bikes you might be asking yourself? Good question and the simple answer is there is a weight penalty in the neighborhood of 265 grams (that's about 9.3 ounces) over its air sprung version, also it would be difficult to spec the correct spring rate for each rider since it's not a simple as installing a pump and adding or removing air to achieve the correct sag. However, if you're a discerning rider and could care less about weight and instead prize a superior ride, have a look at the Helm Coil 27.5 Boost Fork from Cane Creek, and revel in its linear spring curve, 35-millimeter stanchions, and refined damper that'll have you mobbing through rough sections of trail in complete comfort while offering a bottomless feel on the biggest drops, berms, and lips in the park.

You'll immediately notice it rides slightly higher than a comparable air-sprung fork, providing a more natural feel as it tracks over rugged trail surfaces. It also keeps you in a more upright position as you plunge into steep, formidable descents with less brake dive when it's time to keep your speed in check. In fact, Cane Creek uses five millimeters less sag than the air-sprung version of this fork, since it rides higher in its stroke and doesn't need the extra sag to be more supple and supportive.

The Helm Coil 27.5 Boost Fork is travel adjustable, allowing you to switch your travel in 10mm increments with no additional parts required, depending on the build or riding application you desire. You can adjust the fork in 10 millimeter increments by moving an internal coil piston, no specialized tools needed. Stock forks include a 55 pound coil spring that's intended for riders weighing anywhere from 160 to 180 pounds, though you'll find 45 and 65-pound alternatives sold separately for lighter and heavier riders alike.

Once you've situated the correct coil spring for your body weight, Cane Creek places a spring pre-load adjustment on the top left fork leg, which provides 16 clicks of adjustment. You'll find the same closed cartridge mono-tube damper used on the air-sprung version providing you with both high and low-speed compression tuning, as well as low-speed rebound adjustment. Additionally, the Helm Coil 27.5 Boost Fork comes with a 15 x 110-millimeter D-Loc thru-axle, which slips into a set place with a locking latch on the other side preventing it from going anywhere, as well as an adjustment ring for setting the lever's tension.