Artikel der Marke RockShox

RockShox was founded by Paul Turner and Steve Simons in 1989 in North Carolina, USA. It moved to California three years later.^[1]

Turner raced motorcycles 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 is 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 patents 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. They worked with Thomas Dooley at TDA in Boulder, CO who created the current Rock Shox logo, and was the creative director for all marketing and advertising.

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.