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Competitive Cyclist
At Competitive Cyclist, we're devoted to delivering the bike shop experience the way we've always wanted it to be. From partnering with many of cycling's standout brands, to the hands-on expertise and service offered by our Gearheads, to our in-house bike assembly operation that's unrivaled in the industry, we offer the knowledge and service of the best local bike shops along with selection and convenience that’s only possible online.
Our Gearheads are the embodiment of everything we do at Competitive Cyclist. Equal parts customer service, sales people, and cycling fanatics, they're here to help you every step of the way. Once you've connected with a Gearhead, you can reach out to that same person time and again, whether it's walking you through a critical component choice or just helping you make changes to an existing order. Gearheads are here to help, and part of that promise means being available via whatever channel works best for you. Feel free to reach out as many times as you like. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. So if you haven't already, make the connection and meet your Gearhead.
We're relentlessly focused on being the best place for you to buy your next bike. Whether you buy directly through the site or customize your build by working with a Gearhead, we strive to make the process as easy and enjoyable as humanly possible.
When your new bike arrives, the assembly process couldn't be easier. That's because every bike we sell is built, tuned, and test ridden by one of the seasoned professional mechanics in our Salt Lake City shop. Your mechanic handles every single step of this process, ensuring the personalized touch that separates a properly built bike from one that's simply been assembled. That means you can trust that your new steed will be ready to ride with only a few turns of an Allen key and a quick topping off of the tires. When you're ready, contact your Gearhead to experience New Bike Day the Competitive Cyclist way.
2019 RockShox Lyrik RC2
With the benefit of nearly three months of testing, here’s what we’ve found regarding the updates to the already impressive Lyrik. When RockShox launched the redesigned Pike and Lyrik early last year, the improvements to these two benchmark forks were undeniable. The Pike’s redesign focused on shedding weight and enhancing stiffness, which was made possible by eliminating the overlap in travel between the two. This allowed the Lyrik to step out of its star sibling’s shadow and really come into its own. And the results were evident almost immediately. Apart from a dramatically improved on trail feel courtesy of a new air spring and refined damper, these improvements also contributed to the dramatic success of the Lyrik in the Enduro World Series, where overall men’s and women’s champions Sam Hill and Cecile Ravanel piloted the new fork to class victories, while rising star Adrien Dailly notched his belt with an impressive three wins aboard the new fork.
The results speak for themselves. So why then has RockShox updated the Lyrik only a year into its tenure as arguably the fork to beat? The reason is that there was still room to make it better. Rather than completely overhauling the now thoroughly proven unit, RockShox opted to refine the formula, adding a revamped version of the DebonAir spring and, in a somewhat surprising twist, adding independent high and low speed compression adjustment to the refined Charger 2 damper. Finally, they decided to offer it in red as a nod to the 20th anniversary of the Boxxer. So, how do these updates translate on the trail?
Of the upgrades to the Lyrik RC2, the immediately visible one is the damper, or more specifically, the independent high speed compression (HSC) and low speed compression (LSC) adjustments at the top of the driveside leg. For my money, this is the biggest single upgrade to the new Lyrik, which makes it refreshing that RockShox is offering this damper as an upgrade for both the previous Lyrik and Yari at a price of ~$250.
The previous iteration of the Lyrik’s Charger 2 damper paired adjustable LSC with a three-position lever that offered an open, a firmer, and a near locked out climbing setting. Rather than adjustable HSC, the previous iteration had a pre-set HSC setting that worked fairly well for riders in the middle of the weight and speed distribution curve.