RockShox

RockShox was founded by Paul Turner in 1989 in Asheville, North Carolina, and later moved to California after Steve and Deborah Simons joined as partners. Turner, with a background in motocross and suspension design, collaborated with Simons, an experienced suspension innovator, to develop the first suspension forks for mountain bikes. The RS-1, RockShox’s first fork, was introduced in 1990, with professional rider Greg Herbold helping to establish its reputation. The company saw rapid growth, going public in 1996 with a dominant market share. However, increasing competition and financial challenges led to production shifts and cost-cutting measures. By 2002, RockShox defaulted on a loan, leading to its acquisition by SRAM, which relocated manufacturing to Taiwan while maintaining a test facility in Colorado Springs.