6 Best Fork Bottomless Tokens For Progressive Ride Feel

Nothing ruins a high-speed descent faster than a fork that blows through its travel on every small bump or sharp transition. Fine-tuning your suspension with bottomless tokens provides the essential ramp-up needed to transform a divey fork into a supportive, confidence-inspiring machine. Mastering this simple adjustment unlocks a level of control that allows for more aggressive riding and smoother handling on technical terrain.

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RockShox 35mm Bottomless Tokens: Best Overall

These classic red plastic spacers remain the gold standard for riders utilizing 35mm chassis forks like the Pike, Lyrik, and Revelation. Their popularity stems from an incredibly simple screw-in design that makes trailside tuning a breeze for anyone with a socket wrench. They provide a predictable, consistent ramp-up in the final third of the fork’s travel, preventing harsh bottom-outs without compromising small-bump sensitivity.

The design philosophy here focuses on reliability and ease of use rather than radical innovation. Because they are widely available and extremely affordable, they are the first choice for riders who prefer a “set it and forget it” approach to bike maintenance. If you ride a 35mm RockShox fork and find yourself bottoming out on medium drops, start with one or two of these.

They are ideal for riders who value a proven, mechanical solution that does exactly what is advertised. Avoid these only if you are looking for advanced damping characteristics or have a different chassis size. For the vast majority of trail and enduro enthusiasts, these are the definitive baseline for suspension tuning.

Fox Float NA2 Volume Spacers: Best for Fox 36

Fox 36 owners often encounter a specific tuning challenge: achieving a supple beginning stroke while maintaining enough support for high-speed compressions. The orange NA2 volume spacers are purpose-built to address this by reducing the air chamber volume incrementally. This allows the spring rate to ramp up more aggressively as the fork reaches the latter half of its stroke.

These spacers feature a distinctive clip-on design that ensures they stay securely in place within the air spring assembly. The material is lightweight and durable, standing up well to repeated installation and removal cycles during suspension service intervals. Because they come in specific shapes for different air spring volumes, they offer a highly refined adjustment path for the discerning rider.

This is the required upgrade for those who feel their Fox 36 “wallows” in corners or feels too soft when aggressive body weight shifts occur. They are the clear winner for riders who demand precision in their suspension setup. If you run a Fox 36, these are the only spacers you should consider for volume reduction.

Formula Neopos Foam Tokens: Best for Damping

Formula’s Neopos tokens offer a revolutionary departure from standard plastic spacers by utilizing a closed-cell, compressible foam. Unlike rigid plastic that creates an abrupt stop in the air spring, the foam compresses as the pressure rises, providing a more linear and organic feeling ramp-up. This helps simulate the supple, ground-hugging feel of a coil spring while retaining the weight savings of an air setup.

The advantage here is a more composed ride through repetitive, high-speed chatter where air pressure might otherwise spike. By effectively expanding as the air chamber compresses, the Neopos token creates a smoother transition into the bottom-out zone. This is a game-changer for riders who struggle with “spiky” suspension performance on long, rough descents.

Choose these if you are a rider who prioritizes traction and a coil-like feel over a firm, platform-heavy setup. They are excellent for those riding steep, rocky trails where suspension fatigue is common. If your goal is maximum comfort and control on technical terrain, the Neopos tokens are the superior choice.

MRP Ramp Control Cartridge: Best Adjustable

The MRP Ramp Control Cartridge replaces the air spring top cap entirely, allowing for external, on-the-fly adjustment of the air spring curve. Rather than pulling your fork apart to add or remove plastic tokens, you simply turn a dial to change the volume of the air chamber. This level of convenience is unmatched for riders who frequently change riding locations or terrain types.

This system is perfect for “all-day” adventurers who might tackle a smooth flow trail in the morning and a rocky, high-consequence enduro stage in the afternoon. With the turn of a knob, you can drastically alter the bottom-out resistance without carrying tools or getting grease on your hands. It effectively acts as a dynamic volume spacer that responds to the specific conditions of the ride.

This is a premium investment intended for riders who know their suspension well and want to fine-tune it continuously. It is not necessary for casual riders who rarely stray from their local loop, but it is a vital tool for those who demand ultimate versatility. If you value time on the trail over time in the workshop, this is the definitive upgrade.

RockShox 38mm Grey Tokens: Best for Zeb Forks

The introduction of the 38mm chassis on the RockShox Zeb created a need for larger volume spacers capable of handling high-impact force. These grey tokens are specifically engineered for the increased air spring volume found in the Zeb’s beefy stanchions. They maintain the same thread-in reliability as the smaller red tokens but are scaled to ensure proper engagement and security within the larger diameter assembly.

Zeb riders are typically pushing their bikes through heavy terrain, massive jumps, and high-speed chunder. These tokens are essential for preventing the Zeb from feeling overwhelmed by rider input or heavy impacts. By adding one or two of these, riders can keep their sag levels high for comfort while still having enough “end-stroke” ramp to prevent catastrophic bottom-outs.

These are the essential building block for any Zeb owner’s suspension kit. They are simple, cost-effective, and provide the exact support a long-travel single crown fork requires. If you have a Zeb and find it lacks mid-stroke support, these grey tokens are the mandatory fix.

Fox 38 Float Volume Spacers: Best Heavy Duty

Fox 38 forks are designed for the most aggressive riding scenarios, and these heavy-duty volume spacers are meant to keep pace. They are engineered to withstand the extreme pressures generated by long-travel, big-hit riding styles without deforming or failing. The installation process is straightforward, clicking firmly into the air piston to ensure they don’t migrate during harsh impacts.

These spacers are for the rider who isn’t afraid to hit flat landings or plow through rock gardens that would make a cross-country bike buckle. By fine-tuning the volume in the Fox 38, you can keep the fork riding high in its travel, which helps maintain the bike’s geometry and keeps the head angle stable. This leads to a more controlled ride when things get fast and loose.

If you are a gravity-focused rider, a bike park enthusiast, or someone who pushes a 170mm+ fork to its limit, these spacers are non-negotiable. They offer the robustness required for the highest tier of mountain biking. For the Fox 38 user, these spacers are the key to unlocking the full potential of the chassis.

How Bottomless Tokens Change Your Air Spring

Bottomless tokens function by occupying physical space inside the air spring, effectively making the air chamber smaller. As the fork compresses, the air trapped inside is forced into a tighter space, causing the pressure to rise faster than it would with a larger chamber. This creates a “progressive” spring rate that is supple at the start of the travel but becomes significantly firmer toward the end.

This progressivity is the secret to balancing two conflicting needs: small-bump compliance and big-hit resistance. Without spacers, a fork often needs high air pressure to prevent bottoming out, which makes the ride harsh and unresponsive to small trail debris. By adding tokens, you can run lower initial air pressure for better traction while letting the tokens handle the heavy lifting on large impacts.

Understanding this dynamic is crucial for any mountain biker looking to optimize their setup. It shifts the burden of support from the initial air pressure to the end of the stroke. This allows for a more personalized ride that adapts to your specific body weight and the intensity of the trails you choose.

Step-by-Step Guide to Installing Fork Tokens

Always start by recording your current air pressure and rebound settings, as changing volume will likely require a subsequent adjustment to these values. Ensure your bike is in a clean work stand and, most importantly, deflate the fork’s air spring completely before removing the top cap. Failing to release all air pressure can turn the top cap into a projectile, which poses a significant safety risk.

Once the air is fully released, use a socket or the specified tool to carefully unscrew the air spring top cap. If using screw-in tokens, attach them to the underside of the cap until they are hand-tight, ensuring you do not cross-thread the plastic. For clip-on versions, snap the spacers firmly onto the air spring shaft or piston assembly as directed by the manufacturer’s documentation.

Reinstall the top cap carefully, ensuring the O-ring seal is clean and properly seated to prevent air leaks. Once the cap is tightened to the recommended torque spec, re-pressurize the fork to your desired level and check for any signs of pressure loss. Test the suspension compression on the trail at low speed before heading into high-consequence terrain to ensure everything feels correct.

How Many Volume Spacers Do You Actually Need?

The number of spacers required depends heavily on the rider’s weight, the trail conditions, and the intended use of the bike. A common starting point is to ride a familiar trail with no tokens, note how much travel is utilized, and add one token if bottoming out occurs frequently on standard features. If the fork still feels too soft, add another, but be cautious of “over-spacing,” which can make the fork feel like it hits a wall.

Lighter riders generally need fewer tokens because they don’t compress the air spring as forcefully as heavier riders do. Conversely, aggressive riders who hit large drops or high-speed square-edged impacts will benefit from more tokens to keep the fork from diving. The goal is to reach a state where you use almost all of your travel on the biggest hit of your ride, but rarely bottom out completely.

Do not be afraid to experiment with different counts until the bike feels balanced. If you find the fork feels “harsh” in the middle of the stroke, you likely have too many tokens and should remove one. Keep a small log of your settings, as this data will become your most valuable resource for future trail tuning.

Signs Your Mountain Bike Fork Needs Tokens

The most obvious sign that your fork needs more volume spacers is a frequent, harsh “clunk” at the end of the stroke. If your O-ring indicator is consistently pushed off the stanchion after every ride, the fork is bottoming out too easily. This often results in a loss of control, as the fork has no remaining travel to soak up subsequent impacts during a rough section.

Another sign is “diving” under braking or through high-speed berms. When the fork lacks mid-stroke support, it can compress too deeply, steepening the bike’s head angle and making the front end feel twitchy or unstable. Adding tokens forces the fork to ride higher in its travel, which stabilizes the geometry and improves overall handling in high-load situations.

Finally, if you find yourself constantly adding air pressure to stop the bottoming, but the fork feels terrible on small roots and rocks, you are fighting a losing battle. Your air spring is too linear, and volume spacers are the specific tool required to fix this balance. Trust the physics of your suspension, make the adjustment, and you will notice a world of difference in your ride quality.

Mastering the use of bottomless tokens is one of the most rewarding mechanical skills a rider can develop, as it directly impacts your comfort and control on the trail. By understanding how these simple spacers interact with your air spring, you can move away from generic “factory” settings and toward a ride that feels perfectly tuned to your local terrain. Grab a socket, adjust your volume, and enjoy the added confidence on your next descent—the trails are waiting.