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Shocks

6K views 52 replies 11 participants last post by  rynoman03 
#1 ·
I'm in the market for a new MTB and I would like to hear opinions on forks and rear shocks. The good, bad, and ugly. What to stay away from? Which ones are easier to service?
Lay it on me so I know what to look for, because as a great man once said "I know nothing"
 
#2 ·
Fox is slightly harder than RockShox to service forks wise. Though finding the service specs and kit Fox has the best website ever.
Rear shocks are super easy to service both brands. The RockShox Monarch is awesome and affordable. The Fox shocks are great too. As far as shock I would get either and be happy. I can't really tell the difference between the major two brands.

Forks are different in that there is a feel difference between Fox and RockShox. I prefer Fox for shorter travel 100-120 mm. They seem more predictable and simple to setup. Excluding the RockShox Pike I prefer Fox for longer travel 140-160mm. That is because bar none the Pike is the best fork on the planet. Feels bottomless and supple always and is easy to setup. If a Pike isn't an option I would go Fox. This is simply because Fox doesn't have low end and all of them feel great. RockShox makes some great forks but with a lot more options there is lower end ones that depending on riding style may or may not suite an individual.

Just my opinion and realise different riders will feel different due to rider weight and riding style.
 
#3 ·
I pretty much feel the same. I have majority of Rockshox forks. Some are lower end coil and some are better like Reba Team. Both have their purpose. Foxwise I have 2...one is Push upgraded 100mm and is heavenly and the other is older factory 130mm and is very good in comparison. Lower end Manitou on one bike and better 120mm newer model on another. Both are very good for what they are. Mostly I'd just stay with Fox or rockshox for choices and availability but there are a coupla other brands popping up here and there that could warrant some attention. As for rear shocks, pretty much same story. I'm sure cwtch has much broader perspective on what all is out there nowadays than I do.
 
#4 · (Edited)
As i12 stated there is other stuff out there and some of it is amazing. There are not a ton of bikes that don't come with one or the other of the big two.
DVO shocks and forks are really good but expensive. Manitou makes good stuff but usually only on plus bikes these days. Cane Creek's new shocks are maybe the best made.

I don't want to sound like it is Fox or RockShox or nothing. Just most bikes are sold with one or the other. To keep it simple Fox and RS are not much different except Fox only has three levels of fork.(only two xc, two Enduro and two DH forks but three all mountain ones) What this means is even if you get the lowest end Fox fork it could easily be better than five to six RockShox models. RockShox that are really nice include but not limited to: Sid, Reba, Judy Gold (the silver is a coil non air fork, good but definitely not as good as an air one because of far less adjustment and far more weight) are good short travel forks. Yari, Lyric and Pike are all good longer travel forks. The issue is again RockShox has about six to seven other fork models and things like world cup or silver/gold of many models and keeping features straight between them gets tricky. Where Fox is easier in that it is basically mm of stanchion so 32 (xc), 34(all mountain)36(Enduro) and 40 (DH only) and then two levels of each being factory and either performance or performance elite excluding all mountain 34 mm forks that come in all three levels. Three models are Factory, Performance Elite and Performance. Factory is race level with Kashima coating and all the bells and whistles. Performance Elite has black anodised stanchions and a few less features. Performance is just less adjustments but still a really good air fork. The thing is all three models are really similar vs RockShox where there is no comparison between a Pike and Recon Silver for example. There are some with remote lock-out but that is literally just a lever change. And stanchion size is based on travel length. Making a purchase of a bike with a Fox suspension setup an easy buy because you know it has higher end stuff vs RockShox could be anything from low end coil in oil to high end all out weightless race fork. This doesn't mean avoid RockShox just pay attention to model and research the exact model specd and be aware there are a lot of them.
 
#6 ·
As i12 stated there is other stuff out there and some of it is amazing. There are not a ton of bikes that don't come with one or the other of the big two.
DVO shocks and forks are really good but expensive. Manitou makes good stuff but usually only on plus bikes these days. Cane Creek's new shocks are maybe the best made.

I don't want to sound like it is Fox or RockShox or nothing. Just most bikes are sold with one or the other. To keep it simple Fox and RS are not much different except Fox only has three levels of fork.(only two xc, two Enduro and two DH forks but three all mountain ones) What this means is even if you get the lowest end Fox fork it could easily be better than five to six RockShox models. RockShox that are really nice include but not limited to: Sid, Reba, Judy Gold (the silver is a coil non air fork, good but definitely not as good as an air one because of far less adjustment and far more weight) are good short travel forks. Yari, Lyric and Pike are all good longer travel forks. The issue is again RockShox has about six to seven other fork models and things like world cup or silver/gold of many models and keeping features straight between them gets tricky. Where Fox is easier in that it is basically mm of stanchion so 32 (xc), 34(all mountain)36(Enduro) and 40 (DH only) and then two levels of each being factory and either performance or performance elite excluding all mountain 34 mm forks that come in all three levels. Three models are Factory, Performance Elite and Performance. Factory is race level with Kashima coating and all the bells and whistles. Performance Elite has black anodised stanchions and a few less features. Performance is just less adjustments but still a really good air fork. The thing is all three models are really similar vs RockShox where there is no comparison between a Pike and Recon Silver for example. There are some with remote lock-out but that is literally just a lever change. And stanchion size is based on travel length. Making a purchase of a bike with a Fox suspension setup an easy buy because you know it has higher end stuff vs RockShox could be anything from low end coil in oil to high end all out weightless race fork. This doesn't mean avoid RockShox just pay attention to model and research the exact model specd and be aware there are a lot of them.
I'll just say that if Fox does both bikes and off road ( and I have no idea if they are on in the same) Fox is it for me. There's just to much experience there.
 
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#9 ·
My Trek bikes were outfitted with Fox ... was fine for short travel, enjoyed the Climb-Trail-Descend options. But, I think my loyalties have swung over to the RockShox side of the house with my last couple of bikes. The Pike and Yari are great ambassadors to the brand.
 
#11 ·
are some shocks hydraulic and some spring loaded, on the front forks?

I have had two mountain bikes with shocks, a trek and a giant. the giant feels so smooth and absorbs so nicely and the trek is a bit rougher feeling and really feels like a spring is inside the shock, where the giant feels like its hydraulic, its so smooth.

I don't know the brands but its whatever comes on the entry level trek and giant mountain bikes from 10 or so years ago. sorry, I don't know which models they are, just wondering about the different type of fork shocks
 
#12 ·
I can't say what is on your bike but general info.

There are forks that are:
- coil spring in an oil bath
- air chamber with dampener
- Dual air chamber (outdated not around much anymore)

All of them have hydraulic fluid (or should). Some have more plush rides but generally an air suspension is more supple than a coil spring. But some spring in fluid forks are more adjustable and smooth and actually ride well. The new Judy Silver is an example. RST has made some really smooth nice non air suspension forks. But typically air suspension is better. It always has more tuneability.

My guess is your giant just has a better fork but they could be the same type and just one is better.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I like having a coil on low to no maintenance bikes because I don't have to depend on any seal holding air. As has been stated, the tunability is limited. And coil forks not suited for any high fullutin ponies..............
 
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#14 ·
Good point. There is a definite place for a coil fork. Some ride well. We rent the Trek Roscoe 7 and I demoed it and it comes with a RockShox Judy Silver which is the coil fork. It rode great and was a really fun bike. A light rider might have issue with the fork being too stiff or a super heavy rider might bottom it out but for most of us it would work great in almost all conditions. It has rebound adjustment and can be tuned fairly well. I would own one.
 
#15 ·
I have a dart2, dart3 & an XC30 - all 100mm coil with mediums replaced with extra firm. They are hardly super plush or light or have that much tunability but enough for what they are. They are dependable and IMO OK for medium range bikes I have them on. Not something to brainwash yourself out of wanting a really good fork by any means but cost effective and reliable for certain builds/purposes.
 
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#17 ·
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#22 ·
As stated Marzocchi is owned by Fox as of 2015. I had no idea but spoke to our Fox rep and he said they are different than Fox branded forks.
I don't have good or bad feedback as I really don't know anything other than that they are made different than Fox labelled forks.
 
#23 ·
One of the best forks I have ever had even to this day was a Marzocchi XC100 that came on a Diamondback Dual Response FS bike from 1992. So smooth and buttery and not open bath like most of their stuff was back then. I think I have 2 offbranded Marzocchi forks called Zokes one of which is still on my Bianchi Rollo - 4" travel - OK but not stellar. This one.....I had blk/slvr team model tho

 
#25 ·
Fox stuff is garbage and rick shock not much better. The only way to make their stuff worth a shit is after market tuning. Mrp and dvo are the way to go. Every fox suspension part I’ve had I’ve broke. Their dampers are sub par every year a new update all previous problems solved and every year same shit happens again. Rock shock not much better. You want the best product and customer support out there go dvo or mrp.
 
#30 ·
It's not that you have a differing opinion... it's how you shared it.
In pure douche form.
Sorry, I call it how I see it... elitist, douchey and condescending
 
#31 ·
High end = high maintenance (more often than not) If you aren't riding red bull canyon level or competing in x games crazy stuff then mid level equip suites mid level riding and will hold up. EVERYTHING CAN BE BROKEN WHEN IT'S CAPABILITIES ARE SURPASSED OR IT IS ABUSED. IMO, if you aren't breaking high end $h1t then you aren't riding as hard as people who do so crank it up and go harder. Knowing your bike's limits is as important as knowing your own limits. No one is limitless. Match your equip with purpose and intensity.
 
#32 ·
It is good to see opposing views. Learned I need to ride harder because I have never broken a fork or a shock. Have broken frames. I only keep bikes a couple years at most maybe that is why. I did bottom out a fox shock so hard it snapped the swing arm at the bracket and the shock put a dent in the frame but the shock itself was fine.
This is why the whole community on TwoSpoke is good to see. We have different experiences.
 
#35 ·
Learned I need to ride harder because I have never broken a fork or a shock.
I haven't either. Worn some seals and busted some elastomer bumpers wayyyy back in the day but actually breaking stuff without a crash involved.....nah. But I ride like Clark Kent, not like Superman and it's pretty much flat so bikes don't get same stress levels in general without a road trip to elevated rockier places..................
 
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#33 ·
Fox customer support has always been one of the best in the business for me. Have had them look up and find bushing kits for five year old frames and send them to me at no charge. Pretty easy to deal with in my view but see Stumpy has had different experience.
Find that a lot in the industry.
 
#34 ·
Fox customer support has always been one of the best in the business for me. Have had them look up and find bushing kits for five year old frames and send them to me at no charge. Pretty easy to deal with in my view but see Stumpy has had different experience.
Find that a lot in the industry.
Or any industry...it's almost a non point. It's his opinion :)
 
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#36 ·
I tend to think if any brand was garbage, it wouldn't survive in the market otherthan (maybe) box store bikes.

Same with any of the 4 bike components companies (Campagnolo, Shimano, SRAM and Dia Compe since they have a corner on their niche). Nothing they put out is garbage. Yes, Super Record is higher quality due to tighter tolerances and less than than Athena, and Ultegra feels nicer than Claris or 2200 to me and I liked Red may more than Apex. But none of it is crap, IMHO.

Let's be glad we aren't loosening wing nuts in the snow to get our granny gear on the drive side.
 
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