The Backstory

This idea was born from the desire to make my short-travel trail cycle feel as close to a DH rig as possible. The trickle-down of race parts off the ski loma and onto local trail networks is nothing new, only the way bikes are being designed these days, that trickle is netting some interesting stylings of bikes. No longer are the lines betwixt XC, Trail, All Mount, Enduro, and DH and then articulate cutting. The variation of riding types has go a spectrum or Venn diagram, rather than a definitive chart. My personal riding mode has always been that of a DH racer plunked down on whatever bicycle was presented, and so it'south fair to say that I've struggled to detect an XC/Trail bike that fits my needs for quite some fourth dimension.

My starting time 27.5, one wheel to shred information technology all cir. 2017.

This was especially true with suspension, as air shocks had become the defacto selection for all bikes, except DH, for quite a few years. The problem though, for me, is air has a very specific feel, a poppy, lively ride characteristic… which I detect to be irksome, my "A to B" riding style is better suited to the damp, more mechanically controlled coil shocks I grew up racing on (my heyday being the one where nosotros all endemic a DH bike and a DJ wheel, Xc/Trail cantankerous-training was not quite a thing at the time). I as well really want my suspension to exist fantabulous when information technology comes to pocket-size-bump compliance, as I ride flat pedals on some of the roughest trails around. And then when racing took a backseat and I began my journey into the earth of as well riding uphill, I quickly plant that the bikes I kept riding were woefully under-gunned for how I was trying to ride them.

Rough and dusty, what coil handles best. PC: Jake Hood

Once I upgraded to a 27.5 wheel, a first-gen production 160mm Zerode Taniwha, I threw a Fob DHX2 on it, because I wanted a DH bike I could pedal effectually and one that would be as fun as possible when the going got fast. That DHX2 ended upwards with a custom "MOG Melody" on it [aka an extra-business firm tune for a 200lbs+ bear-on-a-wheel], which truly made the cycle feel like an actual DH race bike. Information technology was amazing, a sublime change and 1 that opened my eyes to what a trail bike was capable of doing. After my days of traveling around to World Cups/New Zealand had concluded in 2018, I sought after a more than reasonable wheel for the local trails, something more trimmed down than an alpine shredding auto like the Taniwha. Information technology was during this chase that I discovered several companies were producing short-stroke scroll shocks which could be spec'd on shorter-travel bikes. To me, seeing this felt like vindication for all the years I talked down on air shocks and how they were defective of features and performance I desired. The industry had heard mine and many others' cries for whorl on all of our bikes, not just the 200mm beasts reserved for descending; subsequently all, trail bikes have fast-become mini DH bikes with their speed-oriented geometry.

Dirt surfin' in NZ, custom DHX2 getting after it. PC: Jake Hood

The MTBJesus Edition Xc/Trail bike I built over the Winter of 2019 was a lean, mean, race-looking machine ready for a summer of shredding, suspended on a coil stupor. It'due south a very unique Marin Militarist Hill build, in that it is not light [read: overbuilt], is rife with DH-spec parts, and basically but straight up looks insane considering it is a 140/125mm travel bike. I bought a Cane Creek Double Barrel CS for the build, opting for the piggyback version based on my size and propensity for rowdy riding. Every bit the season got underway and I was riding as much equally I could, I started to actually analyze how my build was holding up and so far – I had a few thoughts… and then, Play tricks released the MY2020 suspension on June 1st, which meant at that place were and so iv manufactures producing hands-purchasable 210×50 sized coil shocks, giving me an idea base on those aforementioned "thoughts"; the concept for the Brusk Shock Shootout was born!

The 2019 short travel shred sled, seen with the CC DB.

I reached out to Fox Racing Shox, Öhlins, and MRP to meet if they would like to participate in this projection. I was met with a lot of enthusiasm from the three companies, which was a keen outset. My main goal was not to declare a winner, only rather highlight and discuss the different shocks after spending about a calendar month on each, roughly 12-sixteen rides (3-iv rides a week). As things tend to go, a few aircraft delays, work, and poor weather meant that equal time wasn't quite accomplished, simply that didn't finish up being an consequence, as each stupor was easily set up and very quickly revealed itself on the trail. I took this project very seriously, so this is a hefty read. The shocks are written about in order of testing, I promise yous relish it!

For up and down!

Pikestaff Creek Double Barrel CS

The Double Barrel sprang onto the scene in 2005, jointly designed by Cane Creek and Öhlins – a piece of trivia often forgotten. The other offerings of that twelvemonth were shocks similar Manitou's Swinger, Play a trick on's Vanilla, Progressive Suspension's fiveth Element shock, Elka'due south Phase five, and of class Avalanche Racing's array of custom offerings. The DB was a difference from the shocks of the twenty-four hours, which were only externally tunable within a very finite window. So, when Cane Creek unveiled this Twin Tube Damper sporting High and Low Speed Compression and Rebound, backed with Öhlin's credentials, the local race community lost their minds – and then many adjustments! What do they mean!? How practice I tune information technology? It'south the all-time thing always! Mixed reviews would exist a practiced summation of what quickly became a notoriously finicky-but-it-works-when-you-get-it-right piece of aftermarket suspension. The Double Barrel has yet to meet a real update outside of the introduction of the CS model [Climb Switch] in 2015, the guts remain the same every bit the original. The DB Ringlet CS quickly became the defacto coil shock for trail bikes, as it was the just brusque stroke shock officially being produced i.due east. non-custom at the time, with the climbing switch bumping up its value as it meant it would climb too or better than many other air-based options. DH-quality bump-eating capability descending, but 90-ish climbing… a revolution was in the making.

The Double Barrel became a fast classic. Later the CS model was released, a smaller friend the Inline, would round out the make's offerings for roll dampers, each still fitted with the "Puzzler's Please" adjustments of High and Low Speed Compression and Rebound. What was one time the well-nigh confusing thread online about suspension adjustment has now go the norm, merely Cane Creek was there first, offering the knowledgeable a refined product, or the less-informed, a nearly-impossible task of no-indent/click, space-adjusting.

Impressions

The entreatment of the CC DB for my current project/build was two-fold: it was the virtually affordable at the time thank you to some industry support, plus information technology was full of all of those aligning options I like. In 2018, I had the Inline model, which was ok, only I felt the lack of piggyback really affected the feel of shock. I'm large, I need more oil in my shock. This was a notable change in feeling when making the switch to the piggyback, equally the shock just seemed less overwhelmed and a bit more compliant on the trail. Oddly though, I institute the activeness of the shock similarly dried. I would not say information technology's sticky, it definitely oscillates smoothly; the consequence I plant was that it felt sluggish equally if the oil was very viscid – the break-abroad of the spring didn't seem to exist an issue, information technology really only came downward to something in the damper. Frustratingly, this was actually an outcome I encountered with the Curl Inline in 2018, and I sent it back for warranty thinking I'd blown the damper; they said it was working well within spec when information technology was returned. It was for this reason, I opted for the piggyback in 2019… strangely not finding a remedy in that specific characteristic. After this project is complete, I am going to try 1 of Fox'southward SL springs in a #500 that I take on hand to see if that changes the feel. With that in mind, the Vault spring is a nice touch with Pikestaff Creek's shocks, they are a bit lighter which goes a long way with a #550 jump in item, which is what I had mounted.

Observations

A strong notation for the DB CS, is the CS itself; the Climb Switch does an splendid job of firming upwards the CCDB for ascents. It was very useful on long fire road climbs and road traverses. With its light action and ease of admission, I used it constantly. Information technology's a terrific addition to the shock, one worth having on at that place for sure. I did and proceed to struggle to remember which style to flip the lever considering the activity for On and Off feels the same. I got it backwards more times than intendance to call up, by and large due to me leaving it in "Climb" post-ride and then at the start of the next ride thinking I needed to put it in "Climb" well-nigh once more… I finally took a sharpy and drew on arrows cogent which way to flip it for "Climb". A directional lever or indent would be a solid remedy I think, but it's really a "me thing" and the switch is otherwise flawless. Unfortunately and problematically, a existent effect worth noting is that the high-speed compression knob could be unwound past a indicate of useful adjustment, in that it will actually flex the knob cover and interfere with the climb switch, which was quite peculiar.

Food for Thought

With regards to last settings, I had the HSC broad open, LSC -16 clicks from airtight, and both rebounds wide open. Setting up the daze was not a detail challenge due to my familiarity with the arrangement. What was challenging was finding a sweet spot. While the shock performed equally one would hope a shock to perform on a whole, I can't assistance reiterating a noticeable lack of off-the-top experience. The shock seemed to need a fleck more "oomph" to get going. I am unsure if information technology was the oil weight, the shim stack, or merely the nuance to the daze. As said, there was just a sluggishness to the feel of information technology. My conclusion with that is, the shim stacks must be super business firm, which is not bad because I could run into things really hard, but information technology also meant the shock didn't have the subtle flutter over crude patches, which ofttimes manifested in my feet getting jostled and a generally choppier ride. The shock internals/spring weight is what Pikestaff Creek had suggested for the purchase, merely perhaps a lighter weight oil or curlicue would be a solution, though unfortunately, you lot'd take to send information technology back to Cane Creek to get information technology re-tuned.

This isn't to say the shock performs poorly, every bit it functions just as expected, I simply am looking for a niggling more nuance to the feel of the daze – which is what started this project along in the first place. Riding flat pedals in rooty, rough, rocky New England, one's feet tend to be ofttimes put to task trying to staying in place. I was challenged on really technical climbs and rough pedaling sections with regards to feet stability and traction; the shock only lacks the off-the-top suppleness I seek from whorl shocks. Information technology would be fair to say that this is an aspect of the stupor I more than others would be nigh bothered by, as I run an eleven-46t cassette on a 32t chainring. I don't have the super-spin gearing, thus relying on the shock to help me find traction and stability under heavy torque load effectually the punchy trails establish regionally.

In Summation

On a whole, the CC DB is a potent contender on the market for roll shocks, equally they ever have been. The shock performed well on a whole, being predictable and effective, which was nearly appreciated on a thirty-minute loftier-speed, semi-blind descent in the White Mountains. The shock did not overheat, it saved my donkey several times, and stayed consequent start-to-finish. That detail ride was borderline dumb on the way down, but I had confidence in the CC DB and it held upward its finish of the deal. I would recommend it based entirely on that experience. While I may take some gripes about the small-crash-land/traction performance, the shock works as expected and hoped otherwise. My prepare might have merely been a bit likewise pedantic for what it was interested in dealing with, beingness a flat pedal rider who really enjoys the true Xc role of a trail ride, not but the descents and hucks. The rider that will benefit from and savor the CC DB is a rider who wants ringlet operation and tends to do less technical climbing followed by big and fast descending. Using degrees of adjustment instead of clicks, an and easily accessible climb switch, plus a really strong range of spring weights/shock sizes make this offering from Cane Creek widely appealing to both the puzzlers and prepare-it-and-forget it types. Thanks to a phone app, it's now more than user-friendly via the new set-up guide, which will further heave the DB into the limelight for many riders.

Öhlins TTX22M

Dynamite, zippers, and the adjustable wrench – Sweden is to give thanks for these inventions. The crafty Scandinavians have been producing innovative and creative solutions to the world around united states since, well, just about ever it seems! The country'due south illustrious reputation for progressing humanity's interests continues through Öhlins, the legendary pause manufacturer with an exhaustive listing of automotive and motorcycles wins, titles, and championships. For many years, they were an outlier in the damper market, i of the last holdouts not producing a scaled-down version of their engine-powered offerings for pedal bikes. They teased the industry when they helped Pikestaff Creek develop the Double Barrel, but never offering their own all-gold option.

Finally, in 2013, the MTB community rejoiced as Öhlins entered the market place – but with a semi-questionable determination to practice it exclusively with Specialized. Scores of riders were let down by the initial lack of admission to the Aureate Ö products, but it didn't have long for the company to kickoff making a wider variety of size and melody options for other bikes on the market. It was a slow burn down, many riders questioning if the slight price increase over the contest was worth information technology… especially because "Where are all the adjusters!?" Those who bought a Specialized with the stock Ö-gold stupor were savvy to the operation gains, only the masses were a little tiresome to embrace the Swedish tech, and even at present the TTX22M is still an uncommon sight. That commentary might be different in a year's fourth dimension though, equally the aftermarket segment of the sport is well on its way back to glory as many Weekend Warriors are starting to seek out normally-for-the-Pros performance for the Sunday Afternoon Ability Hour.

Impressions

As we dive in, allow'southward just become this out of the style: "Wow, just wow."

I adhere to the mantra of, don't believe the hype. However, I leave room to be impressed nonetheless, and boy howdy was I blown away by the TTX22M. The mythical nature of Öhlins is something to behold in the first place, but to have "the aureate" in your easily/on your cycle and to immediatelyfeel the magic of the Ö… information technology was worth the wait. Öhlins was actually the first and fastest supplier of the test shock – I guess their service is similar their suspension, performance-driven. The TTX22M is a no-frills creature packed with secrets that creates a fantastically sensitive daze. Off the top, the stupor is all about traction. The chop and pocket-sized bumps are notably muted, the trail y'all've ridden countless times of a sudden feels unfamiliar, fresher. Under power, it's wild how well the wheel is kept on the ground. Pedaling performance is only increased with the TTX22M, hammering a rooty, uphill pinch climb that ordinarily ends with a dab or stall very immediately becomes but another "up" in the trail. Ane needs to ride the shock to truly understand its prowess, words really don't practise it justice.

Shim Stack Expanded

Observations

Lacking fiddly adjustments, information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to go along the TTX22M out of the weeds and feeling its best: Three-position High Speed Compression adjustment, one Low Speed Compression knob, and a Rebound knob; that is it. I ran the HSC in the middle (2) or firmest setting (3). Towards the end, I switched a scrap less between the two, almost often staying in the 3rd position, the firmest, every bit the small-bump compliance wasn't deterred too significantly, even so the large-striking conviction was upped by a lot. I never used the kickoff position, as that was only as well soft for my liking, though many riders will probable enjoy its uber-plush experience. I had the LSC gear up at one click from broad open up, and the rebound all the style closed. The big swings in settings I believe are due to the #571 spring fitted to the shock, which is why the rebound was turned all the way down and LSC was nearly wide open. Ohlins was generous enough to ship along a few other lighter springs for the examination, only seeing equally the #571 was the recommended one for a 215lbs passenger, I used that off the bat, and stuck with information technology, equally it felt spot-on. A point to note, there isn't technically a Climb Switch – the third compression setting is the firmest i and thus does, in do, piece of work particularly well as a substitute for a defended lever aimed at prolonged uphill riding.

What was nigh interesting about the TTX22M, was how there was no harshness most it, e'er. The bottom-out bumper did an astonishing task with the final push, and the unlike positions in the shock'due south stroke never made themselves known, it cycled beautifully. In 2019 that is expected of about shocks, only I suppose that annotate is just reassurance that the price tag is worth admission with this item unit, in that location is a buttery quality to the action. The fantastical element of Öhlin'due south image is surely mostly derived from this very feeling, one of uninterrupted excellence. Afterward my first ride, my initial thought was, "why do I non see these on more bikes?" and that was still my thought after putting in close to 100 miles on it. From long Ninety jaunts to post-work hot laps, the Öhlins TTX22M connected to print and remained unflappable.

High and Low Speed Compression Circuits

Food for Thought

I climbed, I hucked, and I even did a photoshoot ride, through it all, the Ö-aureate never lost its shine. A specifically notable aspect of this shock is something I am struggling to describe because information technology really is a feeling one needs to feel to empathize. The pocket-sized bump compliance is truly excellent, which is sort of a given as this shock is billed as thoroughbred race equipment, and so traction is the name of the game – but it is the always-sought-after mid-stroke support that really caught my attending. I always noticed it when was hammering on the pedals through super rough sections e.g. short connecting uphills or apartment eroded sprints. Putting the power down hard, the suspension didn't oscillate all over the identify (a good part in thanks to the wheel's kinematics) but the bike tracked over all the chop smoothly, not getting kicked offline and delivering the power to the footing, even while mashing through a hefty pinch at the same time. The stupor's power to multitask the forces it encountered was remarkable.

In Summation

I recall it'south difficult to explain in whole, every bit it isn't normal, the TTX22M is literally doing something I've never experienced with other dampers. The harmony the HSC/LSC, and Rebound have is truly special. The balance the twin-tube pattern delivers is a vivid accomplishment. At that place is but a single rebound adjuster, Ohlins figured out the human relationship of the HSR and LSR for the rider, and information technology works sublimely – no bucks, no unexpected modify in the speed of render. Again, this shock is tremendously composed. The bottom-out bumper actually has its own spring curve, which is why information technology looks more like a tiered cake than a tea saucer/UFO. The unique feeling of the TTX22M isn't due to any voodoo magic, simply rather clever design learned through the decades of motorsport experience and engineering developments that occurred in those realms. Customers fill out a small informational piece, which creates a user-driven base tune. I learned that the dynamic range of the standard melody is vast and can handle springs from 345 to 750 without whatsoever pregnant changes. Most riders fall inside a simple range, but there are actually 8 different coded tunes in total.

  • The bottom out bumper and its unique shape.
  • The graph showing how the bumper'south shape addresses the forces at bottom out.

Discussing the TTX22M with friends, their main concerns are having to send it back to Öhlins for any sort of fine-tuning or maintenance, that they can't just send it off to a local tuner like with Fox, MRP, or Rock Shox. This is a valid concern, simply I think that merchandise-off is perfectly adequate. High performance means high maintenance, and while this stupor doesn't need much attention when using it, if I had to send it abroad for a week to maintain the level of performance it provides, I wouldn't fifty-fifty remember about complaining.

  • Compression Chart A Showing all the trail tunes available.
  • Compression Chart B showing all the DH tunes bachelor.

Who is this stupor for then? Well, clearly the World'due south best based on the summer of 2019, but also the discerning rider who trusts a company to ready up the stupor earlier sending it off. There isn't much little to exist done once the shock on the bike, it is a piddling scrap set-and-forget. The shock comes alive when things get wild; it's super clammy, forgettable even, but that'due south the hope when speeds are high and the trail is rugged. As a damper, it takes the trail ahead and makes it feel like a maintenance coiffure is cleaning it upwardly correct underneath the bike. I'd telephone call it the magic carpet consequence. Öhlins has been making aristocracy-operation race equipment for decades, and with the TTX22M, it is wholly apparent that all those years and pedigree are packed away inside.

An Interesting Side Annotation

Information technology's helpful that the Gilt Ö spent most of the summer of 2019 in the MTB headlines for the DH scene with Loic Bruni winning both the DH Overall and Globe Champs – a feat terminal achieved by the neat Sam Loma. If a further visual analysis is of interest, regarding what sort of performance 1 gets from buying into the Öhlins ethos, go picket any of Bruni's runs… or Finn Iles for that matter, their bikes expect like they are doing something different; other riders were trying to mimic their setups too and said then on camera (Loris Vergier for example). Interesting to note, with the regards to the professionals on the interruption, Loic Bruni's shock setup is nothing outside of the normal range of tunes according to Öhlins. The TTX22M but performs as well as it does, which is so aided past all of the testing Loic and his mechanic Jack have achieved. The one slightly different aspect of the suspension on Loic's bike is the air spring in the fork, which was modified slightly to keep it from diving, which is something that Loic cannot stand up. I can vouch for that both in theory and in person – I pushed on his fork at MSA later on his winning run, and whoa was it strong. Yes, the tiptop-level riders run strong setups, only that fork was not out-of-the-box and certainly had some extra jazz going on within – which, as stated, was confirmed by Öhlins staff as well.

Me, puzzling about Loic's settings. PC: Dan Hern

MRP Hazzard

At that place is a lot to exist said virtually a visitor'southward heritage. Few brands within mountain biking have such lauded prestige as MRP. The brand was a prototype shift in DH racing in the heyday with their chain guide: the alloy backplate, fustigate ring, and oh-so-in-faddy orange rollers. Similarly, around the same time equally MRP was keeping bondage a-fixed to chainrings, a pocket-size Quebecois company was producing an "information technology-factor" shock, in red no less, that was something of a legend… Elka and their Stage five shock. It was rare, it was visually hit (large ol' piston and hearty CNC'ing), and because the net was just a humble cobweb at the time, piddling was known about the visitor – ironically so, equally the HQ for the company is simply a 4-60 minutes bulldoze from where most of the races happened in that era. Elka was competing mainly with Avalanche at the time in terms of toll and performance, only the maple-red piece of suspension was far rarer. Equally an upwards-and-coming Jr.X racer, it was a mythical upgrade.

Fast-forwards a decade or so, information technology's a whole new earth of MTB, even on a personal level as I finally accept an MRP concatenation guide, plus MRP has expanded their offerings to a total line upward of suspension goods. It is kind of old news simply still not super mutual knowledge that MRP purchased a office of Elka, the American make bought the Canadian company'due south MTB co-operative in 2013 – the same year they officially re-branded the White Brothers forks to create the MRP Ribbon and Stage. Six years later, MRP is nonetheless fighting for infinite against the other entrenched suspension makers, but in an elbows-out kind of way, jockeying for space in the room. Their infinite in that room of shims and oil is well-deserved, they have done a great service to riders by bringing the trail-oriented Hazzard shock to life – the Elka Stage 5 reborn with a climb switch. Using a tried-and-true design steeped with motorsport trickle-down tech, the Hazzard is a serious contender. [the Raze is the DH-oriented coil option, the Stage 5 in its rebranded class]

Impressions

MRP provided two springs to attempt with the Hazzard, as they accept some unique offerings. I opted to run the 550# progressive spring over the regular spring, as the progressive coil was a strong role of the interest in and attraction of the Hazzard from the start. Being able to run a scroll on a cycle regardless of the leverage curve is exceptionally appealing. Then, to say I was excited arriving home from Globe Champs at MSA and finding a parcel with the orange livery Hazzard inside would be an understatement. Out of the box, the stupor looks robust and ready to get wild. The race-designed bloodlines like shooting fish in a barrel to see in the piston size and punch placement. The tool-gratuitous, easy to adapt High and Low Speed Compression and Rebound dials are a large bonus, with the climb switch having a very articulate on/off thanks to a shaped lever which has a really smooth activity.

Bolting the Hazzard onto the bicycle had me stoked to ride. The progressive leap was actually on the front of my listen, every bit that was something new to me on a whole and a piece of kit I'd been wanting to try for a long fourth dimension. To first, I opened up the HSC and LSC all the way. The spring, while labeled as the "#550+" is really a 525-to-650 on a 2″ stroke shock. This meant that I had the initial small-crash-land sensitivity of a lighter spring, only the lesser-out resistance of a much, much bigger bound. I fix the Rebound to gustation and started off. My immediate impression was that the Climb Switch worked very well– riding up the roads (paved and Class 4 logging) was done without a single bob, but the suspension remained active nevertheless for the water bar dips and scattering of rocks; the #525 starting weight of the jump was a serious boon, as the CS stiffened up the shock massively without the cede of traction.

The real fun began after dropping into the descending role of the ride, the ramp-up of the daze with the progressive spring immediately noticeable. Smashing through several chiliad-outs and smaller jumps the bicycle felt like it was a lot more than than a 125mm travel frame. It wasn't just the harsh hits that the shock ate upwards, the small-bump compliance/traction was fantastic equally well. The progressive bound made me think the shock might be a scrap stiff over rougher parts, that it might pack up early in the stoke – and I was dead wrong. The wheel tracked smoothly and the stupor transitioned from little-to-large impacts without me noticing; I noticed in the sense that the bike was holding speed all over the place, staying more composed, and my feet didn't struggle with the modify in terrain. This was run ane, I was fired upward.

Observations

More fourth dimension on the Hazzard continued to yield stoke and adoration for information technology. It's all-around prowess on the colina brand information technology uncommonly capable and highly versatile. When climbing with the shock open there was minimal pedal bob and finding traction was never a problem, the wheel stayed down and tracked the trail with precision. On one particular ride in Lake Placid, NY, the Hazzard really shone vivid, tackling ane of the roughest singletrack loops I've ever ridden… it honestly felt similar the Erzberg Enduro event, but shorter and not motorized. The bike'southward ability to stay up in the travel while tracking over odd-spaced compressions and undulations made a ride that would take been miserable on any air shock and even perhaps a regular styling of jump, which would accept wallowed heavily. The amazing tuning inside the shock added together with the progressive jump meant the chatter was flattened and the momentum-killing mini-compressions were filled in because the leap's mechanics kept the bike up in the travel and moving forward.  This punchy loop, more than whatsoever rowdy descent or other rides, truly highlighted why the Hazzard is underrated and highly capable.

The mix of having a consequent feel at the pinnacle and bottom of the stroke, as well equally sensitivity off the top with a super supportive mid-to-end stroke, gave the bike a very well-balanced feel. Sensible design with a mechanical help for progression (taking a lot of strain off the damper) is a wonderful combination. Some riders will ask almost only having 1 rebound knob in a marketplace flood with all of the knob options… I can say with confidence that the HSR/LSR human relationship is dialed, having "moto-bounced" i.e. pulling a manual into a large object/pinch/undulation a number of times, the bike stayed composed without a wild buck or strange destabilization. Across the adjustments, a single click of an adjuster is noticeable, it doesn't take a lot of spinning to discover the right setting. The Hazzard is built-to-club as well, MRP takes downwardly a similar kind of info like Öhlins. My final settings were HSC i click from open and LSC 2 clicks from closed, with Rebound set at 5 from airtight.

Food for Thought

I tin't say it enough: the progressive bound is a vivid plume in the cap for MRP. The mechanical ramp of the spring kept the bike up on the mid-stroke and gave the feeling of a bigger absorber when things got wild. The Hawk Colina plays well with a coil, but for those seeking a super-progressive feeling shock, linkage design yet, volition actually appreciate the leap and damper working in tandem to provide a ride with keen traction off the top, an ofttimes-quested for supportive mid-stroke, and bottom-out experience rarely institute outside of a full-on DH bicycle. The big and ergonomic dials make any on-the-fly adjustments like shooting fish in a barrel, even in gloves. All told, as well many people are sleeping on MRP correct now regarding their interruption offerings, the parcel they have assembled in the Hazzard is just apartment-out fantastic.

In Summation

Visually encouraging, mechanically inspiring, and built to huck, the Hazzard is a piece of work-horse daze that is a real joy to ride.  Aiming to deliver race-bred operation for whatsoever wheel it is paired with, it is filling a gap in the shock marketplace by existence highly adaptable via not only a big array of tunes, only with regular, SL, and progressive spring options. Its intuitive setup and general feel on the bicycle requite the passenger a adept sense of what to expect from the Hazzard right at the trailhead. MRP bought into a shock that withstood the test of time and has a legendary pedigree; nosotros now get to enjoy that vivid adequacy on any wheel we so choose, which I for one, am thankful. The Hazzard delivers a remarkable ride across the lath, adding immediate functioning advantages and conviction to any ride.

Fox Racing Shox DHX2

Fox Racing Shox has been a staple of ii-wheeled off-road-racing for 45 years. With humble ancestry in motocross in 1974 as a distributor for European parts, the Play a trick on brothers (Bob and Greg) began down a path that would somewhen accept each of their respective brands at the peak of the game. Shortly later on starting their make Moto-10 Fox, Bob and Greg split off to purse the ii companies nosotros now know equally Fox Racing Shox (Bob'southward side) and Play tricks Head (Greg's side). Bob grew from selling other people's appurtenances, to producing his ain products for the discerning racer. Since that era, the ethos of [what became] Fox Racing Shox hasn't changed one fleck; the fork volume reducers have, "Good Luck and Good Racing – Bob Flim-flam", etched into the plastic, a subtle reminder that all Fox products are in fact built to be raced. It is for this reason that I bought the 2nd gen Fox 40 in 2006 and have run been running a DHX since the 5.0 days. The make has grown to be the go-to suspension make for a staggering percentage of the Elite mount bike race community, specifically the gravity-fed segment (8 Men'due south and 7 Women's DH World Championship titles since 2008 and 4 Men's and 3 Women'south Enduro World Serial Overalls). I have always been a fan of their products, using them through the entirety of my DH racing years, and continuing to now. Now though, there are more suspension contenders in this current epoch of MTB, which is what has made this Shake Down series possible and really heady – information technology's no longer a choice of choice A or B!

Interestingly, in 2013 Trick Racing Shox filed an IPO and became a publicly-traded company. They officially entered the corporate world, merely with market place share backed by results. Fox has been an innovating company from the beginning, continually producing engineering and design improvements for the past decade. They have carried Bob's original mission of producing race-bred products, which has allowed them to share a performance-based niche normally reserved for boutique brands creating custom suspension.

Impressions

The DHX2 that Fob provided took a slightly dissimilar approach than the other iii shocks in the test: it ran a lighter 500# spring with the House Compression tune, instead of running the shock off the bound to create a stiffer setup. Every other stupor had a much bigger leap. Granted, jump weight is a contentious topic, and I don't take access to a measuring device to examination the "actual" weight of the springs, but still, Fox opted specifically for the lighter-spring-and-firmer-tune route with the shock they supplied. I hadn't had the chance to try a fix up like this before on a trail cycle and information technology delivered a super unique feeling. It actually took a full ride to dial in the shock thanks to the Firm tune, which was actually encouraging, as information technology meant the shock had a truly usable range of clicks, not just a ii-3 click window for a hefty passenger like me.

After bolting on the DHX2 to my Hawk Hill and pointing information technology down the crude, I was well-reminded of their design prowess; Planted and balanced was the beginning thought I had as I rocketed over some flat roots and smashed some compressions. It was immediately clear that I had a matching set up of dampers i.e. a Play a joke on fork and shock, equally the bicycle felt specifically balanced, the front and rear didn't accept distinctly different feels, which has been the case up to this betoken – a unproblematic footnote, not a positive/negative comment, I was just surprised that there seemed to exist a "matching" feeling with the suspension. The DHX2 motored over the churr, my feet e'er felt super planted, and I was able to pedal whenever and wherever I pleased. The bicycle definitely sabbatum farther into the travel due to the lighter spring, but I constitute that I was able to skim over crude patched more ofttimes regardless of how fast I was going, as the pause seemed to be able to remain more than agile at the beginning and middle of the stroke. The DHX2 felt the most "Bays Truck" of the examination because of this, as it seemed to always exist using the well-nigh, but correct, amount of travel. I was concerned the daze would wallow with the lighter jump, but the House Tune was really showing itself, and I was impressed that even with the great small-crash-land compliance, information technology still kept the bike up in the travel and managed bottom-out well as well.

The Climb Switch Fox uses is a little twist dial instead of a lever. It works just as well, with a raised ridge making it piece of cake to grasp when tired and an action that was assured and articulate. When the CS was engaged, there was no pedal-bob, but it remained just agile enough to keep the wheel tracking over the little speed-killers. Ascending had condolement and efficiency, which I appreciated. I accidentally descended with the CS on more once, only nothing bad happened, and at ane point it actually highlighted that I needed to firm upwards the HSC.

Observations

It was interesting running the rear interruption off of the compression melody instead of the bound. The shock had a more definitive feeling of being "open" and able to actuate more freely, as the leap was not "in the mode" of the damping circuit and allowed the Firm tune to really shine. Having a cycle that sat a petty more than into the travel did brand for a smoother, more comfy ride too. I institute on some of the notoriously rooty and rocky trails my paw fatigue was lessoned, and line pick was able to be a bit more aggressive even when I was tired considering the suspension tracked over the crude and didn't dance effectually as much. On larger hits and compressions, I only establish the bottom of the stroke a couple of times. There was a noticeable feeling when the lesser-out bumper was reached, simply this subtle blip in stroke as information technology would get smushed. It wasn't distracting, only it was interesting to know when the whole stroke was in use.

I've ever enjoyed that with Play a joke on each click can be felt. Dialing in the notoriously daunting High and Low Speed Rebound was actually actually simple and sensible. Granted, I had settings in listen having spent fourth dimension with the shock before, only I merely had to adjust them by one or 2 clicks to find the sweet spot – it's an intuitive feel and range of adjustments, so you tin actually become a reasonable starting spot with a "parking lot test" before hit the trails.

Food for Thought

The number of rides I got on the DHX2 were not quite equally many as the others, but considering I started this project in July and wanted to try and ride each shock for around a month, I think it worked out pretty well. The test loop I rode for this shock was in Keene, NH after moving out of Due east Burke, VT where the other testing has taken identify (the other three shocks saw a slightly greater number of trail networks as well). The riding, while lacking the same gross mileage every bit The Kingdom Trails, is super varied and likely had a lot more blindside-for-buck in terms of changes of terrain per trail, so I believe that I certainly experienced the whole range of what the DHX2 had to offer. One annotation I accept is I would have liked to attempt a 525# or 550# leap, just to see what that was like, just like with the other shocks, I ran what was recommended by the company – and I think it was however excellent. I really liked the DHX2 for its ease of tuning with a 6mm and 3mm hex key, though I know some folks like to be able to use their hands. I don't mind the wrench-style adjustments because it ways I can't just change something willy-nilly; I have to make a conscious decision virtually the changes, which I so think meliorate but am as well more conscientious near – no spinning dials in frustration! The settings I finished with were Hr -nine, LR-xv, HC -vii, LC -8 (measured from airtight, as Fox does).

In Summation

This offering from Play a joke on delivered the refined feel of a custom-tuned shock while allowing for the end-user to fiddle to their heart's delight if that's what they savor doing, or information technology can be a set up-and-forget daze. It won't quite accept the aforementioned magic as a TTX22, but information technology's no slouch and without a doubt a proper, race-prepare piece of kit. Plus, it remains serviceable by whatever local shop or tuner with the proper tools and know-how, not needing to be sent back to the factory for a touch-up or change. The MRP progressive spring is likewise the aforementioned size every bit Fox's, so using that is likewise an additional possibility for refinement, expanding the DHX2's range even further. Fox Racing Shox continues to keep its hope of high-operation products that are aimed at anyone who wants to have competitive break with sensible and wide-ranging adjustments.

Shock Weights

Data Logging Canvas + MSRP

The Grand Conclusion

Wheel intermission has never been ameliorate. Choosing which shock is right for you lot is made even harder because of this fact. After I took all of the shock portrait photos, they were laying on the kitchen countertop, and I realized that I would exist hard-pressed to option my favorite. All iv are similar in what they aim to reach, just the way they do so is very different, which also yields very corking and different riding characteristics.

The all-time style I can break it down would be like this:

The Hazzard is the heaviest with the progressive curl spring, the DHX2 and TTX22M are nearly identical, and the DB is somewhere in the middle. I don't believe that the weight of the shocks should carry any weight in the decision as to which one is the right one. The operation gains of a whorl are non measured in how many grams are saved.

The two shocks with the fewest adjustments are the TTX22M and the Hazzard. There is a large weight deviation, just not a significant price departure. The operation gains are a piddling different in action, the TTX22M being a niggling more sensitive overall, the Hazzard with the progressive ringlet has an over-all stiffer feeling while retaining great traction. The ramp-upwardly of the Hazzard is hard to beat, while the buttery activity of the TTX22 is second-to-none. The Hazzard has the dedicated CS, which is a large plus; the TTX22 basically has on-the-fly compression tuning. The Hazzard has a range of spring styles available, the TTX22 uses a hyper-precise proprietary bound. I imagine for a lot of riders seeking the level of performance these shocks deliver, the deciding cistron will exist the overall application of the wheel the daze will live on and overall riding style.

The two shocks with the nearly adjustments are the DB and the DHX2. Both achieve their tuning through similar designs, merely with very different adjustments. The DB is a degrees-of-a-plow style adjustment, the DHX2 has more than traditional indented clicks. Both shocks have low-cal-weight spring options and can actually use each other'due south, as well equally MRP'southward and several other after-marketplace spring options. Each has a potent range of shock sizes available and are easily attainable for buy. There is a small price difference between the two as well. An important detail is that the DB needs to be sent back to the factory for any servicing, whereas the DHX2 can exist serviced by whatever shop with the right tools and a qualified technician. The deciding factor between these two shocks will probable come down to the level of puzzling a rider is interested in dealing with and ease-of-service when it comes to maintenance.

If you like to puzzle with your suspension, searching for the perfectly refined residual for your riding manner, you'll be happy with the DB or the DHX2. Precision-puzzlers should seek the DB, those who like to count should consider the DHX2. If you trust the people building the shock'southward tunes, the TTX22M or the Hazzard are for you. If you want spring options and a few clicks instead of a lever, aim for the Hazzard; for a very-simple-yet-exceptionally-effective range of adjustments the TTX22M would exist the choice.

Thank you for reading, feel free to reach out with whatsoever questions or comments!

A big thank you to the participating parties, without their contributions, this wouldn't accept been possible. Putting these pieces of engineering through their paces was a real treat!

In club of appearance, here are the links to the different shocks:

Cane Creek Double Barrel CS

Ohlins TTX22M

MRP Hazzard

Pull a fast one on Racing Shox DHX2