Mountain Biking - I need help picking out a new rear shock...

Hi everyone,

I have to replace my Fox Vanilla Air shock in the back cause it's leaking and A-1 Cycles said it would be about $60 for Fox to rebuild it. I was looking to get a different shock on Ebay hopefully but I am much more of a roadie than a mountain biker when it comes to component knowledge.

So, I've got a 1999 Specialized FSR xc and the eye to eye length of current shock is 6.5". I like a stiffer ride cause I like to climb without bouncing but I would also like to take some of the bite out of rocky decents. I don't really do big jumps. Mostly a XC rider if the definition of XC is longer rides over a variety of terrain which involve climbing, ridge riding, decending and some pavement. I like to jump but don't do any 3 foot drop style action.

1) Would you go air or coil?
2) What brands are good?
3) What models would you recommend?

Thanks for any info you could provide.

Sean

If you weigh over 200 lbs, go with a coil shock. Air shocks have improved over the years, but for big guys coil is better.

If you decide to stick with air, a fellow mechanic just got a new Cane Creek Cloud 9 that is the nicest air shock I've seen.

If you go coil, I saw various postings on ebay for a Fox Vanilla RC. There are some w/o the RC, but I prefer it. I'm currently riding this shock and it's great.

If money is no object, get a 5th element. This is the current "Top" shock for a coil. If you want super nice, get the titanium spring!

L8R

Alls I got to say is Cane Creek man. Fox ain't nothing compared to them. I am getting a AD-12 sometime soon (same thing w/o lockout as the cloud 9). My fox got dented so it couldn't hold air. The CC's got compression, which no Fox offers as a feature. And they are sooo much smoother.

I'd love to get a Cane Creek but their web site says that the AD-12 isn't compatible with my '99 Specialized FSRxc.

BTW, I weight 215 lbs but I'm shrinking. :D

Sean

if you want a coil get a romic. They'll retrofit a shock for any bike provided you give them the correct measurements. The romic also has a stable platform technology which basically means it takes a certain amount of force to activate it and then it stays smooth and eventually returns to it's stable point. NOTHING LIKE THE EPIC! And if you cant get a cane creek and insist on an air shock get a fox. There is no other option, too bad though. I have a cane creek AD-12 for my FSR that i've ridden for 3 mos and it beats the hell out of the fox

Ok, why are Cane Creek shocks so much better than fox? All I have heard so far is "fox is nothing compared to them" and "it beats the hell out of the fox". They cant be that much smoother........CAN THEY? I mean all the fox shocks that i've had were super smooth. And yours "got dented"....so that means fox are crap or what?

When I say dented I blame it on the piece of crap qr lever on my FSR Comp. When I got my Thomson seatpost it wasn't tight enough, so it slid down a little one ride, and pushed on the shoxk a little bit. Well only when the air gets colder does it reveal that it is pushing on the washer, not allowing it to hold air.

Klien I got one word Compression. Yes they can be smoother, I dunno how, you just gotta ride one to see the difference. Can't wait till it gets here so I can ride my bike again.

OK Klein the cane creeks are easier to rebuild, are really noticeably smoother, hold air better, have compression dampening, and actually have customer service unlike Fox