Question About Shocks
 

I searched the forum and couldn't find any answers to this. I was wondering if anybody could tell me if I dissected a standard shock what would I find inside? Do all shocks contain springs inside or just the lower models? Also I got in an argument with my friend that doesn't know anything about bikes about hydraulic shocks, do they even exist for bikes? One last thing what are the differences between air and spring shocks. And how do air loaded shocks work? Are there any other types of mainstream shocks besides spring and air loaded shocks?
Thanks

There is a good write up on the different types of shocks and how they all work in the "Please read before asking questions" sticky thread. It should answer all your questions.

There is really no such a thing as a stadard shock.. each make like fox,manitou and so on has a variety air shocks and a coil-over shocks.. what you would most probably find in a air shock is a air canister and some oil.. what you would find in a coil-over shock is a piston that sort of regulates the compression and a spring(please forgive me, i am not sure about coil-over shocks). I dont think there is any shock with a spring inside it. Its either with air or coil-over.. Hydraulic shocks do exsit for bikes.. the fox float RP3, the manituo 3-way swinger.. IMO air shocks are lighter than coil-over shocks, but coil-over shocks can take more beating than air shocks.. thats why you see coil-over shocks on DH bikes and and air shocks on XC bikes.. I dont think there is another kind of shock for bikes..

Bobflyer..

Ah ha. I see thanks. That answered many of my questions.


Thanks a lot. That answered the rest of my question. Is there any benefit to having hydraulic shocks?

Hydraulic shocks typically have more tunable damping characteristics.