[buildyourown]

I want to get an air shock for my Intense SS. CCDB, Vivid, or DHX.
Which one?
I ran a Monarch on there for a couple rides and it didn't work at all. I think the shock needs to be valved for a higher leverage ratio. The bike is a 2.6/1 ratio but I think it ramps up so it blows thru all its travel.

 

[captainspauldin]

Sending your monarch out to be pushed might be a solution? just a thought, don't know if it will fix your blowing through the travel thinger..

 

[norbar]

I want to get an air shock for my Intense SS. CCDB, Vivid, or DHX.
Which one?
I ran a Monarch on there for a couple rides and it didn't work at all. I think the shock needs to be valved for a higher leverage ratio. The bike is a 2.6/1 ratio but I think it ramps up so it blows thru all its travel.

Avoid the dhx if you want a shock that doesn't go through all it's travel for no reason

 

[supercow]

DHX is slightly better than using an elastic band, certainly just count it out from the get go.

 

[Downhillbiker23]

Heres my two sence

1. The DHX I am not to familiar with as far as air shock goes. I have new 2012 Kashima RC4 coil and love it. If it is anything like the air you will be amazed!

2. Vivid should be avoided. You know how people buy products and then a new one comes out just after they buy one? Then they end up kicking themselves for not waiting? That will be you if you buy a vivid. I saw about a month ago, a new vivid air is in the final stagesof being a prototype, so be the first to get that one. I think this news article was on Pinkbike at the Piertramezburg WC #1. Also in an article on here called "Keep the Prototypes Coming". New vivid should be available soon is my guess

3. Cane creek is a proven company, makes amazing products and the DB coil has a proven reputation, however the air is a really new style for them. My guess is their will be bugs in the system to work out and wait until they make the next model which would correct the previous bugs in the system


Those are just my opinions and observations. My vote is you should wait a bit.

 

[buildyourown]

Vivids are on sale thru distros right now, so yeah, a new one is in the works. That's what made me look at them. They are a good deal right now.

Somebody talk me out of a CCDB Air. The tuneable can size and the fact that they put them on 6" VPP bikes for the ride demos makes me think it will be a good fit.

 

[IH8Rice]

Somebody talk me out of a CCDB Air. The tuneable can size and the fact that they put them on 6" VPP bikes for the ride demos makes me think it will be a good fit.

its got too many knobs


honestly, it feels just like my coil DB felt like but obviously moar progressive. a lot of people are having to run more sag then they are used to in order to get full travel but obviously every bike is different.

 

[FCLinder]

I found the new X-Fusion Vector Air HLR is a serious contender in my book. For the $$ its hands down a winner match with the performance you get from it. Hands down better than the DHX and Vivid in my book. I found you can set it up sensitive in the beginning stroke and not give up your mid stroke. That has been a big problem with most Air DH shocks in the past. The High and Low Speed Compression works really well and you can feel a difference in the setting all the way throughout the tuning.

Good luck with your search man!

Cecil

 

[tacubaya]

You are missing the X-Fusion Vector HLR which I think is the only air shock worth contending against the CCDB

 

[Downhillbiker23]

You are missing the X-Fusion Vector HLR which I think is the only air shock worth contending against the CCDB

Bingo

 

[fortenndu]

I've blown a dhx air that I didn't own, that said my girlfriends was used before she got it and it's fine. I ran a vivid air on my downhill bike for a season and it's still going strong. I've never ridden the CCDB air but I'm sure it's awesome.

 

[missingLink]

I've been lucky enough to run a pushed monarch rt-am, Vector Air HLR, and DBair on my 5.5" travel bike. They're all great shocks but the DBair is the clear winner with the vector air coming in second. Both the DBair and Vector Air hlr have great mid-stroke support. Pretty much what people are reporting about the DBair's is accurate in my experience. Just make sure it works for you frame if you get it. It's a pretty progressive shock. It's giving my avalanche chubie a run for it's money. Time will tell on the durability front though.

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

I've been lucky enough to run a pushed monarch rt-am, Vector Air HLR, and DBair on my 5.5" travel bike. They're all great shocks but the DBair is the clear winner with the vector air coming in second. Both the DBair and Vector Air hlr have great mid-stroke support. Pretty much what people are reporting about the DBair's is accurate in my experience. Just make sure it works for you frame if you get it. It's a pretty progressive shock. It's giving my avalanche chubie a run for it's money. Time will tell on the durability front though.

This pretty cool to hear. The RT/AM on my Trance X works really, REALLY well for me... I couldn't reach Malcolm in a pinch when I was wanting a new shock for it, so I called Push. (I was going to see if Cane Creek could build me a CCDBair in the Trance size. Never got around to calling Xfusion...)

 

[-C-]

Cane Creek say the DBAir is designed to work best on bikes with linear/degressive suspension curves, due to air being progressive. If you have a bike with a progressive suspension curve they will recommend you run the coil.

I'd been looking at one for my Nomad, but read a fair few conflicting reports about the range of adjustment not being suitable, nor people being able to get full travel due to the above, or only being able to get full travel if running 40%+ sag (not so much of an issue on a DH bike, more so on a bike that needs to be pedalled).

TF Tuned were a bit 'meh' about the DBAir when I asked them, for the above reason - they said they had been struggling to get it to work on quite a few bikes yet on others it was good. They suggested the Vivid Air would be a better fit for the bike.

Push seem to really rate the Monarch Plus as well - worth considering?

 

[Rhubarb]

Interesting you got this response from TF Tuned. Every time I call to get advice on an air shock they keep steering me towards the Pushed RP23, for a 2010 Delirium. Reviews are not in favour of the RP23 so I am always a little concerned. They do a great job but they really knock the Rockshox shocks, love the forks. I tried them when the Vivid air came out and they didnt want to recomend it. I tried again when the CCDB came out and again Fox all the way. They dont offer Push for RS so the monarch is not an option.

 

[EVIL JN]

The vivid air i had on my previous demo 8 that i had revalved by TF felt really good and they gave it some serious mid stroke support, i was quite impressed with the work and i am someone that doubts most "be end all" marketing but this time it really made a noticeable difference.

 

[staike]

I've been lucky enough to run a pushed monarch rt-am, Vector Air HLR, and DBair on my 5.5" travel bike.

Which bike?

 

[-C-]

Interesting you got this response from TF Tuned. Every time I call to get advice on an air shock they keep steering me towards the Pushed RP23, for a 2010 Delirium. Reviews are not in favour of the RP23 so I am always a little concerned. They do a great job but they really knock the Rockshox shocks, love the forks. I tried them when the Vivid air came out and they didnt want to recomend it. I tried again when the CCDB came out and again Fox all the way. They dont offer Push for RS so the monarch is not an option.

I think they are reasonably impartial, but there is always going to be a bias towards the products they work with. It's in their interests to sell a shock they have worked (Push) in the first place.

I have noticed more of a reluctance to work with RS shocks too, possibly down to not getting as good support on the service side/Push? Seems odd because Push in the US really work a lot on the RS stuff. I know TF will do Push work on the Vivid (both Coil & Air), but it's quite a costly conversion (even in the US, it's expensive). But then it's quite a lot of work from what I have read.

Maybe it's people thinking Air = trail bike shock. What people don't think about is the DBAir & Vivid Air as being predominantly aimed at the gravity market as an alternative product that will suit some bikes that coils don't.

 

[gnarbar]

Maybe it's people thinking Air = trail bike shock. What people don't think about is the DBAir & Vivid Air as being predominantly aimed at the gravity market as an alternative product that will suit some bikes that coils don't.

that's exactly where CC came from and how they positioned the new DBair - moar rider choice

 

[bullcrew]

Bubblewrap for the win, ductape it in a roll and shove it in there. You too can sound like a gunfight going down the first hit.....


I'd like to try ccdba and the vector air....I've ridden the rest with some like and dislikes.....I think cane creek probably nailed it based on there coil version....vector is charging forward I've seen there stuff and ridden some stuff.....

 

[supercow]

vector is charging forward I've seen there stuff and ridden some stuff.....

Huh?

ps: their!

 

[missingLink]

Which bike?

It's on a Knolly Endorphin.
For context, I like to set up my trail bikes like mini-dh bikes (since I don't own a dh bike) so the 38-40% sag on the DBair doesn't bother me. Pedaling isn't really affected that much, imo. ymmv.

 

[cableguy]

Not sure why you would want an air shock on your Intense SS. Mine feels very progressive and air shocks would make it only worse. Coil shocks that are linear work the best IMO on this bike. If you want to drop weight there are other ways to go including Ti springs.

 

[bullcrew]

Huh?

ps: their!

Thanks for the typo correct lol....

Charging forward progressing and coming out with some good stuff.

 

[rollertoaster]

I have a monarch plus rc3 on my SS and I love it. I think I went with the b tune high volume, and I weigh 190.