About Mountain Bike Shocks

Mountain bike shocks serve to absorb the impact of rocks, roots, drops and other obstacles that are inherent to the sport of mountain biking. The rugged nature of many mountain bike trails and parks makes shocks important mountain biking equipment.

  1. Types

    • Mountain bikes may employ front and rear shocks. The front shocks, called a fork, connect the head tube with the front wheel and provide absorption for obstacles rolled over by the front wheel. Rear shocks provide absorption for the rear wheel. The design of the rear shock mechanism varies greatly by bike model, and usually includes some form of pivoting bracket or triangle. Hardtail bikes employ just a suspension fork, with no rear suspension, while full-suspension bikes offer both. Important to note, rigid mountain bikes don't use any suspension at all.

    Types

    • The two main types of mountain bike shocks are coil and air. Coil shocks use a steel or titanium coil spring to provide the shock absorption, while air shocks perform absorption using air. Coil forks are heavier, but provide more sturdy construction and are ideal for freeride or downhill biking. They also eat up small bumps more quickly. Air shocks are more commonplace and are good for most types of riding, as they are light and very adjustable. Some shocks also use a combination of air and coil.

    Considerations

    • Mountain bike shocks also vary widely as to the amount of travel that they provide. Shocks designed for the intense drops and jumps of freeride mountain biking offer much greater travel than shocks made for more mellow cross country rides. In general, freeride bikes have front and rear shocks that offer 6 inches or more of travel, whereas cross country bikes have fewer than 5 inches of front and rear travel.

    Considerations

    • In deciding whether or not to purchase suspension, it's important to keep in mind the style and conditions that you ride. Freeride and downhill mountain biking demand full-suspension bikes with greater amounts of travel to absorb hard impacts involved with the intense riding styles. If you intend to ride cross country, consider the trails that you will be riding. If they're smooth and flat, without any significant rocks or bumps, you may be comfortable with no suspension or just front suspension. On the other hand, if trails are rough and rugged with long stretches of bumpy, challenging downhill, then you will probably want a full-suspension mountain bike. Shocks will add cost to the price of a new bike.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Shocks include various adjustments that allow you to fine tune performance to meet your needs. Dampening adjustments change how quickly your shock compresses and rebounds back to form. Individual adjustments allow for separate compression and rebound adjustment. Preload affects how much pressure is needed to compress the shock. Preload is adjusted on air shocks by adding air to reflect your weight using a shock pump. More air will make the shock more rigid. On coil shocks, the spring can be tightened or loosened to adjust preload.
      A lockout feature is available on many air forks and rear shocks, enabling you to lock out suspension and ride a rigid bike. This feature is useful when riding long ascents in which the bobbing of suspension can hinder your momentum. Knobs for these various adjustments are located on the individual legs of forks, both on top and bottom, and on the body of rear shocks. Available adjustments vary by specific model. Refer to user manual or manufacturer specifications.

    Identification

    • Various companies specialize in mountain bike shock production including Rock Shox, Fox and Marzzochi.