Coil vs. Air shock - what's the diff?

**Tap** · 05-04-2005, 10:37 AM

not that i can actually afford it, but i'm looking at several new options for the rear shock, mostly for weight savings. my pushed Vanilla RC is great, but if I could get the same performance or better with less weight (read fox RP3 or DHX Air).....wellllll......

what are the different ride characteristics of coil vs. air, all other things being equal?

**Gaffney10** · 05-04-2005, 11:28 AM

I have the Fox Vanilla Coil and its pretty good.

I have a question for Fox Coil users, How many turns (how far do you turn the top washer) do you genearlly use? I have been told by some that you can turn it as much as you want and by others that you can only turn the washer 1 time after contact with the spring. I would like to set the spring up for XC travel...

**focus** · 05-04-2005, 11:58 AM

my understanding is that coil shocks will usually have a more linear travel, be more plush, smoother, etc.... at a weight penalty.

air shocks are striving for coil-like performance...and keep getting closer...but aren't *quite* there yet.

**lph** · 05-04-2005, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by focus

my understanding is that coil shocks will usually have a more linear travel, be more plush, smoother, etc.... at a weight penalty.

air shocks are striving for coil-like performance...and keep getting closer...but aren't *quite* there yet.

that has always been my opinion. coil just feels a little plusher, a little smoother over constantly rocky terrain. I think if i were in a place were fast smooth singletrack were the rule rather than the exception, i might go air. But if every trail is a rock garden I prefer coil. I have had both in Tahoe and found that the coil over was smoother.

Plus, i weigh enough that a pound or more in the shock isn't going to matter.

**flowtron** · 05-04-2005, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Gaffney10

I have the Fox Vanilla Coil and its pretty good.

I have a question for Fox Coil users, How many turns (how far do you turn the top washer) do you genearlly use? I have been told by some that you can turn it as much as you want and by others that you can only turn the washer 1 time after contact with the spring. I would like to set the spring up for XC travel...

Ideally you don't want to go more than 2 full turns past contact. If you are, you can probably go up 50lbs or so in spring weight. Definitely don't go as much as you want....the spring can actually bottom out on itself if its wound up to much...plus you aren't getting the full plush potential of the spring.

As far as air vs. coil...it sounds like you have a good handle on the key differences. What bike are you riding? As air shock volumes are getting bigger, they are getting more linear. Lots of pro racers will be running air shocks this summer.

**snow_slider** · 05-05-2005, 06:12 AM

One thing about air shocks - if you blow a seal, you are walking home. Not so with a coil over.

That said, I have a Cane Creek AD-12 on my bike and it rides very nicely.

**phatfreeheeler** · 05-05-2005, 01:13 PM

Just made the switch to coil this year and it CAN definately be more plush for small bumps. It depends a lot on spring rate, sag, compression damping, and any extra slow speed damping you have dialed in(SPV, Propedal, etc).

I have a Romic and they recommend not going beyond 3 turns of preload, however there are many factors so you really should call the manufacturer and ask. In my case I can actually add more than 3 turns because I have a longer travel spring than the shock. flowtron is right about bottoming a coil, bad news as your shock WILL break if that occurs.

I'm debating getting an air shock for those days I want a lighter bike (1 lb lighter) or looking at a titanium spring ($200 for ~200grams less

) Then it's always a bit lighter and a bit more plush. Then again, the newer RP3's and PUSH'd shocks are supposed to veery fine.

One thing to keep in mind, many frame makers recommend using coil shocks if you weigh more than ~180lbs because you are at the high end of pressure in most air shock setups. I used to run ~170lbs for my 150lb body on my GT.