Merlin’s expansive range of rear suspension can make it difficult to make a choice when considering a new one. For this reason, we’ve created the ultimate guide on choosing the right shock for you.
Size
Our first consideration when it comes to shocks is sizing. There are two distinct ways in which you can do this with a rear shock: stroke length (measurement of compression) and eyelet to eyelet (total length of shock). With this, it’s important to first consult the guidelines from your frame manufactufurer to see what the right shock size is for your bike. Although there is little room for adjustment in this case, the small changes that can be made often result in quite noticeable differences. For example, if the frame manufacturer allowed for an over stroke of 2.5mm at the rear shock, the rider’s bike would compress much more than with a normal stroke length.
Hardware
A shock’s hardware is specific to the frame mounting width (shown above). As with shock size, your frame’s manufacturer will have a set width for a shock based on frame’s dimensions. There are two main types of shock to consider with frame mounting, too. Most shocks have hardware above them however, Merlin’s range also includes Trunnion shocks (shown below). These shocks instead bolt directly to the frame and require a specific mounting system that the manufacturer will have included in the manual.
Compatibility
Compatibility applies to both size and hardware in that they are both dependent on the frame’s dimensions. Hardware and eye to eye length are slightly easier to get right when finding the correct shock as it simply won’t fit if they are the wrong size. On the other hand, an incorrect stroke length can’t always be spotted until the bike is ridden. A shock with too much over stroke could result in the frame bottoming out or the tire rubbing against the frame under compression. This is why it’s so important to reference the manufacturer’s guidance when choosing a rear shock.
Coil vs Air
The debate between coil and air shocks in mountain biking has been ongoing since air shocks entered the market. Both have very different qualities – but how do you know which one is best for you? You should consider both the bike and the trails in this case. Cross country riders, trailriders and freeriders typically favour an air shock for its ability to provide efficiency when pedalling, a feel for the trail and pop when jumping. Compared to a coil, it has a much wider range of tuning options making it a standard addition on most stock bikes. As for coil shocks, you can usually find them on downhill and enduro bikes for the bigger hits they’re faced with. This shock is also much better at handling the smaller bumps, giving the rider more supple feedback compared to the air shock.
Ready to browse? See our full range of shocks here.
