Specialized SX rear shock?

I've got a 7.5 x 2 on mine
rides like its supposed to and feels great

Not for me. 2005 SX (red and black) fit the stock 1.5x7.5, and currently I'm riding a 7.5x2.0 shimmed down to a 7.5x1.625.

I have also run a 7.875x2.0, which caused a very slight contact at bottom out, just enough to mark the paint, but was rideable without problems. That long shock messed the geo up a ton, however.

7.5x2.0 had significant link/mainframe contact at bottom out without the shim, and WAS NOT rideable.

What year is your SX?

Keep in mind there is a lot of variation from specific frame to frame, and what doesn't fit for me might be just fine for you, and vice-versa. Bikes are never 100% identical no matter what they tell ya.

jonnynails said:

I'm looking at a 2006 with a blown shock on it and a 2008. I could live with the shock on the 08, but would def need a new one on the 06.

Any major improvements from 06 to 08 on that frame?

Click to expand...

AFAIK, and I've tried to stay up on my SX knowledge, there have only been 3 incarnations of the SX: the original, which was out in '03-'04. These had a giant monocoque front end. Colors were white for '03 and silver for '04. The '05-'08 SX frames had hydroformed tubes. '05 was red/black, '06 was white and black, '07 was silver and black, and '08 was black and red, with some designs and stuff in the paint.

Other than color, each incarnation remained virtually unchanged until a new version was released. So that '06 is the exact same as the '08. Fox RP3's are a popular choice, I've been running a few Vanilla R's over the last three years and they work great. With only 4" of travel, the shock really doesn't matter that much.

It's a good used bike to buy- Specialized has tons of rear end pieces in stock, and they'll sell them to non-original owners for very reasonable prices. btw, a gusseted SX Trail chainstay fits great, and it won't break in 8 months of hard riding like the SX chainstay will.

The new '09 SX looks killer, but I'll be getting either an Ibis Mojo or a Santa Cruz Nomad if I ever buy a new bike.

Here's my SX:

Yep! Raced it in the Downieville XC, Ashland DH and Super D, Sea Otter DH, and all kinds of other sorta DH races and long XC rides. It pedals horribly uphill with the slack seat tube angle, but it's so much fun going down that I don't care. Everyone else says it's hard to ride, but I like it a lot. It's been a great bike.

The Specialized EC150 is a great fork- as long as you don't have one from that first half-bad batch. Light, stiff, and plush. Really low axle to crown length helps since my bike is so slack already. But if you're 4x or slalom racing, the EC150 is def. too much fork. The 4" mode is only really for climbing, the damping is all off for jumping or any kind of aggressive riding. However, the 6" mode rides very well.

jonnynails said:

I'm looking at a 2006 with a blown shock on it and a 2008. I could live with the shock on the 08, but would def need a new one on the 06.

Any major improvements from 06 to 08 on that frame?

Click to expand...

I have my stock 5th off my SX if you want something used and cheap.

Don't know if Fox still has them in stock but last year I had a local shop get me a new OEM RP23 (stock 2007 SX shock, correct i-to-i and stroke). At the time I picked it up for $200 new.

jonnynails said:

Do you know where the shop got it from? Directly from fox I would guess. What shop?

Click to expand...

Shock came directly from Fox. Shop it the Cycle Path. http://www.thecyclepath.net/

Ask for Mike, tell him you spoke to me.