[Spahman]

I recently saw a very small write up in the latest decline about a Air shock that uses an aluminum coil...

KS suspension was making it I believe.. does anyone know where I could find some info online?

They state it feels like a coil shock but is much lighter..

 

[Trekrules]

you mean this shock

 

[Spahman]

you mean this shock

that would be the one

 

[jeremy_2640]

Aluminium for a spring???? Fatigue????

 

[Udi]

Surely it's barely lighter than a proper coil shock with a light ti spring... with all the stictional benefits of an air shock. Sounds like a wank to me.

 

[NoUseForAName]

Sounds like a Stratos Helix to me?

 

[w00dy]

I smell Taiwangineering and a heap of marketing bull****.

 

[Lelandjt]

I smell Taiwangineering and a heap of marketing bull****.

For sure, but I'd like to read a real evaluation of it.

 

[rockofullr]

For sure, but I'd like to read a real evaluation of it.

E-valuations not cutting it anymore?

 

[DirtyMike]

Aluminium for a spring???? Fatigue????

Not if you use the right mix for the alloy.

Surely it's barely lighter than a proper coil shock with a light ti spring... with all the stictional benefits of an air shock. Sounds like a wank to me.

Probably true about the idea of a proper coil adn TI, would be interesting to test it out though and see if it really has alot of stiction though.

I could see this as something people might get into for a cheaper alternative than a proper coil and ti spring combo.

Seems like it would be a basic coil and air assist setup, just more of an assist. Might not be too bad actually. Would be interesting to see/ride one and see what it really feels like

 

[Lelandjt]

Seems like it would be a basic coil and air assist setup, just more of an assist. Might not be too bad actually. Would be interesting to see/ride one and see what it really feels like

Exactly, it could be done well. Half the air pressure than a normal air shock would need means much lower stiction so hopefully a coil-like feel. Adding the air spring to the coil also gets a progressive spring rate, good for some bikes and riding styles.
I agree though that it looks the same weight as a Ti coil shock. How much lighter can the aluminum spring be and how much weight does the air chamber add?
E-speculation is so ghey, I'm waiting for the bus that goes up the hill so I can do a shuttle run.

 

[vtminuteman]

Don't light steal springs weight close to the same as light Ti? So an air assist to lighten the spring could be a good cheaper setup. Plus you would be able to adjust spring rate and progressiveness with the air.

 

[Jm_]

Current downhill shocks need a certain amount of oil volume and piston diameter to pass enough oil on high speed hits and provide consistant damping right?

So if you take something like a fox RC4, put an additional air-can around the shaft, you are going to add weight right? Then sure, you can subtract a little weight due to the alloy spring or whatever, but add some air stiction.

My point? There's no way this could perform "as well" as a decent coil shock. I only have to look at my 66 to realize this, more air-stiction and although it's a "decent" fork, it's not as good suspension wise as two coils and no "air-assist". Same thing could be said for my stratos helix, the whole "air assist" thing was a dumb idea because more than likely it will add way too much progression and your bike is not tuned for this. If you are to have the same damping performance, that means the same size oil volume, reservior, and so on, which means adding an air-can will add weight, and in the end it's going to be extremely marginal.

What the shock looks like to me is way too-small oil volume/piston diameter with more stiction. Remember that there'll be a shaft inside the visible shaft and the damping-chamber is going to be pretty small. Yay for solving problems that don't exist.

 

[RMR]

"In anything at all, perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there is no longer anything to take away."

- Antoine de Saint Exupéry

I'll reserve judgement until I ride it (which probably will never happen), but my Bad Idea Sense is tingling.