OK, new rear shock time!

try out the fox DHX air killer shock

www.foxracingshox.com

 

Buy an Avalanche

 

Of course.

 

Yep !!! Avalanche !!!

 

For your size, Avalanche for sure. I just bought a used Avalanche for $270 delivered and it had just been rebuilt.

Check the classifieds or get the new Avalanche Monty. Its only $399 new. I just took off the Fox and put on the Avy and oh my there is a HUGE difference.

What bike are you riding?

 

Congratulations on losing the weight. Mountain biking is so much fun, sometimes I forget that it's a great wat to get into shape and stay in shape...

As for the shock, the 4-way would be a good upgrade or you can pick up a Progressive. Some people complain about them, but I have always liked my 5th...

 

I thought the SGS came with a 8.75x2.75.

 

So everybody thinks Avalanche > Fox DHX?

Better tuneability? Better small-bump plushness? Why?

 

You could send the Vanilla R into PUSH and have them rebuild it for you. A Pushed Vanilla R doesnt feel that bad really.

The Avalanche is so plush it is crazy. Ive had a Romic, Curnutt, and a Avalanche on my Foes and the Avy does everything. It takes big drops, has great small bump sensitivity, and pedals really well.

On my Big Hit I have had a Fox, Pushed Fox, Stratos, and now a Avalanche and it made such a huge difference.

I like a super plush bike and the Avy does it. You can change how well it pedals with the compression knob. Every avy I have ridden you set the rebound 4-5 clicks from slowest and forget about it. It does everything very well and I have no complaints at all. You will not find a more reliable shock either.

 

I have the DHS but any Avy would be awesome. The new Monty for the price would be sweet. You would have to call to see if it would fit or if it can be made in the correct size or close to it.

 

the 03 sgs has a 7.875x2.0. the 5th and and thing with a long resi will not fit. i ran into the same problem. it really suck. your stuck with shock w/really short resi or no resi

i ended up with a romic but a swinger 3 way will fit just fine also look into the new rock shox pearl (it looks like a really nice shock and has no resi)

 

It would be good to know what kind of riding we're talking about. The way you describe the bouncy feeling makes it sound like your spring is too heavy or you need more rebound damping. But unless it's a propedal version, that is a very lively shock and if you want a more controlled feel check out an Avy, or a DHX coil if you want to spend a little less money. If you do a search there are a bunch of threads here about Avy v. DHX. The Avy cult is pretty strong but they are being gentle so far.

 

Fox DHX coil on rear since you are a big guy. and get a double crown fork, screw the manitou its gonna die when you start riding a lot. I will be selling my shiver in a month or so :-D

 

not to thread jack, but how do you properly measure the rear shock for replacement? I have a 01 kona stinky-five with the fox shock on it now.

 

All threads I find relating to the Avalanche and DHX has a bunch of Avalanche fanboys saying how they have ridden every shock on the market and it is the best shock in the world... Then say they haven't tried any newer shocks (DHX, sometimes even the 5th). I don't know what in the world they are comparing the Avy to... Fox RC!? A plastic rod bolted in between the shock mounts would feel better than an RC. The naysayers all talk about how Craig is a jackass when talked to, but they typically don't have a DHX or very informative posts either.

So anyway, for anybody that has ridden both a DHX and Avy, which was better and why? I am probably going to end up getting a DHX.. Less money, hardly any horror stories about it or Fox's CS, and lighter...

 

I have not ridden a DHX but I have ridden everything else.
Fox R, Fox RC, Manatou 4 way and 6 way, Pushed Fox, 5th Element, Curnutt, Stratos, Romic, and an Avalanche. I have had a lot of time on every shock too. The Avalanche pedals as well as every shock mentioned, except the 5th. I will give pedaling to the 5th. As for everything else, the Avalanche is hands down better. Well, the Avy is really hard to bunnyhop and the Stratos is a bunny hop king. The Avy soaks up every small bump to the biggest drop. I have never "felt" my Avy bottom. Never. I am sure it has bottomed but I have never felt it. I have the oil changed and nitro charged every year and it has never missed a day of riding. Never. It takes square edges very well too. It takes and makes everything smooth. It stays planted to the ground when it needs to and bounces top to top in the bumps when it needs too. Sort of like a moto shock. I cant say anything better about an Avy. I will never ride another shock. I have two bikes and they both run Avys in the rear.

I will say, there is only one negative I have found in the AVY. It isn't lively like a Fox or Romic. It takes a little getting use to when you want to jump and play around on the trail. The Avy likes to run stuff over and not look back. Dont get me wrong, once you get use to it, you can pop off anything. It just takes a little getting use to.

 

I have been riding a Fox DHX and I think it is an ok shock. But I like the feeling of the Avy better !

 

Any details, explanations, or reasons? I have never seen a post with details or reasons...

 

I can run the Avy softer than the Fox without bottoming it out. Also, even though the rebound on the Fox can be set up slower than the Avy, the Avy seems to feel more controlled in its rebound.

 

If you set the Avy rebound too slow, it will sort of clunk.

 

"clunk" ??? I dont get any

 

Its hard to explain. I run both my Avys on 4-5 clicks from slowest. If I run the shock on 1,2, or 3, the rebound is too slow and it doesnt rebound fast enough and it sort of clunks on the small bumps. It doesn't make a sound but rather a feeling.

 

i think an avy is recommendable when

a)you dont put a premium on sheer pedalling perfomance,
b)you will be spending 350(+)usd
c)you wont be cracking the frame anytime soon (and lose the investment)
d)rider weight or "abusiveness" is above average.
e) you live far away from any fox, manitou, or romic service center.

any avy will give you the benefits derived of its bigger and sturdier structure, the dhs and the large resi piggyback shocks are equal in performance, the small resi piggyback shock has a theorical downside in the fact that it uses a sliding piston like all other shocks, inside the reservoir for volumen compensation (instead of a bladder), the monotube hasnt got compression adjustment and is very much like a vanilla r on steroids and with a avy sized valve.

 

I'm buying an Avalanche Monotube in a month or so - you might have a problem with the SGS - they only come in 7.875X2.25, 8.5X2.5, and 9.5X3.0

 

OK, I know what you mean. I ride mine 3 clicks out but it is still ok on the smaller stuff...but of course the valving might be different.

 

I think you would be happy for an Avy !

 

oh ok - the Avalanche DHS will suit you fine, then. I was talking about the new lower-cost Avalanche Monotube shock.