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Push my fox RC or get a DHX?

denjen

Certified Lift Whore
Sep 16, 2001
1,691
36
Richmond VA
First Let me say that both DH bikes that I have owened had Fox RC's on them so either option will be an improvement. I can get my fox pushed for around $200 or get a new DHX for $400. I would love to get the DHX but is it worth the extra cash? Thanks for any input.

Dennis
 

degoose

Monkey
Nov 26, 2005
293
0
So Cal
dude spend the extra cash and get the dhx, i love them, but i have never tryed a pushed rc so i couldent tell you the differences.
 

W4S

Turbo Monkey
Mar 2, 2004
1,282
23
Back in Hell A, b1thces
denjen said:
First Let me say that both DH bikes that I have owened had Fox RC's on them so either option will be an improvement. I can get my fox pushed for around $200 or get a new DHX for $400. I would love to get the DHX but is it worth the extra cash? Thanks for any input.

Dennis
Depends on your money situation. I'm running a Pushed RC on my trail bike and I love it, so much better than the stock RC. I don't think teh DHX is that much better that the Push, and it's considerably more expensive than sending your old shock in for upgrading.
 

ChrisRobin

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
3,346
190
Vancouver
Get your shock Push'd. See how you like it. If you don't, sell it for $200. Then buy a DHX.

If you didn't have a shock at all, I'd say get a DHX. There's no sense in someone buying a Fox RC somewhere, and then send it to get Push'd.
 

bpatterson6

Turbo Monkey
Jul 1, 2004
1,049
0
Colorado
While the PUSHed RC is good, I definately vote for getting the DHX.
You will be able to get that DHX PUSHed in the first quarter of '06...
I own a PUSHed RC and a DHX 5.0
The DHX 5.0 is a new product and like I said, In a few months, you will be able to have it custom Tuned. :drool:
 

denjen

Certified Lift Whore
Sep 16, 2001
1,691
36
Richmond VA
mobius said:
Dennis for your bike the DHX would benefit you the most for sure.
I am sure it would just trying to justify the extra money. I have some other parts that that money could get.
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
Well with a DHX you get some more features that even a pushed RC won't have. In some ways if you can get a DHX cheap enough (not much more than a pushed RC) then it'd be worth it to just upgrade to a DHX. Not saying that there's anything wrong with PUSH or their shock services, but you're still going to have a shock with just Rebound and Compression. Atleast the DHX gives you a few more adjustments that you might find you'd like. That's my take atleast.
 

mobius

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
2,158
0
Around DC
denjen said:
I am sure it would just trying to justify the extra money. I have some other parts that that money could get.
The frame would probably pedal a lot better with the DHX and overall ride quality would improve so that should be a big factor.
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
denjen said:
I am sure it would just trying to justify the extra money. I have some other parts that that money could get.
To push a Vanilla RC it's $185 + shipping. A brand new DHX is $399. You could possibly find a used one or a take-off on Ebay or even here for less than $399. Possibly in the mid to high $200's. Depending on size and what not ofcourse.

If you want something you can play with and adjust more things get the DHX, but if you want a "set it and forget it" shock get your's Pushed. I think you'll be happy either way but for $100 more you can probably get your hands on a DHX.
 

leprechaun

Turbo Monkey
Apr 17, 2004
1,009
0
SLC,Ut
Personally i like my Pushed RC more than the DHX i had.

i like old school supple action,and the speed sensitive damping works to control bottoming pretty well.

My DHX bottomed more easily if i ran low air,and if i pumped up more air it was not as supple as the Push.

It depends a bit on the bike too,and if you like a firmer ride or ultra supple.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,852
9,557
AK
leprechaun said:
Personally i like my Pushed RC more than the DHX i had.

i like old school supple action,and the speed sensitive damping works to control bottoming pretty well.

My DHX bottomed more easily if i ran low air,and if i pumped up more air it was not as supple as the Push.

It depends a bit on the bike too,and if you like a firmer ride or ultra supple.
You should have turned the BO adjuster all the way in then. The "speed sensitive damping" of the RC shocks is just a basic shimmed piston. It does not provide any kind of bottom-out control. During low speed impacts, the oil flows through a bleed, and during high speed impacts the shims flex and the oil goes past them. RC shocks were terrible when you had a frame that required some sort of bottom-out control, and to achieve this you had to run a very high spring rate that made smaller impacts feel very harsh. If you ran a soft enough shock to get good small-impact absorption you would damage it on bigger hits.

I run a DHX with about 40% sag, bottom out adjuster almost all the way in, no propedal, 100-160psi depending on what requirements I have on that day for pedaling. It seems that many people are afraid to run that much sag, but I like it. Makes the small impacts very supple, and the bottom-out control keeps it from slamming on bigger hits.

The modern shocks are a huge improvement over the RC in terms of bottoming and pedaling, but in terms of bump-absorption, it seems like it's almost a wash sometimes. Some suspension designs and shock rates were just butter with an RC, but on the other hand others were like I described above, either too linear or falling rate, or even too progressive rarely. The pedaling-platform shocks killed a lot of the low-speed/small bump absorption. I have come to hate such shocks due to the compramise in suspension performance. Any improvement in pedaling is going to decrease the ability of the suspension to suspend, unfortunatly. These first and second generation shocks did have that bottom-out control, but coupled with the harsh platform it made bikes ride real junky and crappy, they wouldn't bottom, but they never felt as smooth as a good bike with a fox RC. Since that time, they've made some pretty good improvements to the shocks, and the 3rd and now 4th generation of platform shocks are much better, and ones like the DHX kind of blur the line between "platform" shocks and "non-platform". I think there needs to be a bigger focus for shocks that provide the best possible suspension, and then if you want a super "pedaling" bike, you can drop 10lbs or use an adjustment that does not adversely affect the rest of the shock.

The DHX is a great shock, it combines good things about the RC (supple low speed performance, decent high speed performance, fast rebound for fast successive hits) with some of the good things about platform shocks (better pedaling, bottom out resistance). It doesn't seem to go to extremes in any area, but a lot of people were looking for a shock that "split the difference" between these two schools of thought. I find the DHX is a bit harsh at high speed, and I'd like to get a new shock that addresses this problem, but other than that I find that it's a great shock. Far better suspension than a 5th element, swinger, Curnut, Romic, Fox RC (not nearly all the shocks that I've used, but the ones that I think are relavent here). The ways that it is "better" kind of differs in each of these cases, but I think it's significantly better in every one of these cases. The things that I'll be looking at during tax time to replace the DHX are the Ohlins shock, Marzocchi Rocco or just getting the DHX "pushed". The reason is that I want NO platform and as much suspension performance as possible. Each of these may constitute a performance increase, but I'll wait it out now and see which one appears to be on top by the time I am ready to order one.

I've had 3 DHX shocks (4 if I count the air one, but I didn't like that one as much) and I definitely think they are a step forward.
 

ChrisRobin

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2002
3,346
190
Vancouver
Spunger said:
To push a Vanilla RC it's $185 + shipping. A brand new DHX is $399. You could possibly find a used one or a take-off on Ebay or even here for less than $399. Possibly in the mid to high $200's. Depending on size and what not ofcourse.
I agree. I was tempted to get a Fox RC (the somewhat rare 9.5x3.0) and get it Push'd. So I'd pay $150 for the shock, then $200 to have it Push'd. Sure it would be lighter and I liked the small bump sensitivity of the RC but this isn't cost effective.

See I found my Romic shock was like a Fox RC with nice damping at high speeds...then it leaked. ;)
 

gmac

Monkey
Apr 6, 2002
471
0
Push RC and here is my rationale:

( Keep in mind I'm no suspension tech )

Go all coil and oil when possible for most riding purposes. Trails, Freedie, lift serviced...

The only exceptions IMO are the extremes of the sport: high level DH/XC racing where weight may factor in.

It's all industry hype w/ air pre-load or full air suspension. It is in my opinion a cheap fix to making expensive coil springs in multiple different weights...

Air isn't and probably will never be more smooth or reliable to oil and coil damping.

I'll add that I have had both. My pure forks were the best my hybrids or full air were a mistake.

I run coil/oil in both front and rear Fox 36-Van and a Pushed RC w/ full race. Neither have more air than the atmosphere provides. And both are reliable, smooth and pedal quite well.

I'd go Ti rear spring if you know your spring weights accurately and have the bling. ( I have two springs for: trail/DHing )

One note is that Push has said in the past the DHX is the best shock on the market.

Keep in mind I think Avalanche is coming out w/ some nice products too. They custom tune and fit them like push does.
 
Nov 9, 2005
692
0
the dhx has a better re-sale value to not only because many people are looking for them but the thing about the pushed rc is that it is set up for you personally which would turn me away as a buyer
 

WheelieMan

Monkey
Feb 6, 2003
937
0
kol-uh-RAD-oh
gmac said:
Push RC and here is my rationale:

( Keep in mind I'm no suspension tech )

Go all coil and oil when possible for most riding purposes. Trails, Freedie, lift serviced...

The only exceptions IMO are the extremes of the sport: high level DH/XC racing where weight may factor in.

It's all industry hype w/ air pre-load or full air suspension. It is in my opinion a cheap fix to making expensive coil springs in multiple different weights...

Air isn't and probably will never be more smooth or reliable to oil and coil damping.

I'll add that I have had both. My pure forks were the best my hybrids or full air were a mistake.

I run coil/oil in both front and rear Fox 36-Van and a Pushed RC w/ full race. Neither have more air than the atmosphere provides. And both are reliable, smooth and pedal quite well.

I'd go Ti rear spring if you know your spring weights accurately and have the bling. ( I have two springs for: trail/DHing )

One note is that Push has said in the past the DHX is the best shock on the market.

Keep in mind I think Avalanche is coming out w/ some nice products too. They custom tune and fit them like push does.
Huh? The air adjustment on coil rear shocks is not designed to reduce weight, it is used to create progressivity/platform. In the case of air assisted rear shocks, the coil spring is still what's doing most of the work.

The Fox RC might work great for some designs, but for others it will be crap. That's one of the major advantages of an air assisted shock like the DHX; the progressivity adjustment allows the shock to work well with more suspension types than the RC.