Benji and the crew look at coil shocks and explain why they’re for trail riders and not just for downhillers.

WORDS BENJI

PHOTOGRAPHY AMANDA

With this Kit Essentials feature we’d like to de-mystify and demacho the whole thing about coil shocks. They aren’t just for Red Bull Rampagers, Hardliners, or racers seeking better heat management. Every single mountain biker can benefit from going coil, if they want to. We’re going to try not to be overly preachy about coil suspension (although coils really are great, sorry). If you’re happy with your air shock, that’s fine, they are pretty darned good.

But good as they may be - and convenient for the retailer that needs one component to fit all - air shocks just aren’t as good as coils. Honest. Despite what manufacturers can do with modern air shocks (better seals, larger and larger negative air chambers for suppler sag, etc.), coils are just more consistent. This isn’t bike journo waffle, it’s maths. Air shocks have seals to keep the air in, which give friction - or ‘stiction’. Coils are supple - there are no stictiony seals. You can make some of the coil shocks reviewed here compress just by pushing down on the saddle with a single finger. Does that make them a complete unpedal-able mess? No, not really. The damping quells the trampoline. Coil shocks don’t bob significantly more or less than a modern, large-negativechambered air shock. The only air shocks that don’t bob (as much) are those that are so stictiony they aren’t doing much actual suspension duties.