Trek Rail with Fox DHX2 coil

bluewater87

Active member
Jul 12, 2020
135
56
Canada
what amount of travel do 60 and 65mm stroke shocks give, and what shocks are available in these sizes?
I may swap out the deluxe on my '21 9.7 XL.

Does the stock deluxe 57.5mm able to become a 60mm by removing an internal spacer?
 

Hob Nob

Active member
Jun 4, 2020
152
149
UK
60mm - 156mm
62.5mm - 163mm
65mm - 169mm

Most metric shocks start life as 205x65mm & travel is reduced either internally or externally with travel reducing spacers. I'm not sure many 65mm decent shocks with a piggyback will fit due to downtube interference towards the end of the stroke. The TTX with the sideways reservoir will, not sure if the JadeX will, possibly the new '21 DHX2 as it has a smaller, offset piggyback. I can get ~61mm stroke out of a mutant EXT Arma/Storia I had converted which is +/-159mm rear wheel travel, which works for me.

Also worth considering due to the way the rocker link moves, the shock goes forward in it's first part of travel, there is a chance it will come into contact with your bottle/cage if you are running one.
 

Doomanic

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Jade X at 60mm stroke fits a Medium Rail without hitting the down tube.
 

bluewater87

Active member
Jul 12, 2020
135
56
Canada
60mm - 156mm
62.5mm - 163mm
65mm - 169mm

Most metric shocks start life as 205x65mm & travel is reduced either internally or externally with travel reducing spacers. I'm not sure many 65mm decent shocks with a piggyback will fit due to downtube interference towards the end of the stroke. The TTX with the sideways reservoir will, not sure if the JadeX will, possibly the new '21 DHX2 as it has a smaller, offset piggyback. I can get ~61mm stroke out of a mutant EXT Arma/Storia I had converted which is +/-159mm rear wheel travel, which works for me.

Also worth considering due to the way the rocker link moves, the shock goes forward in it's first part of travel, there is a chance it will come into contact with your bottle/cage if you are running one.

So the stock deluxe that comes on the lower model rails, can an internal spacer be removed on it to bring it to 60/62.5/65mm?

I’m debating between adding a meg meg and longshocking the deluxe or swapping it out for something else.
 

Tpicch

New Member
Aug 17, 2020
8
7
murrieta
Has anyone fitted a DPX2 to a Trek Rail 9? Wondering if I would just need the same size mounts as you used zaykay? The Rockshox rear shock failed after 3 rides. Loosing air and leaking oil.

3E31FD84-F994-412B-B2DC-246F733C148B.jpeg
 

Dano78

Member
Dec 3, 2019
162
35
Uk
Got finally the mounting hw for my coil shock. Two alternatives to install DHX2, either use 10 x 40 and 10 x 54 Fox mounting kits or press 12,7mm du bushings and use the stock shocks mounting hw. Both will work. View attachment 24335
What year is it mate as I might be bidding on a 2019 mobile just wondering if there was a difference
 

Leo76dragon

New Member
May 2, 2020
11
8
95133
DVO Jade X on a Medium Rail 7

View attachment 35586

Plenty of clearance, just waiting for a spring now.


Hi,
Would you happen to notice if the upper and lower shock thru bolts are the same length? One shop told me the bolts are the same, trek says they are different... Im ready to change out my reaktiv shock for a coil but having trouble to find the shock thru bolts...
 

Supernils

Member
Jul 17, 2020
35
6
Norway
I'm beginning to have doubt's about coil shocks.

Does anyone find that the DHX2 bottoms out too easily? I have have been experimenting with different springs and still think the shock goes through the travel too fast. I'm about 87 kg fully equipped. I started with a 450 spring. That was obviously too light. So I tried the 475. And then the 500. It helped some, but it still felt like the shock had too little reserves on rough/fast stuff. So much that it made me slower. So then i tried the 550. And it still bottoms out on 70cm drops. It rides higher in it's travel and feels more composed on rougher terrain, but now some of the "smooth coil feel" starts to get away. This is very noticeable while climbing. With the softer springs, I could just sit and comfortably pedal over stuff, but now with the 550 spring it starts to feel like the air shock.

I need to experiment more with HSC/LSC, but I'm starting to wonder if I'd be better served with an X2. There might be a reason as to why the pro's don't all go coil shock.
 

Doomanic

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Patreon
Founding Member
Jan 21, 2018
8,735
10,399
UK
I'm beginning to have doubt's about coil shocks.

Does anyone find that the DHX2 bottoms out too easily? I have have been experimenting with different springs and still think the shock goes through the travel too fast. I'm about 87 kg fully equipped. I started with a 450 spring. That was obviously too light. So I tried the 475. And then the 500. It helped some, but it still felt like the shock had too little reserves on rough/fast stuff. So much that it made me slower. So then i tried the 550. And it still bottoms out on 70cm drops. It rides higher in it's travel and feels more composed on rougher terrain, but now some of the "smooth coil feel" starts to get away. This is very noticeable while climbing. With the softer springs, I could just sit and comfortably pedal over stuff, but now with the 550 spring it starts to feel like the air shock.

I need to experiment more with HSC/LSC, but I'm starting to wonder if I'd be better served with an X2. There might be a reason as to why the pro's don't all go coil shock.

I’m a couple of KG heavier than you kitted up and run a 550 spring on a DVO Jade X. I’m not having the same issues as you, in fact I don’t think I’ve had a harsh bottom out since fitting it.
 

Doomanic

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still bottoms out on 70cm drops
Are you hucking to flat or to a transition to get it to bottom out? And either way, with no offense meant, are you finessing the drop or just ploughing over it? That will make a huge difference to how the bike handles the landing.
 

Leo76dragon

New Member
May 2, 2020
11
8
95133
You could also try the ext storia.. It has bottom out control... But it is a premium shock... Someone in the trek forums has done it... I have a push 11-6 with a 550lb - 610lb progressive coil... Im 230 lbs amd haven't bottomed out... Plush at the beginning of the compression and sturdy controlled at the end...

20201012_180116.jpg
 

Supernils

Member
Jul 17, 2020
35
6
Norway
Are you hucking to flat or to a transition to get it to bottom out? And either way, with no offense meant, are you finessing the drop or just ploughing over it? That will make a huge difference to how the bike handles the landing.

Huck to flat. Actually down some stairs with 3 'levels'.

Not that it means too much, since I don't normally ride jumps. But for a reference I have never before noticed bottoming out on air shocks before.

That being said, when I tried to add 5 clicks of HSC from where I was, made some difference on the stair drops.

So, now it's more about trying to find that good balance of support for the rough stuff and sensitivity. I could easily imagine getting along fine with the 500 spring if I rode slower or some mellower terrain.

Sorry for my English, by the way.
 

Bomble

Well-known member
Nov 11, 2018
661
386
Yorkshire
I'm beginning to have doubt's about coil shocks.

Does anyone find that the DHX2 bottoms out too easily? I have have been experimenting with different springs and still think the shock goes through the travel too fast. I'm about 87 kg fully equipped. I started with a 450 spring. That was obviously too light. So I tried the 475. And then the 500. It helped some, but it still felt like the shock had too little reserves on rough/fast stuff. So much that it made me slower. So then i tried the 550. And it still bottoms out on 70cm drops. It rides higher in it's travel and feels more composed on rougher terrain, but now some of the "smooth coil feel" starts to get away. This is very noticeable while climbing. With the softer springs, I could just sit and comfortably pedal over stuff, but now with the 550 spring it starts to feel like the air shock.

I need to experiment more with HSC/LSC, but I'm starting to wonder if I'd be better served with an X2. There might be a reason as to why the pro's don't all go coil shock.

I’m 82kg undressed so probably similar kitted up to you. I’m running a 548 spring on an ohlins coil and it’s perfect, super plush and I’ve never felt it bottoming out.
I ride lots of rocky stuff in the peaks etc and I have no finesse at all?
 

Hob Nob

Active member
Jun 4, 2020
152
149
UK
You need to be careful with the Storia on the Rail, as it runs 'very' close to the downtube on full bottom out in stock stroke length - that's on a large frame, so it wouldn't fit on anything smaller. The V3 has a bit more clearance due to the re-orientation of the adjusters, but you absolutely can't run a longer stroke length than standard on it, even with a modified shock using an ARMA reservoir (which is smaller than the Storia).

I run an 11-6 on mine, but it has a hydraulic bottom out so it doesn't really bottom out hard anywhere, even on a couple of massive jump overshoots.

However with the weight of an eeb, I think you do lose some of the benefits of a coil Vs a decent air shock - i've chopped between the 11-6 and a 2021 Float X2 at 62.5mm stroke and they are both very good indeed - in fact I would go so far as to say it's hard to tell the difference.
 

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