Cheapish rear shock comparison. Kind air shock dual V DNM 22 coil

jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
See people retrofitting kind air shock so thought I’d do a comparison even though my suspended bent is a challenge hurricane with a 165 mm 6.5 “ eye to eye fork. Warning opinion to follow.

The shocks.

DNM DV 22

weight manufacturers claimed .2 kg .44 lbs no way mine is anywhere near that. .! I’ve seen it quoted at .4 kg which is closer. Coil spring shock with damper. Preload adjustment only. Spring weight range available 80 - 130 kg . 150 165 180 mm eye to eye. Price 40$ I weighed it at .42 kg including mount hardware.

Kind shock a5 rr1 air dual chamber.

227 grams. 125 150 165 mm eye to eye. 165 mm has 40 mm travel. Damper adjustable. Preload adjustable. Requires a shock pump. Price 90$ plus pump. I weighed it at .24 kg including mount hardware.

Best and worst.

DNM 22.

Worst thing is it’s weight and adjusting its preload. The adjustment ring for spring compression is difficult to operate and move and lacks a supplied spanner. Also the necessity to choose correct spring for your particular weight load. It looks like a cheap coil over shock to me.

The best is it’s performance. No stiction and all small irregularities are handled with aplomb noticeably a lot better than the kind shock. Though damping is okay only not suitable really for mtb single track. I do not on the road worry about it’s non adjustable damper. It’s simply a better smoother ride with a little more wallow than the kind shock.

Kind shock.

Worst thing is it’s stiction seems not to matter the preload pressure even with 33% sag it’s just not as good as the DNM at smoothing the way . This is symptomatic of coil v air shock and is highly prevalent at this cheap end. The placement of air valves is also fraught with issue in terms of accessibility. You need a shock pump. The ride is okay but noticeably harsher compared to the DNM.

Best thing is it’s feather weight and adjustable preload and damping. After 4 months it seems reliable in holding its air. It also looks nice to my eye.

Conclusion.

I choose the DNM dv 22 for its quality ride and cheaper price.

Choose the kind shock if you’re carrying loads or are concerned about weight.

At the moment the kind shock is fitted but it’s coming off. On a challenge hurricane it’s about the ride not speed.

I am tempted to purchase a high end air shock but the weight gets closer to the DNM which makes the kind shock very light indeed.
 
hurri47

hurri47

Well-Known Member
Thanks for this writeup which comes at a good time for me. The coil-over on my antique (steel) Hurricane, which is probably the original, has lost its damping ability and I was considering an air shock. I guess not.

-Dan
 
super slim

super slim

Zen MBB Master
jond said:
See people retrofitting kind air shock so thought I’d do a comparison even though my suspended bent is a challenge hurricane with a 165 mm 6.5 “ eye to eye fork. Warning opinion to follow.

The shocks.

DNM DV 22

weight manufacturers claimed .2 kg .44 lbs no way mine is anywhere near that. .! I’ve seen it quoted at .4 kg which is closer. Coil spring shock with damper. Preload adjustment only. Spring weight range available 80 - 130 kg . 150 165 180 mm eye to eye. Price 40$ I weighed it at .42 kg including mount hardware.

Kind shock a5 rr1 air dual chamber.

227 grams. 125 150 165 mm eye to eye. 165 mm has 40 mm travel. Damper adjustable. Preload adjustable. Requires a shock pump. Price 90$ plus pump. I weighed it at .24 kg including mount hardware.

Best and worst.

DNM 22.

Worst thing is it’s weight and adjusting its preload. The adjustment ring for spring compression is difficult to operate and move and lacks a supplied spanner. Also the necessity to choose correct spring for your particular weight load. It looks like a cheap coil over shock to me.

The best is it’s performance. No stiction and all small irregularities are handled with aplomb noticeably a lot better than the kind shock. Though damping is okay only not suitable really for mtb single track. I do not on the road worry about it’s non adjustable damper. It’s simply a better smoother ride with a little more wallow than the kind shock.

Kind shock.

Worst thing is it’s stiction seems not to matter the preload pressure even with 33% sag it’s just not as good as the DNM at smoothing the way . This is symptomatic of coil v air shock and is highly prevalent at this cheap end. The placement of air valves is also fraught with issue in terms of accessibility. You need a shock pump. The ride is okay but noticeably harsher compared to the DNM.

Best thing is it’s feather weight and adjustable preload and damping. After 4 months it seems reliable in holding its air. It also looks nice to my eye.

Conclusion.

I choose the DNM dv 22 for its quality ride and cheaper price.

Choose the kind shock if you’re carrying loads or are concerned about weight.

At the moment the kind shock is fitted but it’s coming off. On a challenge hurricane it’s about the ride not speed.

I am tempted to purchase a high end air shock but the weight gets closer to the DNM which makes the kind shock very light indeed.
Click to expand...
 
super slim

super slim

Zen MBB Master
You must be a "Real Man", so does not read instructions!!!!

Here are some comments on setting up a Softrider!

You should have 25% to 30% sag, when you sit on the bike, so lower the main chamber pressure!

On normal riding on a rough bitumen chipseal suburban road, OR bike path with lots of patches, the O ring should be pushed to about 50% of the max shocker travel.

If you drop off a 100 mm (4") gutter from a footpath onto the road, then 75% O ring movement would be expected!
http://www.mtbiking.com.au/workshop/shock-setup-101

I only have a single chamber rear shock on my Softrider, which vastly improved the ride over the SPRING only OEM unit, so no experience with two chambers!

http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/archive/index.php?t-125771.html

I found that some shocks do indeed have a negative chamber which is pressurized to help equalize the shock valve, and improve response over small bumps.

The general approach is to set the negative chamber pressure to zero, sit on the bike and then begin adjusting sag to about 25% of travel and note the Main chamber air pressure value.

Apply that Main chamber pressure to the negative chamber value to adjust the shock's liveliness.


https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-negative-spring-air-shocks-2012.html


1290525006961-1c10ib67xbhw2-630-354.jpg
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
Dear slim take your size 12 sth Aussie foot from your mouth and place it up your real man back passage.

I always read instructions even the pathetic kind shock excuse for instructions.

A fox float rp23 is not a cheap kind shock and suffers less stiction issues. They both use air medium but that’s it.

I’ve ridden high end dual sus mtn bikes for decades. My last a 2014 stumpjumper.

Know how to set sag etc but thanks for sharing.

I ran 5 Kpa variables to main and negative but performance plateau remained largely the same. Perhaps my kind shock is individually unkind.

The coil over provided a smoother ride despite its basic damping. The kind shock has better damping.

Please note only 40 mm of travel exists with the kind shock.

Am I not a man. A nsw man.
 
super slim

super slim

Zen MBB Master
jond said:
Dear slim take your size 12 sth Aussie foot from your mouth and place it up your real man back passage.

I always read instructions even the pathetic kind shock excuse for instructions.

A fox float rp23 is not a cheap kind shock and suffers less stiction issues. They both use air medium but that’s it.

I’ve ridden high end dual sus mtn bikes for decades. My last a 2014 stumpjumper.

Know how to set sag etc but thanks for sharing.

I ran 5 Kpa variables to main and negative but performance plateau remained largely the same. Perhaps my kind shock is individually unkind.

The coil over provided a smoother ride despite its basic damping. The kind shock has better damping.

Please note only 40 mm of travel exists with the kind shock.

Am I not a man. A nsw man.
Click to expand...
I only have dainty size 10 feet!
You are a NSW ex CONVICT, whose reading ability has to be low!!!

How much travel has the spring + hydraulic dampener?? got??, as the 40 mm of the Air spring might be enough!

The smooth ride of the spring+damper could ALL be to the Hydraulic dampener!
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
hurri47 said:
Thanks for this writeup which comes at a good time for me. The coil-over on my antique (steel) Hurricane, which is probably the original, has lost its damping ability and I was considering an air shock. I guess not.

-Dan
Click to expand...

Steel hurricane be nice to see a picture

Air shock is good but best if you stump up
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
bladderhead said:
Must be older than my Grasshopper, which is an early one that does not fold.
Click to expand...

My hurricane is 2005 vintage aluminium Shimano XT And sram xo . It’s nice but I still yearn for a folding grasshopper. Great bikes. Cannot understand challenge fading away given their cycling territory. Oh well. Tough selling bent bikes anywhere. Thankful that hpv and cruzbike exist.
 
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jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
super slim said:
I only have dainty size 10 feet!
You are a NSW ex CONVICT, whose reading ability has to be low!!!

How much travel has the spring + hydraulic dampener?? got??, as the 40 mm of the Air spring might be enough!

The smooth ride of the spring+damper could ALL be to the Hydraulic dampener!
Click to expand...

Slim the DNM makes do with 35 mm in the 165 mm size and 30 mm in the 150 mm size.

It’s performance is better over small bumps compared to the kind shock . The kind shock is not bad but the DNM is noticeably plusher. The DNM reacts to small frequency imperfections where the kind shock is not as reactive. On the bigger hits the DNM is also plusher. Dropping off the gutter. Pff please it’s a road bike with 406 wheels. Pfff is flat tyres.

I guess all coil over shocks are better in this regard. Better linear performance. So the internet research revealed. Can’t be wrong. in deed a return to coil over shocks is almost happening. and never left the downhill nutters brigade. Weight is being shed slim.

Yet the kind air shock is more versatile a lot lighter and has better damping.

However The DNM is back on the hurricane now. Better ride over my terrible potholed flat repaired roads.
 
super slim

super slim

Zen MBB Master
jond said:
Slim the DNM makes do with 35 mm in the 165 mm size and 30 mm in the 150 mm size.

It’s performance is better over small bumps compared to the kind shock . The kind shock is not bad but the DNM is noticeably plusher. The DNM reacts to small frequency imperfections where the kind shock is not as reactive. On the bigger hits the DNM is also plusher. Dropping off the gutter. Pff please it’s a road bike with 406 wheels. Pfff is flat tyres.

I guess all coil over shocks are better in this regard. Better linear performance. So the internet research revealed. Can’t be wrong. in deed a return to coil over shocks is almost happening. and never left the downhill nutters brigade. Weight is being shed slim.

Yet the kind air shock is more versatile a lot lighter and has better damping.

However The DNM is back on the hurricane now. Better ride over my terrible potholed flat repaired roads.
Click to expand...
Looks like the hydraulic shock makes all the difference!!
Floating on Fluid!!
 
hurri47

hurri47

Well-Known Member
jond said:
Hi dan.

I meant it would be really nice to see a pic of the steel hurricane. I truly did not for a sec doubt you. Nice colour. Can you do a whole bike reveal. Be interesting to compare. What year was it made.
Click to expand...

It was already old when I got it ten years ago. Every time I ride it I think, "This is the last bike I will sell." This pic is from last November.

-Dan

Hurri_swamp_rabbit

Hurri_swamp_rabbit

Greenville SC
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
hurri47 said:
It was already old when I got it ten years ago. Every time I ride it I think, "This is the last bike I will sell." This pic is from last November.

-Dan

Hurri_swamp_rabbit

Hurri_swamp_rabbit

Greenville SC
Click to expand...

Yes I love mine too. Great bike. My swing arm , tiller steerer and front fork are steel the rest is aluminium.

Can’t seem to upload a pic never mind. Edit hurricane fitted with air dnm luxury.
AFCABB73-D7C3-4149-B4CB-ADE3B60A60F7.jpeg
 
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hurri47

hurri47

Well-Known Member
jond said:
Yes I love mine too. Great bike. My swing arm , tiller steerer and front fork are steel the rest is aluminium.

Can’t seem to upload a pic never mind.
Click to expand...

If I were designing a forum I would let you upload pics directly to a message and then they would automatically go to your media gallery. Right now it's the other way around, and nothing is automatic.

-Dan
 
jond

jond

Zen MBB Master
Round two.

Ok it bugged me that the kind shock gave such performance.....was is there something wrong with the shock.

I ordered and fitted a second kind shock a5 rr1 dual chamber. An improvement though not as good in general as DNM. Been two weeks.

I set my main at 80kPa and negative at 70kPa to achieve as stiction free ride as I could. About 35% sag. It’s almost as comfy as the DNM but bigger impacts are felt more despite increased travel.

Conclusion. My original kind shock is faulty?........ couldn’t be bothered and placed it where it belongs.

That the DNM is going back on till I spring for an rp 23 etc etc. meh it’s a training bike.
 
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