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Home | Product Reviews | Rear Shock | Cane Creek Double Barrel | ||||
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Submitted by
craig
a Weekend Warrior
from golden, co, usa
Date Reviewed: 5/4/2008 8:22:18 PM |
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| Duration Product Used: | 3 months |
| Purchased At: | used |
| Strengths: | extremely high quality of materials, fit and finish. incredible tuneability |
| Weaknesses: | may be complex for some if they want a bolt it on and no set-up product. Pretty expensive. |
| Similar Products Tried: | all fox shocks, pushed fox shocks |
| Bike Setup: | turner 5 spot |
| Bottom Line: | excellent, excellent, excellent product, can tune it to suit so many conditions, if you like the ability to dial in your rear shock, the CCDB is an excellent choice. the low speed compression and rebound controls let you keep the back wheel planted on technical climbs better than all other shocks i've ridden. |
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Submitted by
paul
from england
Date Reviewed: 5/1/2008 2:30:26 AM |
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| Duration Product Used: | 3 months |
| Price Paid: | $750 |
| Strengths: | Ohlins technology - you cant go wrong with this company. The damping is amazing - feels like a MX bike's plush tuned rear set-up. I could list all the technical stuff that goes into the design but if you're reading this and thinking of getting one, you probably know all that. I havent even played with the compression and rebound, this thing feels so much better than my foxDHX5 Im reluctant to adjust it until Im sure where it needs to be changed. |
| Weaknesses: | Price, but you get what you pay for. People willl pay a ton of cash for a fork, but then cheap out on the rear shock. WHY??! They do the same thing. It is a bit heavier than my fox but I dont care one bit. May bother some people though. Oh, and I waited over 10 weeks from ordering. |
| Similar Products Tried: | DHX5 - DHXair - 4Wayswinger - Revox. |
| Bike Setup: | socom, 888s, sram, saints, double barrel, e13 blah blah blah. |
| Bottom Line: | GET ONE!!! You owe it to your bike, to yourself, you only live once and once you've bought it - IT'S YOURS!!! If you havent already convinced yourself just from researching this shock on other sites then I doubt anything written here will make much difference to your overall decision. It's quite simply a no hype, all performance trick piece of kit. |
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Submitted by
Robb Sutton
a Weekend Warrior
from Woodstock, GA
Date Reviewed: 4/7/2008 7:07:20 AM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Heartbreak Ridge |
| Duration Product Used: | 1 Year |
| Purchased At: | www.t2bikes.com |
| Strengths: | Performance, performance, performance...nothing else even comes close. The CCDB performs exactly how a shock should. |
| Weaknesses: | Weight...but that comes with any coil shock. |
| Similar Products Tried: | RP23, RP3, DHX-c, DHX-a, Avalance Chubbie, Push'd RP23, 5th Element |
| Bike Setup: | Ventana El Terremoto - X.0, Lyrik Coil, CCDB, King's on 823's |
| Bottom Line: | At first, I was blown away. The shock that the CCDB replace on the Ciclon was a stock RP23, and I was having constant problems with mid stroke wallow. I never really could seem to get it to use it’s travel the way I wanted it to. It was getting to the point that I was going to send the shock off to Push to get the entire treatment done. That entire first ride, I was just looking for hard square edges to run into and drop off of. What surprised me the most was not feeling the rear end. It just seemed to act exactly like a suspension is supposed to. It hit the square edge, soaked up the shock and my body stayed in the same place. What surprised me even more was how easy it climbed. There was almost no pedal induced bob but I still had traction when I needed it. There was very little tuning done during this first ride as I was trying to get used to how the shock felt in it’s shipped form. See complete review here... http://www.mtbtrailreview.com/blog/cane-creek-double-barrel-long-term-review/parts/ |
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Submitted by
Grant
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, Australia
Date Reviewed: 3/21/2008 12:37:31 AM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Menai, Sparrow Hill |
| Duration Product Used: | 1 Year |
| Purchased At: | Phantom Cycles |
| Strengths: | Overall quality, adjustability |
| Weaknesses: | Trying to get one! |
| Similar Products Tried: | Fox DHX-C, Fox Vanilla RC, Fox Float R, Fox RP3 |
| Bike Setup: | Sanat Cruz Nomad, '06 66RC2X forks, Crossmax SX, X9, RF Atlas cranks, Minion 2.5" DHF ust tyres, Syncros stem, Answer ProTaper bars, Thomson seat post |
| Bottom Line: | An amazing rear shock. It performs exactly how i wanted the Fox DHX-C to work but the Fox wasn't capable of smoothing out the small stuff. I know i've bottomed the shock out because i've seen the rubber bumper moved all the way to the end of the travel, but i've never felt any harsh bottoming. Although it looks complicated with 5 adjustments it is very simple to dial in. Each of the rebound and compression adjustment clicks made a significant enough difference to feel on the trail. Finish quality of the shock is brilliant. It certainly looks the part. I had some problems trying to get one in Australia but eventually got it sorted out and negotiated a price more satisfactory than twice the US price. |
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Submitted by
Paul-Anthony
from Repentigny, Qc, Canada
Date Reviewed: 11/22/2007 6:18:11 PM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Bromont 19 |
| Duration Product Used: | 6 months |
| Purchased At: | Lavaltrie Sport |
| Strengths: | Tunability, light weight, performance and service from Cane Creek |
| Weaknesses: | 100 h time between services, that's all |
| Similar Products Tried: | Fox DHX 5.0, Fox DHX 5.0 Air, Manitou Swinger 6 way, Marzocchi Roco WC, Progressive suspension 5th Element. |
| Bike Setup: | Appalache Réal with Cane Creek Double Barrel shock Ti spring, Dee Max wheelset, X-O drivetrain, Race Face Atlas crank, RF Diabolus Headset, RF Evolve DH seatpost, Blackspire DSXC4 chain guide, Formula Oro Puro Brakes, Fisik Plateau Saddle, Easton EA70 low rise Monkey Bar, Lizard skin logo lock-on grip, Mallet M pedals and a Marzocchi 888 RC2X WC. |
| Bottom Line: | If you look to all the components on my bikes, you'll see that I like quality. Now if you ask me my favorite part on my bike, I would tell you that it's my rear shock. The double Barrel is simply the most efficient shock on the market, period. It is the only one I know that can react to the bike's own weight, specifically with the steel spring. If you lift the bike from the ground you can see the suspension moving. I had the chance to test it with both spring and if you are looking for the best feeling on the planet... well in the mountain bike world... choose the steel spring. If you are a weight weenie, with the Titanium spring, the Double Barrel is only a 1/4 lb heavier then the Fox DHX Air and no other shock come close to its performance. It's a shock that can pedal and absorb drops as you never dreamed of. Some person said that it was hard to tune, in my case, it was easy, follow the instructions and you'll enjoy rapidly. And for the service, if you ever need to call, well those guys know their product and they truly believe in it. If you have any money concerns, even at its price, it isn't expensive. If you look at my fork review, you would see that I'm would live with a cheaper model but in the case of my rear shock, I wouldn't go for nothing else. Here's my suggestion: If you wan't to improve your bike in any matter, start with this part. I can assure you that you'll never regret it. And maybe you'll forget about changing any other parts. So, somehow you'll spare your money. If you never tried one you just can't understand how big is the difference but you can buy it with your eyes closed. When I bought my frame, it came with a Swinger 6 way, the bike's rear suspension characteristics were fine but not outstanding, with the DB-1, the handling just touched the sky. |
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Submitted by
Patrick
a Weekend Warrior
from Duluth, Georgia
Date Reviewed: 8/31/2007 10:23:59 AM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Bull Mountain |
| Duration Product Used: | 3 months |
| Price Paid: | $650 |
| Purchased At: | Cane Creek |
| Strengths: | It's quality and adjustability. I am an agressive rider, and at 250lb have blown out everything else with the exception of a Cloud Nine that have had for 3 years and was put back on the bike again only to be replaced by the DB. Having the ability for the external spring set up specifically for me, along with the linear response to the 4 different modes of adjustment make it the ultimate in what a rear shock should be. |
| Weaknesses: | I have not found any. If you complain about the price, just look at the quality of design, manufacturing, custom setup, and product support. Added to that the reliability I had with the Cloud Nine, I have no problem paying the $650. |
| Similar Products Tried: | Fox, 5th Element, Cloud Nine |
| Bike Setup: | MKIII frame, Marzocchi fork, Chris King hubs, XTR drivetrain, Avid mech. discs, etc. |
| Bottom Line: | Making the decision to purchase the DB took some time because of the price. After blowing out a 5th Element, I was forced to do something, and working through the economics of purchasing or rebuilding shocks 3-4 times a year made the decision for me. From the initial ride, even during the fine tuning after the factory setup, there was not doubt that Cane Creek has got it right. It's adjustability is amazing and the feedback from the bike once the adjustment is made is so evident, anyone can make it work. If the DB is only just as reliable as the Cloud Nine, I will be very pleased. The only reason that I cannot continue to use the Cloud Nine is because of my mass, I cannot get an airspring shock to function at the level I need because of the high pressure needed just to get the sag correct. You get what you pay for with the Cane Creek Double Barrel. Thanks to Malcom and all the staff at Cane Creek. |
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Submitted by
Brian
a Downhiller
from G-Vegas
Date Reviewed: 5/23/2007 8:30:20 AM |
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| Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month |
| Purchased At: | Cane Creek |
| Strengths: | Seriously, everything about this shock is strong (literally and figuratively). First, you have to look at the partnership Cane Creek has with Ohlins, who if you don't know, designs and produces some of the best shocks for the motorsport world. The quality of the build is 1st class, attention to detail is suburb! Hand built by one guy who builds it, then dyno's it, then packs it with the dyno results and instructions. Serious customer service here. You could almost say it's a custom built shock! The 7 page manual is very detailed, it will answer all you burning question about setting it up. Installation for me was a breeze. |
| Weaknesses: | Nothing at all! One could say that it's too expensive, and while it does cost more, you won't hear a Ferrari owner complaining about the cost the car. You want the best, you gotta expect to pay for the best. |
| Similar Products Tried: | Fox, Avalanches, Rocco's, Swingers, and 5th's. |
| Bike Setup: | 2007 GT DHi, Boxxer WC up front, Saint cranks, Michelin's, Easton, SRAM, Juicy's, DT 440 FR hubs, Sun MTX |
| Bottom Line: | I heard the hype about the shock from the beginning, even before it was available to the public (it's hard not to living an hour from the factory), so finally I called Cane Creek and spoke to Malcolm about it for my bike. Since they never mounted a Double Barrel on the new DHi, I called them up to see what they had to say, as I was worried about the width of the reserve fitting under the seat mast. I offered to bring my bike up for them to look at, again being an hour away does have it's advantages. Customer Service is something that Malcolm and Cane Creek takes pride in and it showed from my visit, I'm not going to into the details, but it was impressive. Less then 10 days later, I found out what brown can do for me, UPS dropped off a box with a new shock in it that was tuned for my weight and my bikes leverage and frame design. To my surprise, mounting the shock was actually a piece a cake, everything mounted up perfectly. Just one of the things about the Double Barrel that is so amazing is the amount of adjustability is has, high/low speed for the compression/rebound. You can dial it in to be the all purpose shock on any trail, from the pesty little bumps, to the roots, to rock gardens, to the big drops. No need to sacrifice small bump plushness for the big hit survivability, the Double Barrel does it all once you get it dialed in. The adjustability of the Double Barrel is just crazy! Take the advise of the instructions and take your time adjusting the Double Barrel, you can get over your head if you start tuning it all at once. It's not rocket science, but it's not just a single adjustment knob either. The coolest thing I like about the shock, (and this is just a personal thing) is the flat tire feeling. That's the best way I can describe it, it feels like your riding on a tire that is low on air, not totally flat, just pretty low. The thing is though, that you are not slowing down as you would think with a low tire. Actually your going to be faster since you can't get the power to the ground if it's in the air, the Double Barrel just sticks the wheel to the ground, allowing you to an extra pedal in. More cranks=faster times! I can't say enough about the shock, in the fast, smooth sections, it's like Ron Jeremy on Viagra, STIFF! In the rocks and rough stuff, it's plush! Take a big drop with no worries, it'll take it in stride! Road gap landings are nearly none existent, meaning on the landing there is no "thud", it's just a smooth transition. I'm not a suspension expert by any stretch, in fact I actually hate dealing with setting up and tuning shocks for different courses. But with the Double Barrel, I really can set it up and forget about it, for at least 90% of the courses. Also, since I have already admitted not being a suspension expert, I have to say that I have a difficult time noticing changes. I really didn't notice a big performance difference between a Rocco, a DHX, a Swinger and 5ths (slight differences? yes, big? no) Again not the case with the Double Barrel, as soon as I mounted it and rode it, I noticed a difference right away. And the more I adjusted, the bigger the difference I noticed, and if I noticed it, I promise that you will notice the difference. With that said, I was a bit worried about when I heard "people" state that it was too complicated as far adjusting, well either it's my superior intellect (which I seriously doubt), but I found it easier to adjust then other shocks out there. Let me explain, it's really simple if you think about it. You can adjust one of the four adjustment points without effecting the others, and you will notice a difference if you do only adjust one. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not like some crazy puzzle (like that puzzle box thingie in the Hell Raiser movies) that in order to get it right, you have adjust the psi to this, and turn the "pedal-bob" knob to this, the turn the compression knob 5 clicks this way, rebound knob all the way in then out 4, then stand on your head, cross your legs while singing Hell Bent for Leather! I can sit here and go into great depths about this, but you know exactly what I mean. But with the Double Barrel, you adjust the low speed compression/rebound settings to where you like THEM. Then the high speed compression/rebound settings to where you like THEM. One is not dependent on another! Very simple to adjust, with outstanding results. You got to remember that this is the most technological advanced shock to ever come to the bicycle world, so it will be pricey, it will take a few turns to get it adjusted to your liking, and it will make your current shock seem inadequate and very dated. The "bottom line is simple"! If you want a shock that will keep your tire planted to good 'ol mother earth, and suck up them hits like a Dyson with a turbo, then look no further then Cane Creek's Double Barrel. Give Malcolm a call at Cane Creek and let him work his magic, you will not be disappointed!! |
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Submitted by
Peter
from Houston
Date Reviewed: 11/16/2006 10:35:53 PM |
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| Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month |
| Strengths: | Bals out performance:) |
| Weaknesses: | n/a |
| Similar Products Tried: | fox, romic, progressive |
| Bike Setup: | 33lb. Bullit |
| Bottom Line: | This shock surprised me. I've been riding FS bikes for 8 years, so it will likely surprise you as well. When it's set up, it feels like your rear wheel is almost magnetically stuck to the ground, yet on big hits it's nearly bottomless. Fit and finish is the best I've ever seen. 1st service is free. This shock has completely raised the bar. CC sets it up for your frame leverage and weight, then dynos it and sends you the result with the shock. Fox BEWARE ;) |
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Submitted by
Kevin Whalen
a Downhiller
from Glenwood, NY
Date Reviewed: 9/21/2006 5:46:33 PM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Anything at Whiteface |
| Duration Product Used: | 6 months |
| Price Paid: | $650 |
| Purchased At: | Local shop I work at |
| Strengths: | Great tuning range, awesome help from the guys at Cane Creek. Not only is the shock easy to adjust, you can actually feel the changes and they work well. |
| Weaknesses: | Mounting hardware can be a pain if you remove the shock often for cleaning or spring changes. |
| Similar Products Tried: | Fox vanilla DH, fox DHX, Romic, swinger 6 way(for 1 DH run), numerous progressive 5th elements. |
| Bike Setup: | Haro 357 magnum, sram everything |
| Bottom Line: | If you are serious about ride quality and the ability to tune your shock for changing courses spend the cash and buy a cane creek. This is also the first rear shock I have owned this far into a riding season with out blowing the shock or having major leaks that required a factory rebuild. |
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Submitted by
Ashley Appling
a Downhiller
from Suwanee, GA, USA
Date Reviewed: 8/21/2006 6:31:12 AM |
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| FavoriteTrail: | Sugar Mtn |
| Duration Product Used: | 1 Year |
| Purchased At: | Cane Creek |
| Strengths: | Everything. Customer service and attention to detail, product performance and design. (See Below) |
| Weaknesses: | None that I have founf so far. |
| Similar Products Tried: | Fox DHX, Avalanche DHS, Manitou Swinger, Progressive 5th |
| Bike Setup: | Turner RFX and DEMO 8 w/CCDB's and Ti springs, Marzocchi forks, Industry Nine Wheels, SRAM drivetrain, Hope Brakes, etc... |
| Bottom Line: | I've ridden the CCDB on a number of bikes. Intense Uzzi VPX, 6.6, Morewood, Demo 8, Turner RFX, Turner Highline. I have compared the Avalanche on the Turner RFX. I've ridden the DHX on a few bikes, the 5th Element on 4 bar and VPP designs as well. No shock I've been on totally encompasses the range of adjustability and performance the CCDB can offer you. In my opinion my favorite feature of the CCDB is the independent adjustments of the H/L speed rebound. I've never been so impressed with a shock like this that can be super plush on the small bump by speeding up low speed reb. and low speed compression, then on the same trail w/o adjusting the rebound be able to hit a big drop and it stick the landing like no other shock I've ridden before. It lands like the rebound was set for big drops then attacks the maze of roots right after. Amazing. You can screw yourself up by not knowing what your doing with setting it up, or making too many adjustments at a time, but if you have patience to figure out what each adjustment does in the real world environment, you will not be disappointed with your results. Other shocks have the potential to be tuned to a specific type of terrain and riding style and will work fine in that specific condition, but if ski slopes one day and the n XC trails another is your routine you will not be able to tune properly for each without being sent back to be revalved for that specific terrain. In short, the money is steeper than most, but the old adage stands true on this one. You get what you pay for with the Cane Creek Doubloe Barrel. thanks to Malcom and all the wonderful staff of Cane Creek. |
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