Cane Creek Double Barrel Air IL Rear Shock: Customer Review

The Cane Creek Double Barrel Inline shock is perfect for riders looking for an affordable yet adjustable rear shock that can withstand the toughest of terrain. In this review, our customer David swaps out his stock Fox shock for Cane Creek. Why did he choose Cane Creek over Fox? Read on and find out!

Overview

It was time for a damper rebuild on my stock Fox Float Evol that came with my Yeti SB4.5c and I didn't want to be left without anything to ride while it was gone. I decided to upgrade and go with something that had much more adjustment to it, the Cane Creek DB inline. I'm a lighter rider (145 dry, 150+ geared up), so I tend to run more dampening on my rear shock to not get bucked so badly on successive hits. My Fox was nearly maxed out and in order to remedy this, I needed a light tune which could only be done by Fox. 

First Impressions

The Cane Creek DB Inline shock allowed for greater dampening adjustment but also recovers quickly without noticeable fade. My guess is that the higher oil volume doesn't overheat as bad. The recommended sag had me bottoming out easily so I added 2 volume spacers to help, which are included. I run the shock with a little less sag (14mm/160ish psi). You can do some on trail adjustments to high-speed compression to help bottoming out, but I added the spacer anyway. All in all, this shock transformed my bike, much more supple, yet still supportive. It also has a climb switch, not a lockout. I have come to prefer it over a lockout and feel that I have more traction on semi-technical climbs. With super techy climbs I leave it open, I can clear steeper sections than I ever have with this shock. Then I turn back downhill and my bike feels better, and I feel more confident, more planted.

On the Trail

The tune straight out of the box felt ok, but using the Cane Creek app "dialed", I got it feeling even better. It does take some time using the app, but if you take your time and do single adjustments it works well. It also comes with a quick adjustment guide which ended up falling to pieces in my sweaty hydration pack pocket. It is extremely useful, I just wish it was a more durable material rather than card stock. I am splitting hairs at this point, this is a great shock and it would probably feel good on any bike. I had pretty good clearance on my medium sb4.5c and can easily reach the climb switch. I did the Pisgah 55.5 two days after putting this shock on. I was a little nervous about doing so, but it outshined my Fox float by a long shot. 

Final Thoughts

So to sum it all up, this made my bike feel so much better over stock. The fit and finish are great and quality is top notch. Cane Creek knows what you need to ride in the southeast, and it proved true in my case. So if you're on the fence, I hope this helps you out. WorldWide can hook you up and get it there quick! Get out and ride!!