FOX DHX2 Factory Rear Shock [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Fox offers a wide range of suspension options. Their highest performing coil shock is the DHX2 which has endless adjustments for riders or racers wanting a specific tune. Our friend, Dean, just slapped one on their bike. Check out what they think!!

Overview

It stoked me to purchase an SB130 T-LR this year. All geared up, I am about a 200 lb rider. As much as loved the new bike, tuning the ride to my preference took some R&D. A Diaz Suspension RUNT fork cartridge solved every want and need I had in the front. But the air shock always felt like it had a little too much squish on the bottom of the stroke, despite adding tokens and all the tuning variables. After some research, that is when I gave the world of coil shocks a try.

Besides the purchase of the rear shock that fits your bike, you will need to ensure you have the proper shock mounting hardware. WC has an excellent guide online to show you all the hardware variables. All I needed extra was to purchase from Yeti another rear shock eyelet spacer for a whopping $4 dollars. You can get the old spacer out of the original shock, but the chances of damaging it are above average.

For your install, you will need the shock, the shock hardware, the correct coil for your weight and riding style and all the proper tools. Having the bike manufacture assembly and maintenance guide will be handy to have as well with all the torque values for snugging up the linkage. In my case, I also added the “SB130 Link”, from Cascade Components, to increase the progression from 15% to 25% to improve the bike’s small bump sensitivity and bottom-out resistance.

The “Coil + Link” was the ultimate result and better than I could have ever hoped for.

I set the rear sag for the recommended 30% with 1.0 turn of compression. It surprised me how much I noticed the changes in geometry and support through the entire progression of the stroke. The bottom-end squish that may have contributed to a bit of pedal bob was 100% gone. I would not say I could feel the extra 5mm from the linkage but the combination of Fox DHX2 rear shock, 550 lb spring and a cascade linkage was, for me, supreme. I couldn’t be any happier.

Final Thoughts

My honest assessment on if this is right for you would be that if you are a light rider, the air shock might be all you will ever need. However, if you are a heavier rider, pushing a duce or more, this is for you. Spend the money, install, and after riding, you will wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.