RockShox MegNeg Air Can Upgrade Kit: Rider Review

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

Usually, when people are thinking of upgrading something on their mountain bike it can involve spending a pretty penny to get big results. In this case, it is an inconspicuous suspension upgrade that can come with a massive upswing in performance. Our friend Ryan shares his take on the RockShox MegNeg Air Can Upgrade Kit. Check it out!

Overview

I recently installed the RockShox MegNeg Air Can Upgrade Kit on my V3 Bronson because, shockingly, I had been using up all the travel on many of my rides. Using up all 150mm of travel in BC, Utah, or Colorado would make sense given the terrain, but I ride almost exclusively in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. This is not to say there are not some gnarly sections around but not enough to be consistently going through full travel. Prior to the MegNeg, I had been running 3 tokens and about 210psi (I am 6’2” and 180lbs) which put me at ~30% sag and is right in line with the instructions on the Santa Cruz website.

After installing the MegNeg I am running 1 token, 2 bands, and 260psi. The MegNeg can upgrade on my rear shock has made a big difference in how my bike handles, I am no longer ending rides with the sag-o-meter hanging off the end of my shock. I feel like the bike is much more balanced now with the amount of travel used very similar between the fork and the shock, which makes me think that I have it set up almost perfectly. I have also noticed that jumping on the bike has gotten easier, the mid-stroke is more supportive because I am clearing jumps that I struggled with on the original can. Honestly, the bike is just more playful than it was before, I am now airing off of side hits on the trail, jumping roots and rocks, and just hooning around more.

The installation of the MegNeg can be fairly straightforward, there are very good YouTube videos out there explaining how it is done and RockShox writes very thorough service manuals. I am a very serviceable YouTube mechanic, I perform all my basic bike and suspension services. Working on suspension products is always a bit nerve-wracking because one small slip or scratch of the stanchion and you are out a couple of hundred dollars. Everything you need for the install is included in the box, O-rings, shock oil, shock grease, and even the decals for the final touches. The basic tools required for the installation are fairly standard; metric Allen keys, small screwdriver or pick, lint-free wipes or clean rags, and some IPA. One tool that is less standard and I found tremendously helpful was a strap wrench for unscrewing the original air can, also just a very useful tool to have around the house.

Final Thoughts

All in all, I am very happy with the Rockshox Meg Neg air can upgrade, it has provided my bike with a more progressive shock curve offering more mid-stroke support and bottom-out resistance without messing with the bikes very capable small bump compliance. If you are consistently going through your bikes travel, are looking for something a bit more progressive and playful or would just like more tuning options for your rear shock, I would highly recommend giving the meg neg a shot.