MTB rear shock test: Double Barrel named "best by far"

K-9 Industries, an Oxford, UK-based MTB engineering and tuning firm recently conducted lab and field tests that prove the Double Barrel outperforms competitors' high-end shocks.

K-9 Managing Director Luiz Arriaz says,

"We have extensively tested several dampers from Fox, Marzocchi and Cane Creek and the results obtained were unbelievable...

"The Double Barrel from Cane Creek is an amazing shock. We have performed extensive damper dyno testing at Oxford Brookes University and this is the best damper by far. It has outperformed the others...

"You can do so much more with the Double Barrel that would not be possible with any other damper."

The article appears in Dirt Magazine Issue 63. 

May 2007 article  467.99 Kb

"The shock has an excellent adjustment range, but the best thing about the Double Barrel is that it has a firm, responsive feel and still has the ability to open up to compensate for a hard impact."

"Using proven technology from Öhlins, Cane Creek gave the Double Barrel shock excellent control and outstanding adjustability."

May 2006 review 1.45 Mb

Mountain Bike Action 

"The big news was the Cane Creek shock’s ability to work well over an exceptionally wide range of speeds and trail surfaces. Uphill or descending, the rear wheel found the smooth route without reminding us of its presence with bottoming or an occasional bounce. We attributed this “broad band” performance to the action of the Ohlins midspeed valves. They respond quickly, so the shock can blast through a fraction of its stroke and then, almost instantly, ease back into a steady state. The shock can smooth small, sharp impacts without blowing through all of its travel."

 April 2006 review 88.68 Kb

Dirt Rag 

"On the maiden voyage of the RFX I noticed the Double Barrel had a bit of a dead feeling to it. I don’t mean the shock was under- sprung or didn’t suck up hits, it just didn’t quite feel as springy or active as other shocks I’ve used in the past. The pedal induced bobbing that most of us are used to on longer travel trail bikes was almost completely negated by the adjustments on the low speed compression and rebound. Less energy exerted over a long climb with a 35lb. bike is always a welcomed benefit. The rear wheel stayed planted to the trail quite a bit better, giving me increased traction to keep my forward momentum up (very important on a heavier trail bike).

Where the shock really shines is in pointing it downhill. That same dead feeling I initially felt when I jumped on the bike finally made sense to me. It wasn’t that the shock felt dead, it’s that the wheel was staying in contact with the ground and picking up every little imperfection and nuance on the trail!

Most of us, including myself, are so attuned to feeling the back end of our bikes kick or float a bit over obstacles at high speed that we never notice how much the rear wheel isn’t contacting the ground. With the Double Barrel, this enhanced contact with the trail came in handy on high speed turns where the wheels needed to drift and I had to feel where the tire was at all times. Pushing into turns harder and braking less were direct benefits of being able to feel exactly where the rear wheel was on the trail."

 April 2006 review 157.06 Kb