To The Point - Cannondale's DYAD RT2 Pull-shocks

Mar 31, 2013 at 3:47
by Matt Wragg  
Murray Washburn started out racing BMX when he was five. He went to college in Colorado, where they issue you a mountain bike when you hit the state line, at a time when mountain biking was in its infancy. He worked as a shop guy in Colorado for many years, in service and sales. In 1997 he started working for Cannondale and has held a number of roles since then, including sales representative, race mechanic and product manager. Today he is the Global Director of Product Marketing, which is the link between Cannondale’s Engineering departmentt and the outside world. He describes himself as a "supremely unqualified engineer, but someone who loves knowing how stuff works."

What is the DYAD RT2 shock?

The DYAD was developed as a collaboration between Cannondale and the suspension wizards over at Fox Racing Shocks. In its most simple form, the DYAD RT2 is two completely different shocks in one. You have a short-travel shock with a small air volume and a long-travel shock with a bigger volume, both of which get their own dedicated damping circuit, designed specifically for the travel.

Internal diagram

The oil flow inside the DYAD RT2. (Left) Elevate - Short travel mode. (Right) Flow - Long travel mode.


How does it work?

You've got a handlebar-mounted lever that you can use on-the-fly to flick backwards and forwards between the two. It moves a spool valve which changes the oil flow internally in the shock. The shock itself is kind of a reverse shock. It's a pull-shock, which is fairly different in the world of mountain bikes. In a traditional shock you have an oil bath and then you have an air spring and you push a piston through a fixed oil bath, so the oil bath doesn't move. The DYAD RT2 is really more of an oil pump. So the air piston for the negative chamber is actually the same as the primary piston. When the shock extends it pumps oil from the negative chamber, it pumps oil up into the positive chambers through the damping circuits, and it compresses the positive air spring. You have this kind of back-and-forth-shuffle of oil between the two chambers.

The DYAD RT2 shock is a pull-shock. It utilizes two separate positive air chambers (one big and one small), a shared negative air chamber, and two independent damping circuits. DYAD’s unique in that, rather than moving a damping piston through an oil bath like a traditional shock, the DYAD instead acts like an oil pump, pumping the oil from one side of the shock to the other through the one of the two dedicated damping circuits. Each of the positive air chambers has its own floating piston that separates the oil volume from the air, while the pull-shock piston serves as both the primary oil piston and the negative air spring piston. Oil flow is controlled by something called a spool valve, which moves up or down when you flip the handlebar mounted lever, opening and closing two different oil paths.

In the full travel setting (which Cannondale calls “FLOW”), the two positive air chambers are linked, creating a huge volume air spring which is balanced by the independently adjustable negative air spring. The combination of the large volume positive air spring, the adjustable negative air spring, and the high operating shock pressures creates a linear spring rate that is really similar to that of a coil spring.

In the short travel “Elevate” setting, one of the positive chambers is completely shut off, reducing the air volume and ramping up the spring rate. All of the oil is directed through the other damping circuit, changing the damping characteristics at the same time.

Another interesting thing is the effect this has on geometry.

Since the air volume is reduced in the short travel mode, the bike sags less, making the effective seat angle and steering angle steeper, better for climbing and slower techy stuff. Flip the switch and the BB drops, the whole bike gets lower and slacker for high speed stability.

Cannondale press image by Ale Di Lullo
Mark Weir with the DYAD RT2 in action.


Why did Cannondale choose this system over a more traditional push-shock?

It was the best way for us to utilize this three chamber technology and there are a number of benefits. First of all when you have something that's pulling, versus something that's pushing, it always wants to straighten itself. Imagine you're trying to push something into a cylinder, if there's any torque on it all, any twist, it wants to bind. If you're pulling something out it naturally wants to pull straight. It's very easy to pull a string out of a hole, but it's very difficult to push a string into a hole. The other advantage we have is the way the seals interact with the oil. If you look at a traditional shock, there are very few seals that are constantly in contact with the oil bath, which means that those seals constantly need to be re-lubricated, because they are constantly pushing the lube away and becoming dry. With our design, all but three of the seals are in constant contact with the oil, which means they are wet seals, which means they are constantly self-lubricated. The other advantage is that with a traditional shock you have the oil bath, and then you have an air sleeve that comes around it and covers the portion of the shock that contains the oil for three-quarters of it length or more. That basically acts as a big insulator. As you descend, the air heats up and the oil heats up and there's nowhere for that heat to go. If you look at the DYAD RT2 shock there's just an aluminium wall, which is a really good conductor of heat, between the oil bath and the external air. There's lots of surface area, so it maintains its temperature really well over long descents.


External profile
The DYAD RT2 mounted in a Cannondale Jekyll trailbike.
Cannondale press image by Ale Di Lullo
Jerome Clementz and his Cannondale Jekyll


How does the pull-shock affect frame design?

It's not a question of taking an existing design and re-working it for pull-shocks. All of the bikes that utilise the DYAD RT2 were designed from the ground up with pull shocks in mind. So they're not something that would be adaptable to a push-shock-style design. There are some advantages, it attaches very close to the BB, so, when you land hard off something, the downward force on the BB is counteracted by the pulling force on the shock. So that load around the BB is constantly neutralised, as opposed to the force-multiplier effect with a push-shock, where you land off something and the load all goes into one specific point. However, the pull-shock shaft has to be much, much stronger as things are generally stronger in compression than they are in tension. So we use a steel shaft for strength and design our frames around the different loads created by a pull shock.

Author Info:
mattwragg avatar

Member since Oct 29, 2006
753 articles

146 Comments
  • 65 2
 That looks cool, will be plenty of haters im sure, i just want to give one a go
  • 18 3
 Do it! Go borrow someones Jekyll, in fact just get your own as you'll want it after you try it!
  • 9 3
 I have the Scott version in the Genius LT and it is the most versatile and amazing bike I have ever ridden. I am told from someone who owns both the Scott and the Cannondale that the Cannondale is just as good or maybe even a bit better.
  • 30 37
flag Questrails (Apr 30, 2013 at 7:04) (Below Threshold)
 I got something you can pull on right ova heee,,,,ehhh oOOoo
  • 12 3
 Oh god, cannondale don't do simple do they. Lefty and now this, looks promising
  • 4 0
 No hate here. I think yeti even did this a while ago ,with a spring shock though. And yeah that scott feels good! I see their point. I don't see why push is better than pull. Both technologies seem pretty promising. I think when the consumers are closed minded, and an idea just can't sell, great ideas just die. Don't let it just die because you're closed minded. Give it a chance!
  • 15 84
flag Cezcez1928 (Apr 30, 2013 at 11:57) (Below Threshold)
 Human legs are better suspension than Fox or Rockshox can ever make.
  • 6 76
flag Cezcez1928 (Apr 30, 2013 at 11:58) (Below Threshold)
 Cool shock anyway.
  • 5 80
flag Cezcez1928 (Apr 30, 2013 at 11:59) (Below Threshold)
 Although I still don't understand how it works.
  • 9 78
flag Cezcez1928 (Apr 30, 2013 at 12:00) (Below Threshold)
 Wait...I think I just understood.
  • 3 1
 You don't really need to know how it works, it just does. When you're in the lower-travel mode, you never really feel the bulk of its travel until you need it. That's what I love about it, that even with it set on 120mm it climbs and accelerates almost like a hardtail.
  • 3 1
 I only think, why Cannondale has not used pull shock on their XC bikes. Pulling stuff is purely awesome!
  • 3 1
 @Ailar69: There isn't a need for it. A dual-personality shock doesn't have a purpose when the longer-travel setting is only 100mm, and Cannondale's suspension design they use on the Scalpel is very good at keeping the bike stiff. Also, the RT2 adds a lot of weight that you don't want on a race bike.
  • 2 0
 I have a Genius LT also and absolutely love it ........when the shock works. I have had a handfull fail on me, but the DT Swiss customer service is acceptable. Unfortunetly I'm hooked and couldnt imagine not having on the fly adjustability on an AM bike. Just like i couldnt imagine not having a dropper post. I've ridden the Cannondale too, but didnt care fore the geometry as much as the Scott. Im really looking forward to Fox CTD non-pull shock on the fly adjustability. Pull shocks just dont hold up. (from Schwinn's in the 90's to modern Cannondale and Scott, problem is, that the are amazing when functioning.
  • 2 0
 I have a genius lt as well! I love mine too! 185mm travel at 30lbs!!!!
  • 4 8
flag MadMax883 (May 1, 2013 at 16:27) (Below Threshold)
 Okay, I have ridden one of these on the jekyll and is was the absolute worst thing I have ever felt, no small bump, and blew right through all the midstroke. This 150mm travel bike was barely doing the work of what most 100mm travel bikes could do. And this is coming from my experience not prediction!
  • 6 3
 Hey stop bad mouthing canondale you filthy flamingoe crybabies.
  • 2 0
 @mfbeast12 No need for dual personality yes. I would like to see single travel option pulling shock...
  • 2 0
 @MadMax
Dude, you sure it was set up right? You can do a lot of tuning with it...
  • 1 0
 @eddyDave, yeah It was set for my weight, a few clicks of compression, and rebound was to my preference which is about one click faster than what most people usually have it at
  • 1 0
 Fair enough mate! Not for everyone then!
  • 3 1
 I call bull on this... There are no compression settings.
  • 30 3
 Cannondale is always ahead of times, but customized parts means a future repair will cost like new tech... Some parts are very hard and expensive to get... so the DYAD R2D2 it can't be replace with a C3PO
  • 12 8
 But it's less likely to need a repair since it's a more reliable design than a push shock. Nearly all Specialized bikes come with customized shocks, but they still sell a ton of them. Besides, replacing your rear shock is not usually not a good idea since the dampening is designed for that specific frame.
  • 18 1
 ^This guy's actually right for once. Specialized uses custom shock lengths on many bikes, so you can't upgrade (unless you buy something straight from them). And the DYADs have proved to be very reliable....
  • 12 18
flag wake-n-rake (Apr 30, 2013 at 6:46) (Below Threshold)
 How many recalls has this shock had now?
  • 20 6
 @wallheater I have been working at a Cannondale store for 3 years now and there have been no recalls on this shock. so please get your facts straight before you hate just to hate.
  • 4 1
 im not sure cannondale was ahead of its time on this one, scott had the pull shock on the genius, and the MC line of bikes for quite a while before this iteration of the jekyll.. not dissing it, but im pretty sure scott was the first major bike company using a pull type shock.
  • 13 2
 My C'Dale Claymore has been sitting unused in my basement for months b/c the DYAD "blew up." There is no user level maintenance that could have prevented this. Nor is there any parts or service that the user or a LBS can perform in case the DYAD breaks down. FOX wants $150 to even look at the shock (there is only a one year warranty period) and Push'd won't touch these things.

The DYAD was amazing when it worked, but with no serviceability and a crappy warranty I would caution any one looking into bikes with this shock.
  • 4 2
 @vtfree Fox wanted that much to replace a scratched body on my RP23 off my Remedy. To top it off, they would've rebuilt it to factory spec's and eliminated all the custom valving from Push... So, get use to it. Fox service isn't cheap.
  • 5 4
 There is no difference in cost between servicing a DYAD shock and any other Fox shock.
  • 2 2
 I have a Scott Ransom, which my wife rides. 3 years old and no problems with the shock. The rumours of failed design are from 1st year- 2007 or so when there was a problem with the manufacturing tolerances.
  • 1 1
 @vtfree, last year I sent my 2009 140 talas and a friends rear shock to fox, they took really good care of them. Our shocks "blew up" pretty much as well and for the $150 were able to rebuilt them completely and they work like new. They even put on updated controls on my talas adjustment and lockout/rebound. His did cost slightly more but for a small charge of like 25$ extra they were able to completely rebuild it. I would think that it would be worth it to send it to fox and have it rebuilt.
  • 1 0
 No recalls, no problems. Standard servicing through fox. I have a Cannondale claymore 1 and i have had nothing but great times and problem free rides with this shock. Get on one, and try it out before you write it off! Great product!
  • 2 0
 Right, but here is the difference: I could rebuild a RP23 or a Float myself with readily available and relatively inexpensive parts. I could also prevent most issues from occurring in the first place with regular maintenance and service. Also, I could take most shocks to the LBS for service. That is not the case with the DYAD. If it breaks, and all bike parts do eventually, you are forced to pay for an expensive factory rebuild.
  • 2 1
 Craig7, well I'm not going to mention names, but someone who works on these shocks mentioned recalls (and various other uncomplimentary comments....), and a 5 second Google search mentions a recall too. I don't really care too much but there's normally more than one side to a story.... Pull shocks date back to 1992 at least (Schwinn / Paramount) so I simply don't see what's so exciting about this shock, but it's safe to say I'm not a Cannondale fanboy.....
  • 2 1
 vtfree, they dont break. Iv bottomed it out countless times, made adjustments on the rebound that were either too plush or too stuff, i have just now serviced it for BASIC service. These do not break unless u are in a situation where the outcome of the crash is life or death..
  • 2 1
 I have a 2011 Jekyll, The Dyad when working is awesome. However I have only put 300 miles on the bike the rest of the time it has hung in the bike shop waiting for FOX to pull their heads out of their ass and fix it. It has been sent back 4 times. They sent me a replacement shock that was worse than the original shock. The customer service is the worst. The bike shop gets the run around from them everytime they call. The shock is not designed to handle a 225lbs rider. The funny part is that FOX folks could care less even when you explain that I HAVE NO OPTIONS it is your shock or I dont ride. I hope someone from FOX reads this and pull the head out of their butt and fixes the issue. Nothing like a $3900.00 towle rack.
  • 2 0
 dude ur experience sounds terrible, im sry to hear that man.. I have had opposite experiences with the Fox servicing department :/ Hopefully someone, for your sake, wakes up on the other end of the deal and gets what u need man
  • 5 2
 Your shocks are pooping because you are depressurizing the positive chamber. If you read the manual it specifically says DO NOT depressurize the positive chamber below 100 PSI. It contaminates the air chambers with oil.
  • 2 1
 Okay vote me down I hope you shitcan your shock when you don't follow my advice and crack your head on a rock. natural selection.
  • 10 0
 Great thing is that the surface of the shock is not always exposed to dust and dirt, which means longer lasting dust seals and o-rings
  • 6 0
 Cool, thanks PB for the info. However I'm confused by your biased background info about the shock. It seems as if you mentioned that theres no other shock like this out there. Have we forgotten about the Scott Genius and the DT Swiss pull shock ? Are they the same shock ? I've ridden a Scott and liked the concept and would love to get on the CDale and try that as well. Why don't other brands use this method ? Cheers.
  • 7 0
 isn't it correct that the designer behind the shox came from scott?
  • 3 0
 Peter Denk actually designed the Scott Genius and Cannondale overmountain line. Apart from the pull shock concept, the bikes are completely different.
  • 2 0
 Indeed, Peter Denk, if my memory serves me well.
  • 1 1
 Does the Scott design get slacker in the longer travel settings like the Cannondale?
  • 1 0
 The 2 designs a very similar except for a degrees of geometry here and there.
  • 5 0
 The reason Cannondale came out with the design later than Scott was that Peter Denk made the design as a refined version of the Scott design and tried to sell it to Scott, but they weren't willing to invest more after already paying the guy for the first version, so he went to Cannondale who was desperate to have a unique suspension platform to call their own and they went for it. You can see the refinements in the design. The shock is more central and lower in the frame helping to create stability. The shock is also protected from mud by the seat tube where as it is completely exposed to the rear wheel on the Scott design. The Cannondale also use thru-axles for the pivots to protect the bearings from lateral play and wear. I can only imagine what damage could be done to a pull shock if it was being pulled at an angle due to lateral flex in the linkages.
  • 2 0
 ^^^^ this is how I recall the events as well. Its a great design, other than the high pressures needed, which isn't really that big of a deal.
  • 1 1
 Cool info. Thanks guys. Still curious why using this type of shock system isn't used on more bikes.
  • 1 0
 It's expensive to completely redesign your suspension platform, Cannondale's current prices still reflect that. Many people are still going to want the ability to switch to different shocks and some manufactures are not willing to alienate that area of the market. If brands besides Fox start making a competitive pull shock, I could see many more manufactures jumping on board if they had the R&D funds. It would be really cool to see a pull shock from other brands, especially something high-end like Canecreek or DVO.
  • 2 0
 Its like the inverted fork, when the tolerances are tight (i.e. more expensive production) they perform better. People BELIEVE the internets rumours of flex etc, without ever riding one. The pull shock is a great design, and makes more sense. Its just not what people are used to, and the internet retrogrouches keep bringing up the myths and misleading people.
  • 3 0
 Yep.
  • 5 0
 I ride a cannondale claymore 1 that uses the same shock but in a 7 in platform, it is easily the most incredible bike I have ever ridden, the ability to switch into the low travel mode means i can literally climb anything especially with a talas 180 on the front, then with a flip of a switch I am shredding dh. The rear shock has a very consistent feel even on half hour dh runs down the gnarliest stuff in north idaho. Its so good I havent touched my TR 450 or my trail bike in months!
  • 3 0
 I agree, it's simply stunning. And I'd like to point out that it's very reliable and doesn't blow up as easily as some would expect Smile
I'm 115 kgs with gear, so I have the pressure almost maxed out, and I pretty much derp down the hill (hell, half the time I wonder how I even made it to the bottom) at full speed. I crash. A lot. This shock has never let me down. And the service cost is about the same as my fork. So far, this year only one kidney had to be taken from my body. I can derp for another year! Thanks Fox! Smile
  • 6 3
 Not sure about that last bit "things are generally stronger in compression than they are in tension" When I was at uni we were always told the exact opposite and he took a plastic ruler as an example. Pull on that as hard as you can you wont snap it but push it and it will just start to fold and snap with relative easy.
  • 3 0
 try compressing a cylinder
  • 2 1
 I think that theory works in different circumstances. Take a stand of hair for example, you can bend it in compression and it won't break, whereas you could pull it apart relatively easily
  • 3 1
 I think you need to go back to Uni, bro. The knowledge I've acquired at University and a quick Google search to back things up yields this ftp://ftp.sdsc.edu/pub/cichannel/SDSC-photos/seWebImages/physicscompress.html .
  • 2 1
 Fair enough must have just been in that application he was on about at the time. I don't do loads and stuff in work so haven't had much use to remember it.
  • 5 0
 Could be a mistake as further up it mentions pull rods stay straight, and push just want bind, makes sense, I quite like pull shocks, if everyone did them I could see it being popular but push is easier to do so it became the norm, I love the dual travel function too, perfect do anything bike, the Jekyll doesn't seem to get the praise it deserves I think, everyone is too busy deliberating over wheel sizes
  • 2 0
 That ruler example is failing because of buckling effects. Material property wise most materials are stronger in compression then tension.
  • 14 3
 Well, I've learnt that hair isn't an ideal material to build a shock with.
  • 1 1
 Compression and tension are only two of the forces. Under tension, there is less side loading. Side loading requires stiffer materials, or more material. You have to do the math, I really can't remember which is generally considered easier to manage, all things being equal. In a shock, there is a huge inequality in side loading.
  • 1 1
 Hmm, he's saying they have an aluminum shock body, and generally the Fcy (Compression yield strength) for Aluminum is lower than the Fty (Tensile yield strength), and in addition you have the buckling instabilities, so yeah I'm not sure what he's saying there. Maybe there's some part in particular that tends to be the weak link?
  • 1 0
 Cement is significantly stronger in compression or example and on the terms of the ruler example whoever told you that shouldn't be teaching. As an engineering student that ruler didn't break due to a compression force it broke because it was bent over and sheered. Think of breaking a stick between two tree's vs crushing in ice cube. The forces are completely different so you can't compare pushing on a ruler until it bends and folds over to pulling on one. If you put the ruler between two plates and then pushed on it so it couldn't deflect you'd see a different story...
  • 1 0
 Fastened assemblies in particular are stronger in compression than rebound because fasteners (nuts/bolts) don't load up the actual threads when they are compressed, whereas when they are loaded in tension, the threads take all the load as opposed to the face of the bolt/nut and whatever it is tightened against. Nothing claimed by the engineers in the article was incorrect, it's just necessary to understand the specific contexts they are talking about. Pull shocks have no buckling tendency which is good from an alignment point of view, but then you have the higher shaft speeds pulling on the shaft bolts instead of pushing the piston directly against the end of the shaft.
  • 2 0
 Your example is a ruler?????? Amazing....
  • 3 0
 I've been riding the Claymore 1 for 2 years now. Dyad is incredible! Zero issues, I was so surprised at the climbing ability of this bike and when you flick the switch it totally changes to a DH bike (talas 180 upfront). I've tried out other bikes that are carbon or way lighter, they fell snappy'n all but my Claymore is a bomb proof machine!!!
  • 7 1
 Im riding a cannondale jelyll 1 , the dyad is super snooth love it
  • 2 0
 "when you have something that's pulling, versus something that's pushing, it always wants to straighten itself." This makes so much sense to me! I have always wondered how some push shocks compress with the ridiculous looking angles put upon them by some frames.
  • 5 0
 I wish I understood the ins and outs of suspension more..
  • 7 1
 In = compression, Out= rebound Razz Unless we are talking about pull shocks again :S
  • 1 0
 I have just bought the trigger 1 with supermax lefty and the double shock ...this is a truely amazing bike! I never really liked Cannondale too much, but wow, this the bike that really climbs well and when you the downhill and flick the switch, just get out of f...in way!
  • 1 0
 I have just bought the trigger 1 with supermax lefty and the double shock ...this is a truely amazing bike! I never really liked Cannondale too much, but wow, this bike really climbs well and when you go for the downhill and flick the switch, just get out of the f...in way!
  • 1 0
 Just wanted to say, I owned a Jekyll carbon 2 for the entirety of last year and absolutely loved it. The shock has a positive and negative spring pressure and when set to factory settings it was mint! I did however have a problem with the air or oil going from one side of the system to the other which made it so the shock was already a few millimeters into the travel (almost like negative travel) removing the air fully from the shock and then adding the proper pressure helped this a bit but the shock for the most part was always sagged a few mm into the travel (essential taking away a bit of travel) for climbing and allround riding I left t wide open at 150mm travel and loved it the 90mm setting was great for long fireroad climbs but in tech climbs leave it open it climbs beautifully. Little bit of a knocking noise develops after riding hard on it but I should have sent the shock in for servicing (as per normal riding wear and tear) my Jekyll was no more than 28lbs!!! And all that changed was Haven wheels and a carbon bar.
  • 1 0
 I have a cannondale claymore., for all the ppl with interrest:

1. you CAN service the shock youself!
2. you MAY have problems getting the seal kit, but all wear is on 3 standard O - rings... just use those from any seal shop...
3. you WILL need a bleeding adapter - I made myself one from a teflon tube... the adaptor will using a srynge bleed the unit.
5. the unit is NOT NITROGEN charged - everyone who thinks so, just thing again!!! there are 2 chambers, a dual positive, a simple negative - bot inflated with air pump.

6. THIS SHOCK is much much easier to service than the equalizer from scott., there is nothing inside... it looks complicated, but isnt that bad at all.

7. dual personality bikes like the jekyll or claymore are the best bikes I have ever ridden in my 20 years in the sport.

enjoy!
  • 8 3
 This is absolutely brilliant.
  • 1 0
 id normally be sceptical about buying a bike that there is only one shock that would fit into the frame... but id actually feel happy with this one, i mean fox is putting out some of the best rear shocks out there and theyre a big enough brand to be able to get any problems with it sorted so id be happy having one of these... but i wouldnt get a frame with an equilizer shock though.. that would worry me too much
  • 1 0
 No offense to this but I had a Jekyll 5 and the suspension went on me after about a year and a half. Had to send it to Cannondale and they sent it to Fox. They completley rebuilt it but I did not get to try it out. I sold the frame, need I say it was a mistake to sell the frame but I knew I could not afford to keep sending it back to Cannondale to get serviced if something went wrong. Though I had a lifetime warranty my waiting on the bike to come back was another storie,. I truly regret and wish I had the Jekyll back. The ride was so plush and the suspension was tits. The only flaw beside sending it back was the switch. I wore it out. Had to replace it and that wait was a minute or two. I would reccomend this bike and trying out this suspension to anyone. I know there are a lot of Cann. haters out there but I am not one of them. I just think they should at least give a better manual on fixing it yourself if something goes wrong. Me now, I ride a Kona and I am happy but not truly like I was with the Jekyll. I will on the other hand look into getting a Entourage or Operator. I have a 2009 Coilair and need I say no more. Don't trust it.. Thanks..
  • 5 1
 You made it 1.5 years between servicing? That is simply neglect, not a product issue.
  • 2 0
 seeing that I didn't really ride it that hard in the begining of the first year , going into the next things just went to shit. I never neglected it. I always serviced it by myself as changing the cables and brake pads and keeping it clean all the time and keeping the chain and the drive straight I pretty much babied this bike. It just started to go down hill with the suspension starting to get loose on the inside..No kind of plushness happened to me. Kept banigng out. No one in town serviced it, not Push or Suspension Experts in Ashville would deal with it. It is not like I didn't take care of this bike, it was 3000 dollars and I was not just going to let it colloect dust when i rode pretty much all the time. I did lot's of upgrades on it like new Rims and a new set of rotors . I loved this bike but I to tell ya the truth could not afford to have it sent off to be serviced ,,,not financialy but the idea that that was the only bike I had at the time . I don't have lot's of cash and I took a lone out on this. It helped my personal life in rideing, made more confident. Once again I did not neglect this bike...The End. EMF
  • 1 0
 Quote @fr3er1d3r: "No hate here. I think yeti even did this a while ago ,with a spring shock though. And yeah that scott feels good! I see their point. I don't see why push is better than pull. Both technologies seem pretty promising. I think when the consumers are closed minded, and an idea just can't sell, great ideas just die. Don't let it just die because you're closed minded. Give it a chance!"

Sure Id love to give it a chance, actually Id love to have it!! Give me some money? Smile
  • 1 0
 Oh boy , I just can't believe how many haters around even if they saw a pull shock only in pictures , what more to say about riding in on a real trail. I've bought myself a month ago a Jekyll 4 alloy and my brother also a Scott Genius LT 40 alloy. I don't consider myself as a real expert but I felt confident in both designs not worrying so much about servicing even if a true shop that could really take it apart is thousands of miles away from me. I've rode them both and I've been really impressed , you only need to set it up right (with a high pressure pump that is delivered with the bike) and it's plush in flow mode and really capable of going uphill with a flick of a switch. Because of the geometry the Genius is more downhill orientated while the Jekyll has a slight advantage going uphill other than that they both ride superb and being able to change the bike characteristics so easy it's something that I would like to see in the future from other manufacturers . Put it straight a basic compression shock will never be capable of offering something similar.
Besides Fox I've seen for 2013 X-fusion is offering something similar for Cannondale lower models.

My 2 c
  • 4 0
 Makes me rethink pull shocks reading that
  • 2 0
 Voullioz always did pretty well on them...
  • 1 0
 But the V process he won most of his races on had a push shock.
  • 4 0
 I'm on the claymore. I love this bike!
  • 2 0
 that makes two of us!
  • 1 0
 seems awesome and does something I was just saying I wanted the other day: allows you to change spring rates. my only concern is about that oil flow: isn't that going to foam up?
  • 2 0
 Has no one addressed the issue of weight? Shock looks chunky. I'm on the border on this one. I'd like to ride a claymore, to me that one looks smart.
  • 1 0
 It's about a pound heavier but Cdale made the frame super light w/ full carbon link. The CCDB Air is also heavy but the benefits outweigh the negatives. My Jekyll has a burly build with Lyrik DH fork, Reverb, Mavic SX wheels and weighs about 28lbs.
  • 1 1
 Weight is low and centralized. You will barely feel it if at all compared to other designs.
  • 1 0
 Nothing like a special fitment to lock you in forever. Specialized tried to do this a few years back with a 22mm axle and fork if I remember. I dont see any 22mm wheels or forks anymore..do you?
  • 1 0
 Don't depressurize the positive chamber. It contaminates the air sections with oil. You have the keep the positive pressure above 100 psi. This is all in the manual.
  • 1 0
 can you send me a link to the manual
  • 6 3
 uhm, it's not kashima coated, I don't want it.
  • 8 1
 Omg, few idiots can't see sarcasm. Nice.
  • 1 0
 So they create something that is very similar as a coil spring,Why not use a coil spring than.
  • 1 0
 I strongly advise to give it a try. My Cannondale Claymore is pure awesomeness on wheels.
  • 5 3
 isnt this a bit overengineered?
  • 10 2
 Could be, regardless it's the technical progression that's important. If people weren't willing to design something new and fancy, we would probably still be using steel tubed frames on all bikes.
  • 2 0
 Nowt wrong with a bit of steal kidda, used in the correct circumstances of course
  • 3 1
 Interesting, but what about service costs and difficulty of the service?
  • 5 3
 It's a brilliant shock, utterly amazing. But yes you have to send it off to Mojo or Fox because it's nitrogen charged. Meaning it'll probably explode in your face if you mess with it at home. So thats more expensive! Unfortunately
  • 2 0
 I sended mine to Fox last year and a complete service with all bushings and seals change was around 150$.
  • 1 0
 I think shouldn't be here as a big problem because from new you got warranty 1year minimum,after 1 year if you send this to authorised Fox for service you will be offered to pay once a year as extension of warranty (possibility extended up to 5 years). I know because OC Tuning do this and this is best option.I paid myself for my talas 100 euros a year and fork could be servised or inspected any time Smile
  • 1 0
 longer service life is a bid boys since normal fox shocks need to be sent back for repairs twice a year if you go by the book.
  • 1 0
 make that big bonus. not bid boys :-)
  • 2 0
 detroit1: I can not agree, you have guarantee for the shock only, not including seals (90 days) and Fox wants service after 30 hours. So in real life the guarantee is fine only if you smash the shock somehow. . And I am not talking about guarantee, talking about service which is paid or can be done at home - if you have all you need and here you simply need more seals at least Smile

100 euros for fork and 100 for shock, one week without bike (but I like this kind of service, no one offers this here, you mean it can be done for example 3 times a year still in that price you paid as an extension?) - No, thanks. I prefer stuff I can care at home.

Few months ago when I did service on my fork - 36 float fit RC2 I realized that the oil types and levels was wrong - just switched - so in air chamber was about 40ml of 10wt oil, and in bottoms was about 5ml of float fluid in each leg - completely reversed than it should be.

That is another reason I rather do these things on my own. To be sure it is done right.
Nobody wants a bike which needs formula 1 pit-stop, so that makes me curious how it is about this shock.
  • 1 0
 I just mean simple is nice
  • 1 1
 There is no difference in cost between servicing a DYAD shock and any other Fox shock.
  • 1 0
 Jekylls are great I don't know anything I could say is bad on them I love mine
  • 1 0
 Wouldn't imagine this would be cross country applicable, ...weight?
  • 1 0
 Check out the Trigger it's a 120/70 mm travel in a super lightweight package. About the weight...I have a spare Claymore dyad(the biggest one) here but no scale to weight it. I would say it's roughly twice the weight of a regular Fox RP3 rear shock but again, I don't have a scale to confirm :s
  • 1 0
 Nice shock. Can I mount this to my old scwinn straight 6?
  • 1 0
 looks like a nightmare to rebuild
  • 1 1
 Scott's equalizer pull shock is wayyyy plusher than this design. I love my genius lt. 185mm travel @ 30lbs!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Proprietary shocks, no, but thanks, no.
  • 1 0
 I love my Carbon Jekyll...the DYAD and Jekyll owns.
  • 1 0
 Love cannondale for this, always going there on way!
  • 1 0
 could make an old Schwinn straight 6 into a rad 1x10 all mt machine
  • 1 1
 The 2stage was the same theory wasnt it? That DIDNT work
  • 2 1
 Technically this is not a shock. Its a damper using the damping media air as energy storage for various reasons this is still not a great idea. A true shock separates energy storage/release (spring) and damping (oil, nitrogen or air).

This thing here just does a little bit of everything and in the sum sort of kinda feels like shockynessy.. Apart from that - the dials wont do much for a consistent feeling. Because of the heating.

Also I dont think overheating is an issue in a cc bike. They spend most of their time on carracks anyways.
  • 1 1
 is this more similar to elastomeric suspension, or does it feel similar to elastomer when riding?
  • 1 0
 @iceage: Like one partyballon with air next to anotherone filled with water...
  • 1 0
 Good Stuff, I like mine.
  • 1 3
 This is ridiculous, No other performance suspension, in any form, uses a pull shock. Its over complicated with no real world benefits.
  • 1 1
 Tell that to the EWS champion.
  • 1 1
 Im sure the rear shock is the reason they are champion. They probably would have finished last with a standard push shock.
  • 1 1
 explain how "this is ridiculous". my point is that clearly it isn't ridiculous if its winning races. he won the EWS overall before the last race. idiot
  • 1 2
 I think my first comment sums it up nicely. There is no real world benefits to having a pull shock and they actually create more stress on the frames. No performance suspension in any other application uses a pull shock because they simply don make sense when compared to a push shock. People win races because they train hard and are more skilled athletes then other people. They equipment they ride has very little to do with it. They would win regardless. People are winning championships on Suntour forks, that doesnt mean they are the best fork made.
  • 5 7
 Cannonfail. Toss this with the lefty and stare at the uglyness in awe. I predict this to be total garbage.
  • 4 1
 Nice story bro.
  • 1 2
 Lefty ain't bad.
  • 1 0
 this shock makes a ton of sense, but it won't catch on. too much changes from the mainstream.
  • 2 4
 Looks like a trek session
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