The Kitsuma shock is the newest addition to Cane Creek's lineup, building on the framework that was laid by the previous Double Barrel Air and Coil models.
The shock's basic layout is the same – it still uses a twin-tube design and still features externally adjustable high- and low-speed compression and rebound, but now there's no need to bust out a mini-tool for trailside tuning sessions. Instead, four golden dials make tool-free adjustments possible, and there's also a three-position lever that's used to firm up the shock for climbing.
Kitsuma Details• Twin-tube design
• Air and coil options available
• Adjustments: high and low-speed rebound and compression, 3 position climb lever
• Weight: 600 grams (210 x 55mm)
• MSRP: $700 USD
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www.canecreek.com The shock is available in an eyelet mounted version in 210, 230, and 250mm lengths, or a trunnion mounted version in 185, 205, or 225mm lengths. The air version reviewed here is priced at $700 USD, while the coil option is $670 USD, without a spring.
What's New?Cane Creek did more than just slap some shiny new dials on the previous Double Barrel and call it good – several updates were applied to the internals as well. The shaft diameter has been increased to 9.5mm on both air and coil options, and there's a new main piston design, a new oil seal head, and larger shaft quad rings for improved reliability.
Externally, the reservoir tube length has been trimmed by 16mm, and the air can now has a tapered shape that helps ensure the Kitsuma will fit on as many bikes as possible.
One thing that hasn't changed is the fact that Cane Creek wants riders to take their shock to an authorized service center when it needs a rebuild – they unfortunately still don't offer any manuals or instructional videos that would allow home mechanics to take matters into their own hands.
AdjustmentsLow-speed rebound and compression each get their own smaller dial, with 11 possible positions, or almost one full revolution - the range for the dial is from about 5 o'clock to 7 o'clock. The fact that it's not a complete rotation makes it possible to quickly see where your settings are, similar to the volume dial on a stereo. The larger two dials provide high-speed rebound and compression adjustments, with 14 possible positions, or two full rotations.
The external adjustments are a handy change, but I was a little frustrated by the difference in the amount of force it took to turn each dial. The low-speed compression and high-speed rebound dials took a decent amount of effort to turn, while the other two rotated much more smoothly.
My ideal scenario would have all of the dials rotate smoothly, with a distinct 'click' between each position. That's not the case here, and while it's nice to be able to have easy access to all those adjustments, there's still room for improvement.
I don't have any gripes about the climb lever – the middle position firms things up nicely for off-road riding by closing off the low-speed compression circuit, and the firmest position closes off both the high- and low-speed compression circuits to lock the shock out almost completely, a setting that's best suited for riding on pavement or smooth fire roads.
Reducing the air volume to increase the amount of end-stroke ramp-up is a relatively easy procedure. Once the air is let out of the shock all you need to do is remove an o-ring and then slide the air can down. Cane Creek provides rubber volume spacers that can be trimmed to meet a rider's needs. I'm still partial to the plastic volume reducers that Fox or RockShox use, but Cane Creek's solution does the trick, albeit with a more homemade feel to it.
PerformanceA Commencal Meta TR served as the test sled for the Kitsuma over the course of the last three months, with several rounds of back-to-back testing added into the mix. The Meta uses a 210 x 55mm shock for its 140mm of travel, which I inflated to 150psi for 25% sag.
After my first shakedown ride, I installed one volume reducer to increase the amount of end stroke ramp-up and ended up sticking with that setting for the rest of the test period. I was still able to use full travel when necessary, but there wasn't any harshness when I reached the end of the stroke.
Although Cane Creek touts the extra-wide range of adjustments available on the Kitsuma, I did find myself running into some limitations. I had to run the low-speed rebound fully open to get the shock to return fast enough for my tastes, and I likely would have sped things up even further if possible. According to Cane Creek, this has been adjusted, and the latest run of shocks should give riders access to faster rebound speeds. That change should also help make the high speed rebound dial a little easier to turn, which would take care of one of my gripes.
I also ended up running the low-speed compression all the way open, and at times it still felt like I was a click or two away from where I wanted to be. Bigger hits and higher speed impacts were dispatched without any trouble; it was at slower speeds in slippery conditions when I found myself wanting the rear wheel to get out of the way a little more easily. Granted, I'm not the heaviest rider out there at 160 pounds, and I'd imagine bigger riders will likely have a wider range of adjustments to work with.
Overall, while the on-trail feel was a little more heavily damped than I would have preferred, I did appreciate the Kitsuma's composure on rougher, chunkier trails. The Meta TR is really an enduro bike disguised as a trail bike, and the Kitsuma felt well suited to its trail manners, remaining consistent and predictable no matter how long the descent.
As far as reliability goes, I haven't reached the 100-hour mark yet, but so far there haven't been any issues. It's still operating smoothly, free of any disconcerting squelching noises or excess oil seepage.
How Does It Compare?The Kitsuma took the place of the 2021 Fox Float X2 that came stock on the Meta TR, a shock that I've been extremely happy with. Did the Kitsuma offer anything that the X2 didn't? Time to find out.
Weight: The Kitsuma gets the point here, with a weight that's 50 grams lighter than the Float X2.
Price: The Float X2 comes in at $30 USD less than the Kitsuma.
Adjustments: Both shocks offer the same number and type of external adjustments, but I was happier with the range and on-trail feel of the X2 compared to the Kitsuma. Yes, two hex keys are required to adjust the X2, but I actually prefer having clearly defined 'clicks' and being able to easily keep track of my settings. I know that's not the case for everyone, so if you'd rather have tool-free dials the Kitsuma might be the ticket.
Fitment: The tapered air can on the Kitsuma does allow for more frame clearance compared to the Float X2, which means that compatibility issues are less likely and, in some cases, it'll also provide a little extra water bottle clearance.
Climb switch: Larger air shocks like the Kitsuma and X2 tend to be a little more eager to sink into their travel during pedaling, which is why it's nice to have a climb switch within easy reach. I was happy with the middle position on both shocks – it firmed things up enough to minimize bobbing while still providing traction for tricker sections of trail. The Kitsuma does have that third extra-firm position, one that I didn't end up using that much, but Cane Creek has you covered if you're on the hunt for a DH-worthy shock that has a fully locked out position.
Bottom out resistance: Both shocks handle big hits well, but I'm giving this one to the Float X2. Its bottom-out bumper lets it sink deep into its travel and then recover without missing a beat, similar to the way a trophy truck sticks to the ground when it lands and then continues onward at mach chicken.
Pros
+ Air can and reservoir shape provides more room for frame and water bottle clearance.
+ No tools required to access most adjustments
+ Consistent, well damped performance
Cons
- Low-speed compression range may not be wide enough for lighter riders
- Some of the dials are hard to turn, and the indexing is hard to feel
Pinkbike's Take | The Kitsuma does a great job of muting bigger hits, especially on high speed, chunky terrain, and it offers a wide array of effective adjustments that are easy to access. For constant tinkerers, having all of those potential settings at their fingertips is going to be a big plus. I do think that the execution of the new dials could be better, and the range of those adjustments may not be large enough for lighter riders - given the price tag I'd like all of the details to be taken care of. — Mike Kazimer |
Also put a dead otter I found in his toilet.
But then i guess if you can afford to pay for one of these new and don't inherit it on a second hand bike then you can afford to send it off to be serviced.
Pay people what their time, energy & skills deserve, not what some person who paid $650 "thinks" someone else is worth because of corporate greed and stock buybacks that feed false earnings and give CEO's huge bonuses.
I've rebuilt several DB Air shocks with seals purchased from theoringstore. Frankly, with the reputation that Cane Creek has for rear shocks, I just stopped buying them. Why would I want to spend two weeks off my bike in the middle of summer when my shock blows out, when I can buy literally any other brand and have spare parts sitting on my work bench and be back up in less than a day?
If I so much as lift a finger to work on my suspension, crap is gonna hit the fan like cow pies in a wood chipper.
Good on you for working on your own stuff. Welcome to the club I can never join.
@mikekazimer I'm glad to finally find a proper review of this, it'd be good to see more shock reviews on PB if possible. Can I ask you the same question as above - does it basically feel like a DBair?
Suspension without a service PDF is just a waste of time for me.
Spare parts are sure rare for that. I dunno why you would want a product of you can't do a simple service your self.
If you riding hard and every week your suspension need service every month or two.
I won't waste time with service centers and DHL...
So many of us expect suspension to just do it’s job without batting an eye, yet it’s the most abused piece of equipment we’ve got. I do agree, having service documents would be nice and that’s a bid downfall.
At the end of the day, we won’t know how this shock performs unless it has been ridden a fair amount, even past service intervals etc.
And for this shock, Cane Creek needs to bring something better to the table than an X2-better price, easier to service, better performance.......something!!
Considering the purpose of this shock, I’d say a lockout would be at the bottom of my wish list.
Can say the same for Fox who serviced a shock quickly & with better than expected service...and again, I was not the most deserving of customer.
Was also treated as exceptionally well by Ohlins in a second hand owner situation. Yet again, not the most deserving of customer.
US based service centers for all 3 brands have been respectful, accommodating and reasonable in their responses and skills. Just want to put that bit of positivityout there.
.
You can either cut the line or get in it. Right now, you'd have to cut the line at risk of being mauled by the horde.
I’ve found rideable on double-blacks at 230 riding weight. But I hate having to ship it out for service.
Obviously I'm not alone in that
-So you're saying we need to pay attention to the serial number of the shock we're buying?
Also, the lockout is really great on this shock. When you can't climb singletrack and have to take the gravel road, it's great to save your legs. A little surprised this feature gets so glossed over here... To have a proper enduro worthy shock that can also almost totally lock out is pretty trick engineering - nice work CC!
Where were the lap times, where was just pure damping quality? I don’t care about adjusters being weird, I want great performance!
I put a Cane Creek DB Inline Air on my Tallboy because a Pinkbike review claimed it was maybe an improvement to a short travel bike. The change was unreal! And I came from a custom valved (Lower end) Fox shock. It’s a totally different bike..
Seems there are some products that these guys test that will get an ambiguous review. No matter how good.
If I'd been comparing it to a Monarch RT3, well, I would have been much more impressed.
I scoured Pinkbike for opinion before taking that plunge, and after sifting though pro’s and con’s of both in tests, it was a video of downhillers asked for their opinion on carbon vs alloy that did it.
In the case of this Cane Creek, I was hoping to see how the damping quality held up against the equivalent Fox shock. After this test, I’d be no closer to choosing one over the other..
My Inline Air simply had much finer valving resolution and that twin tube design. Something no amount of revealing that cheap Fox it replaced could compete with. Though Pinkbike was good enough to show that this is a real twin tube shock for XC travel bikes, but I waited until I found one for half price before taking that plunge. Wish I didn’t wait..
Although there was the recent downhill fork comparison. Now that’s what I’m talking about! I’d know what I’m getting into, and what I can do with it.
If I knew that outside tire knobs were doing nothing for me because my 21mm ID rims were rounding my Damphs too far in, I wouldn’t have waited 5 years for the rim swap either. That, plus the compliance of aluminum, changed my world. I still need to pull out volume spacers since the swap!
To give you a positive example, I was describing the feel of my Zeb to a pal the other day and I referred to what I think was a description from your review that it felt like there was memory foam on the trail.
More of that kind of thing please.
Also - does this shock feel the same as the DBair?
I own the coil kitsuma and it performs really well. Sure there are other great options out there but after riding this shock I have not found a single reason to replace it.
Insert Bevis & Butthead sn*ggers>>
The coil fits just at the limit of the preload space, lucky me!
I enjoyed the close position on the long tarmac uphill. But when started the descent I immediately feel the overdamped nature if this shock. Probably is because it’s new so it needs to break trough. But extremely harsh, the back was popping here and there with not much compliance. Compression knobs all the way open, slow speed reb one click from open, high speed reb 1/4 of turn from fully open.
The situation is extremely bad compared to the old CCDB coil I need to test it out again and probably having some hours on it but so far I’m disappointed.
I also want to check the pressure on the piggy back by, it could be too high. I’ll give you some update.
Posted this on an article about stolen UK bikes. Just gona carry on posting to raise awareness. Please help....
Hey PB how about doing a Weekley post of stolen bikes to help your readers and raise awareness? Had my 7k Ransom stolen and I'm livid Frown The current situation is getting worse and we need to help each other and raise awareness. Anywa, here's a copy of my stolen listing for any UK folk to be aware off. Please like and bump up to the top to help me x
Stolen from Whalley Range Manchester 17.11.20
Scott Ransom 2019 920 heavily modified
Unfortunately I didn’t take a pic after I completed this build. But it was caught in photos of other parts as pictured.
It is the 2019 920 but with the silver/raw finish of the same 2020 one.
I had the horrible sand/brown/orange paint stripped and the bike clear coated.
So it has no branding either but it does have this protective vinyl skin www.dyedbro.com/products/viking
If anyone has done the same to their ransom, please show me pics that I can use to post.
Look out for any shoddy sprayed ransoms. I imagine they will probably strip and sell the parts and maybe respray the frame to sell later as that’s the most traceable
Serial no GW1805288
Full spec
Large Scott Ransom 920 Bike (acid dipped and clear coated for the raw/silver finish)
FOX Nude T EVOL (I upgraded this to the kashima factory version and removed the branding)
FOX 36 Factory kashima Grip2 170mm black (removed the branding and with a oneup axle and oneup edc steerer tool with threaded steerer)
Hope silver ZS44/56 headset
ULTIMATE USE Vyce 40mm stem
Spank vibrocore bars
Ergon GD1 black grips
Shimano m8120 XT 4pot brakes
Shimano m8000 XT gears with a e13 9-46t cassete
Shimano RT86 203mm rotors with sliver Ti bolts
Race face atlas black 165mm crankset with a 32t chainring
Front wheel: Spank vibrocore 29er rim on a black hope pro 4 boost hub Magic Mary 2.35 soft orange grip
Rear wheel: Spank Vibrocore 650b rim on a spank spike XD hub Rock Razor 2.35 soft orange grip
Oneup V2 210 dropper with the new shimano lever
SDG YT saddle
DMR Vault pedals
Hope pressfit BB
Thanks in advance. Rewards for info btw.
It's way easier with dials. You can take a picture, or just reference a clockface in your notes. Numbers of clicks or "time" on the dials, either way still gotta record some numbers. At least with dials you don't have to reset back to zero in order to verify, so arguably the dials are actually much much easier to keep track of.
The desire for clicks is preference, but ease of keeping track is no contest, dials win.
Usually the companies that don’t offer manuals and parts are covering for “running changes” on the assembly line.
They find a problem and fix it quietly, but they don’t want the consumers who have purchased previous generations to know. The cane creek in-line had a crazy amount of changes, and even authorized service centers couldn’t get current parts. Recalls only happen for safety issues. If it’s a problem that just makes the product fail they don’t tell you.
Would this CC fit ? Anyone got some info, please ?
Those frames were super fragile. The lower end versions of the same frames built by Merida were way, way better. And now Merida builds all of the frames for Big S (they are part owners).
I’ll even say (as someone who occasionally turns wrenches at my local shop) that the quality of Huffy bikes got massively better when they went to overseas production.
I have no problem paying extra for 1st world manufacturing, but when the quality is worse, that’s a non starter.
I’m pretty brand agnostic, but they’re on the shortlist for my next bike.
"...Our components are hand built and assembled in Colorado in small batches..."
Serviceability at home, damping, lack of IFP chamber, tunability and much better climb switch (keeps you riding higher with less sag with CS engaged) puts all these ridiculously overpriced shocks to shame.
BTW - You sure did get quite a few upvotes. Imagine if FOX or RS had a similar feature.
However, I'm actually quite amused by all the downvotes. In what world was this design and engineering acceptable? Turn a knob too much and ruin the low speed tuning capability. Yeah, great product i'll take two. I'm unaware of any other shock that had a similar flaw. Furthermore if you do a quick search you will see many other people with this exact issue. So there you go, downvote this.
-Fox Float X2 Factory (Performace is cheaper) same price with better resale
-Rockshox Super Deluxe Ultimate $200 cheaper
-DVO Topaz T3 $200 cheaper
-Manitou Mara $120 cheaper
-Suntour TriAir $425 and usually with a 10% off deal
All of these options perform equal / better than the Cane Creek and are ALL lighter except the X2.
in the UK X2 £749 vs £629 for the Kitsuma shock
DHX2 is £689
Valt springs are £55 compared to £160 for the SLS
People can pay whatever they want for a product-Like most people buying MTB products, I'm only going to pay significantly more for something if it offers significantly more value as defined above. The Kitsuma doesn't do that...so for ME-No Thanks.