How much does the coil springs travel measurement matter

[Reme Le Hane]

Recent got a Fox DHX2 with a 550lb spring for my commie which has a 60mm stroke length and noticed that the current spring is a 67mm.

 

Checking Fox’s site I would be better served with a 600lb spring, now I can very easily get my hands on a 47.5-55mm rockshox spring.

 

Assuming it fits, I think fox springs are narrower, would a spring with a shorter stroke rating work, I suppose in turn is having one with a longer rating for any downsides to it.

 

It was setup for my by The Hanger so I’m very confident in the initial setup, but I guess there is some personal tuning to be done. I did notice I can use like 95% of the travel simply seated pedaling with the shock in form mode.

 

TIA.

[Capricorn]

Recent got a Fox DHX2 with a 550lb spring for my commie which has a 60mm stroke length and noticed that the current spring is a 67mm.

 

Checking Fox’s site I would be better served with a 600lb spring, now I can very easily get my hands on a 47.5-55mm rockshox spring.

 

Assuming it fits, I think fox springs are narrower, would a spring with a shorter stroke rating work, I suppose in turn is having one with a longer rating for any downsides to it.

 

It was setup for my by The Hanger so I’m very confident in the initial setup, but I guess there is some personal tuning to be done. I did notice I can use like 95% of the travel simply seated pedaling with the shock in form mode.

 

TIA.

off the top of my head, making the longer spring fit, will effectively be preloading it. If you have a linear rate coil, the preloading won't effect the spring rate. but preload in general makes the shock less compliant wrt small bumps.

Also, if the longer spring has more turns with the same gauge wire, then it will reduce available travel negating any end of stroke compliance available via the bump-stop, assuming the shock has one.

[droo]

A longer stroke spring is fine if it fits without needing to be compressed. A shorter stroke spring will coil bind before the shock reaches the end of its stroke, which is not ideal.