Newbie to MTB/trail riding - question about coil vs air shocks

[Jaz]

I'm getting closer to buying my first proper MTB. I popped round to Mellow Velo today and spoke to Wesley, great chap! 

My budget is around R12k (bike only) I'm keen on the Titan Rogue Sport, since it has air shocks and the brand itself seems to be great value for money. Of course, any other reputable brand in the same price range will be considered. 

Both my wrists have been broken in the past, one hand has no cartilage and screws, while the other only has screws extra. I've been cleared by the surgeon to ride cycles. Wesley recommended the air shocks, to lessen the impact of terrain and vibrations on my hands. I'm looking at doing road/trail rides, not bliksem down a mountain jumping over rocks and stray animals.  

Is there really such a big difference, in your own experience, between the two shock types? Or do I save R2k and go for a Scott-type cycle?

[Martin PJ]

Must have air fork, preferably Rockshox or Fox. Manitou is also OK. The rest of the bike you can upgrade as you break it or wear it out.

[Rolf Hansen]

The Titan Rogue Sport comes with a Suntour Raidon from what I can tell which is pretty good by most accounts. Better than the entry level Rockshox air forks. 

The Titan looks like a good deal. 

[robbybzgo]

I suggest that you hire a bike first of similar specifications (often the shop will have a demo bike) and test out your wrists/hands for one to one and a half hours of the bumping and shaking that you get while riding on a normal MTB track. This should help you figure out what fork night be suitable and if your hands can take the pounding. Road riding might be an option for you...

[Gerhard765]

Without going in to too much details -  Generally an air shock is better than coil shock. Such that a bottom of the range air shock out-perform a top of the range coil shock (dont even know if there is something like a top of the range coil shock anymore).

Brands do play a factor - Rockshox and Fox is what I would typically consider. I see that more and more of the entry level bikes are using SR suntour shocks. If these come with a decent warranty and you can just check some reviews it is worth giving it a shot. As you say you are not looking for very rough terrain.

My first bike had a coil shock (Rockshox Tora if i recall) which seized up totally after about 6 months of fairly intensive riding on the local trails in Pretoria. Might be an isolated case, i don't know.

I would also support robbybzgo's recommendation.

 

Edited October 22, 2021 by Gerhard765

[Steady Spin]

19 minutes ago, Gerhard765 said:

Generally an air shock is better than coil shock. Such that a bottom of the range air shock out-perform a top of the range coil shock

 

Errrr

Does you bottom of the range airshock come with HSC or LSC control, rebuildable dampers etc?

Show me an entry level air fork that is better than a Marzocchi Z1 coil please. 

 

[Gerhard765]

13 minutes ago, Steady Spin said:

Errrr

Does you bottom of the range airshock come with HSC or LSC control, rebuildable dampers etc?

Show me an entry level air fork that is better than a Marzocchi Z1 coil please. 

 

Not familiar with Marzocchi's, will definitely check it out. - Ok i honestly did not think you could buy an oil shock for almost 20k. Seems that oils shock are more in use than i believe(d).

I maybe should have elaborated/ mentioned that the statement is made  with reference to what the OP requires for the budget he has available and what is generally available in shops./

Edited October 22, 2021 by Gerhard765

[Steady Spin]

1 minute ago, Gerhard765 said:

Not familiar with Marzocchi's, will check it out.

Or with any top end coil forks

[Mamil]

Point is at this end of the market the coil shocks are inferior in terms of performance and I would also suggest in terms of durability. If I were buying at this level I would definitely throw in a little extra to get the air fork. You probably won't notice the difference on tar or gravel but as soon as it gets bumpy you will. 

[Rolf Hansen]

13 hours ago, Martin PJ said:

Must have air fork, preferably Rockshox or Fox. Manitou is also OK. The rest of the bike you can upgrade as you break it or wear it out.

Heck if I could choose it would preferably be Ohlins. 

I am also quite disappointed that my Manitou is just OK. Here I was thinking my fork is great.

[Rolf Hansen]

2 minutes ago, Mamil said:

Point is at this end of the market the coil shocks are inferior in terms of performance and I would also suggest in terms of durability. If I were buying at this level I would definitely throw in a little extra to get the air fork. You probably won't notice the difference on tar or gravel but as soon as it gets bumpy you will. 

In terms of performance but surely not in terms of durability? I am pretty sure there are hundreds of thousands of coil forks out there that have never been serviced and still work (as poorly) as on day one.

[Steady Spin]

The problem with entry level coil is the lack of being to dial the sag in correctly. Air makes that so much easier. 

In terms of performance... Not sure you will notice the difference if you could dial it in the same. 

Both will lack possibly lock-out, compression damping adjustment. Basic rebound adjustment (if any) and largely non-serviceable components past the normal strip, clean, lube part. 

I would however still settle on air. 

[Mamil]

23 minutes ago, Rolf Hansen said:

In terms of performance but surely not in terms of durability? I am pretty sure there are hundreds of thousands of coil forks out there that have never been serviced and still work (as poorly) as on day one.

Not sure - my sample size of n=2 suggests that on the entry coils everything else is entry level too - both the bikes I'm thinking of had rust on the stanchions and felt very much as if the internals weren't working well after a relatively short period of time.

Thinking about it now it seems that as soon as you get into the mid level of the market the coils disappear in favour of air until again at the higher end they reappear again. 

 

[Mamil]

@JazI would also say that buying entry level I would stretch the budget as far as it can go because almost everyone who picks up this sport (myself included) starts out with a cheapo bike and very very very soon ends up flogging that one for an upgrade. 

My first one was an entry level with a coil and if I could talk to that oke I would say forget this one - stretch to the mid level and save yourself some bucks.

[Rolf Hansen]

2 minutes ago, Mamil said:

@JazI would also say that buying entry level I would stretch the budget as far as it can go because almost everyone who picks up this sport (myself included) starts out with a cheapo bike and very very very soon ends up flogging that one for an upgrade. 

My first one was an entry level with a coil and if I could talk to that oke I would say forget this one - stretch to the mid level and save yourself some bucks.

I agree with this 100%. I bought a Silverback Stride MD with a Zoom coil fork, mechanical disc brakes and Shimano Tourney and believed it would be more than enough. I probably had it for 2 or 3 months before I started looking for something else.

[Chadvdw67]

13 minutes ago, Mamil said:

@JazI would also say that buying entry level I would stretch the budget as far as it can go because almost everyone who picks up this sport (myself included) starts out with a cheapo bike and very very very soon ends up flogging that one for an upgrade. 

My first one was an entry level with a coil and if I could talk to that oke I would say forget this one - stretch to the mid level and save yourself some bucks.

THIS, I did EXACTLY the same thing, first bike was a budget R8k bike 3 years ago, 2 weeks later I sold it and got a better bike, and then 2 months later I sold that to get a dual sus, and then 3 months later sold that to upgrade again.....

 

Not saying a dual sus is the be all and all, but I messed my back up many years ago and the dual sus makes riding much more enjoyable for me, I tried a hardtail again 3 weeks ago, because I love hardtails, but it left me with serious back pain for a week after, so it was sold off again

Edited October 22, 2021 by Chadvdw67
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