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I've a factory CTD Kashima shock on my Cube Stereo 29er and it's plushness is not worth its lack of any mid-stroke support.
I've looked at getting it tuned or replacing it, but it's hard deciphering magazine quasi-marketing style reviews or fanboy posts from people who're basing their comparisons on shocks they had 10 years ago that fell apart so they'll never go back to manufacturer x, y or z.
As a hotbed of tinkering, component swapping and general n+1ery, I thought the denizens of STW might offer some suggestions.
I think the leverage rate of the stereo is reasonably linear or maybe a touch regressive which is maybe why I'm blowing through travel.
I'm considering monarchs (plus might be a bit to active given its high volume?) , float dps or ccdb inline. Bos Vip'r and Kirks are a bit pricey.
Anyone have riding impressions of a couple of these shocks?
I hear an also guess that the Vipr should offer good midstroke and is the simplest of the shocks for adjustments.
Can't stop however thinking it's the CCDB inline shock you're needing though after like you say magazine marketing hype.
I have no experience of either, but just make do with my RPL shock and pump more psi in to counteract the unwanted blow through travel feeling, but guessing I can get away with that as the suspension system I use is very active in the initial stages of compression anyway.
This info probably won't help much, ahhhh **** it if Bos forks are anything to go by, I would choose a VIPr.
i had a similar issue to you (same shock different bike). The CTD felt great just riding along and on tame trails and even going downhill in a straight line but as soon as i pushed it hard especially into corners it seem to go missing, quite disconcerting. I considered getting it PUSHed but then saw a great deal on a BNIB CCDB inline on here that was the right size for my bike and went for that. It a totally different story now. A lot more control. Setup takes a bit of time but its worth it for the additional support
I hated the CTD I had on an Ariel 16x, it had almost no compression damping at all and felt like a spring had been bolted to the frame. I had it push tuned at TF, which improved it immensely. I still prefer the 2013 rc3 plus. I say the 2013 as i also tried a 2015 debonair plus and didn't like it as much, less support in the middle of the travel.
Of course YMMV, and I will qualify all that by saying that I seem to like my suspension more highly damped than most.
CCDB inline, check out the reviews there are some reliability issues at the moment
Just buy some volume spacers and you'll be right: http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/fox-air-spring-volume-tuning-kit-id74260.html?gclid=CLiyo67hgMgCFdXGGwodtF0BNg
I run the second largest one in mine and it's solved the problem of blowing through its travel. Shock is now nice and sensitive to start and ramps up without bottoming out.
as Trailride Jim says, get the volume spacers and install them, makes a world of difference.
Volume spacers and a Vorsprung corset can.
The new air can has a larger negative spring and offers more mid stroke support. I ran my shock (Float X) with the stock can a couple of weeks ago to see if I could tell the difference and it really is huge. The Corset is waaaaaay more supple in the initial stroke and less wallowy in the mid-stroke. Having the larger neg chamber (and therefore a more supple early stroke) lets you use more air in the shock to keep the support, this with some spacers will fix your issues. They about £80 I think and easy to fit at home. TFTuned sell them.
http://vorsprungsuspension.com
I might have a CCDB inline in the size I think you need (200x57) fs in a few weeks if you decide to go for that option.
Its a great shock. I replaced a CTD with it and it's far far better.
Volume spacers and a Vorsprung corset can.The new air can has a larger negative spring and offers more mid stroke support. I ran my shock (Float X) with the stock can a couple of weeks ago to see if I could tell the difference and it really is huge. The Corset is waaaaaay more supple in the initial stroke and less wallowy in the mid-stroke. Having the larger neg chamber (and therefore a more supple early stroke) lets you use more air in the shock to keep the support, this with some spacers will fix your issues.
I did the same with a Fox Evol air can retrofitted to a Fox Float CTD shock. I had previously put in a larger air volume spacer than supplied as stock on my Radon Slide, but once the new air sleeve was fitted the extra air in the can meant that I went back to the original spacer. Way better small bump suppleness and mid stroke support.
Cheers folks, seems like volume spacers might be worth a try for a start, then maybe a debonair or a ccdb if no luck.
I've had a fox float ctd factory kashima twice on two different Santa Cruz. One I had custom tuned. Although the custom tune made a difference it didn't make enough of a difference for me. When pushed in more aggressive trails it was all over the place and just shot through the travel to quickly.
I got a CCDBair cs for the first Santa Cruz (Bronson) it was like night and day immediately although it did take quite a bit of setting up. When I got my next Santa Cruz (solo) I thought I'd persevere with the fox shock......that lasted 6 weeks before I gave up and got a CCDB inline. Again, the difference is phenomenal.
My other half has a monarch plus debonair on his newest bike - he's still trying to get it set up correctly 6 weeks on. We've just had it apart tonight to put spacers in so that may solve the issues but again it blows through first part of travel too easily and feels like it wallows.
I've spent years tinkering with suspension and I now have an answer I'm happy with even if it is a but pricy.
Have a look at avalanche suspension. After having poor results getting my Fox dhx 5.0c push'd I took a punt on the avalanche ssv upgrade and I put my trust in Craig. I wasn't disappointed!
The only downside was that the upgrade made my forks feel crap by comparison so I had to get the cartridges for both my Fox 36s.
Now, if speccing a new bike, I just have a look to see what avalanche can upgrade and pick the cheapest/lightest/stiffest chassis that will take a set of avalanche guts.