Leave bike geeks alone long enough with the right tools and raw materials, and they’re bound to come up with something awesome. That seems to be the genesis of Cane Creek’s latest shock. As the story goes, the DBcoil IL is the result of their Design Engineer’s tinkering after wanting a shock that rode like something for DH but without the weight penalty. Initially the project was a non-starter – that was until Brandon Blakely took it upon himself to pursue it in his spare time. Part of their ‘design what they want to ride’ philosophy, Brandon hand made some parts for a standard Inline damper along with a new outer damper tube and shaft to use a coil spring.
After a series of refinements and testing, the shock is ready for prime time. Who is it for? Cane creek says the shock is perfect for those looking for a DH ride who don’t need the heat dissipation of a piggy back reservoir. Or, anyone who shreds trail somewhere like Asheville…
Essentially a slimmed down DH shock, the DBcoil IL builds on an Inline twin tube damper and offers the same 4 way high/low speed rebound/compression adjustment found on their other Double Barrel shocks. The shock also includes Cane Creek’s effective Climb Switch for when you have to pedal up to get down. Removing the piggy back not only makes the shock lighter, but also makes it slimmer and able to fit in more frames.
![DBcoil [IL] vert white bg](https://bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DBcoil-IL-vert-white-bg.jpg)
When combined with their new VALT light weight springs, the DBcoil IL is roughly 333g lighter than a comparable DH shock. The damper alone comes in at 285g (216 x 63mm), while much of the weight savings will come from the VALT spring. Still a steel spring, the VALT just uses a high performance steel alloy which puts it somewhere between a standard steel and titanium spring in terms of weight. Offered in a number of sizes, VALT springs will fit many other shocks as well, though some may require nylon adapter clips due to the larger diameter. Weights for the VALT springs are claimed to be 50-211g depending on the stroke/rate.
DBcoil IL shocks will be available both standard and Metric sizes and are available now from local shops, direct from Cane Creek, or stock on certain Ghost 2017 bikes.
