Aftermarket shock compatibility on 2022 Trek Rail 7?

[Zrt1200]

Hi, can I fit an aftermarket shock in my bike??

I'm on a 2022 Trek Rail 7 size small.

 

[Greg Watts]

Hi, can I fit an aftermarket shock in my bike?? I'm on a 2022 Trek Rail 7 size small.

@Zrt1200 Welcome to the forum. Short answer: yes, you absolutely can fit an aftermarket shock, and there's a decent amount of community experience to draw from.

The 2022 Trek Rail 7 comes stock with a 230x57.5mm rear shock. @Noam confirmed that's the stock size on the medium, and it's the same across the size range including your small. So any 230mm eye-to-eye shock with a 57.5mm stroke is a direct swap. The stock unit on the Rail 7 is a RockShox Deluxe Select+, which is perfectly functional but not exactly thrilling.

Where it gets interesting is that the Rail frame can handle more stroke than stock. The Gen 4 platform (which your 2022 is) can be overstroked to 230x60mm, and some riders have gone to 230x62.5mm. @Rail7Lou found roughly 5mm clearance on a medium frame at 230x60mm with a RockShox Vivid, and a 60mm stroke gives you approximately 155-156.5mm rear travel versus the stock ~150mm. Worth noting though that @Tone461 had a wheel contact the seat tube at 65mm travel on a medium with a 27.5 wheel using a DVO Jade X, so clearance on your small frame is something you'd want to check carefully before going beyond 60mm.

For specific shock options that owners have fitted successfully: the Fox Float X 230x57.5mm is a straightforward swap. The DVO Jade X in 230x60mm has been fitted by several Rail owners. The Ohlins TTX22m.2 coil is another option that's been confirmed to fit. If you fancy coil, the Marzocchi Bomber CR is worth a look as well, since the difference between 57.5, 60, and 65mm stroke versions is just an external limiter rather than a different shaft and body, which gives you flexibility.

One thing to bear in mind: if you do go to 60mm stroke for extra travel, @slartibartfast reckoned the 60mm stroke pairs better with a 170mm fork rather than the stock 160mm, to keep the geometry balanced. Not essential, but worth considering down the line.

Since you're on a small frame, clearances will be slightly different to what medium and large owners report. I'd recommend measuring carefully at full compression before committing to anything beyond 57.5mm stroke. What are you hoping to improve with the swap: more plushness, better bottom-out support, or just fancier internals?

 

[Zrt1200]

@Zrt1200 Welcome to the forum. Short answer: yes, you absolutely can fit an aftermarket shock, and there's a decent amount of community experience to draw from.

The 2022 Trek Rail 7 comes stock with a 230x57.5mm rear shock. @Noam confirmed that's the stock size on the medium, and it's the same across the size range including your small. So any 230mm eye-to-eye shock with a 57.5mm stroke is a direct swap. The stock unit on the Rail 7 is a RockShox Deluxe Select+, which is perfectly functional but not exactly thrilling.

Where it gets interesting is that the Rail frame can handle more stroke than stock. The Gen 4 platform (which your 2022 is) can be overstroked to 230x60mm, and some riders have gone to 230x62.5mm. @Rail7Lou found roughly 5mm clearance on a medium frame at 230x60mm with a RockShox Vivid, and a 60mm stroke gives you approximately 155-156.5mm rear travel versus the stock ~150mm. Worth noting though that @Tone461 had a wheel contact the seat tube at 65mm travel on a medium with a 27.5 wheel using a DVO Jade X, so clearance on your small frame is something you'd want to check carefully before going beyond 60mm.

For specific shock options that owners have fitted successfully: the Fox Float X 230x57.5mm is a straightforward swap. The DVO Jade X in 230x60mm has been fitted by several Rail owners. The Ohlins TTX22m.2 coil is another option that's been confirmed to fit. If you fancy coil, the Marzocchi Bomber CR is worth a look as well, since the difference between 57.5, 60, and 65mm stroke versions is just an external limiter rather than a different shaft and body, which gives you flexibility.

One thing to bear in mind: if you do go to 60mm stroke for extra travel, @slartibartfast reckoned the 60mm stroke pairs better with a 170mm fork rather than the stock 160mm, to keep the geometry balanced. Not essential, but worth considering down the line.

Since you're on a small frame, clearances will be slightly different to what medium and large owners report. I'd recommend measuring carefully at full compression before committing to anything beyond 57.5mm stroke. What are you hoping to improve with the swap: more plushness, better bottom-out support, or just fancier internals?

Thank you for the fast reply. I have already updated the forks to Fox 38's with 170mm travel and after finding the plushness i wanted from the fork i really noticed the rear shock is harsh compared to the forks so i am looking to upgrade.

 

[Greg Watts]

Thank you for the fast reply. I have already updated the forks to Fox 38's with 170mm travel and after finding the plushness i wanted from the fork i really noticed the rear shock is harsh compared to the forks so i am looking to upgrade.

@Zrt1200 That's actually ideal. You've already got the 170mm fork fitted, which means a 230x60mm shock is the natural pairing. As I mentioned, the 60mm stroke works best with a 170mm fork rather than the stock 160mm, so you're already set up for it.

Given you're chasing plushness to match those Fox 38s, here are the options worth considering:

The Fox Float X in 230x60mm would be the air shock of choice. It's a significant step up from the Deluxe Select+ in terms of mid-stroke support and small bump sensitivity, and it keeps things simple as a direct swap. If you want to stay in the Fox ecosystem to match your fork, this is the obvious route.

If you fancy going coil (and coil is where plushness really lives), the DVO Jade X in 230x60mm has been fitted by several Rail owners. Just be aware that on a medium frame, @Tone461 found wheel contact with the seat tube at 65mm stroke with a 27.5 wheel, so sticking to 60mm on your small frame is the sensible call. The Marzocchi Bomber CR is another solid coil option, and there's a neat trick with it: the difference between the 57.5, 60, and 65mm stroke versions is just an external limiter rather than a different shaft and body, so you've got upgrade flexibility built in.

The Ohlins TTX22m.2 coil is the boutique choice if budget isn't a concern. Lovely damper, but you're paying a premium for it.

Since you're on a small frame chasing plushness rather than outright travel, I'd lean towards the Fox Float X 230x60mm as the best balance of improvement and simplicity, or the Bomber CR if you want to try coil without spending Fox Float X money. Either way, 60mm stroke with your 170mm fork will give you roughly 155-156.5mm rear travel and a nicely balanced ride.

I've also got some community data on shock pressures and setup tips for Rail owners if you want help dialling it in once you've picked one.

 

[Zrt1200]

I have decided on Purchasing a DVO Jade X Prime. Is there any bushing or spacers I need to install this??

 

[Greg Watts]

I have decided on Purchasing a DVO Jade X Prime. Is there any bushing or spacers I need to install this??

@Zrt1200 Good choice. There are a couple of things you need to sort out before bolting it on.

First, mounting hardware is not included with the Jade X Prime, and the spring isn't included either, so make sure you've got that ordered separately.

For the hardware itself: the Trek Rail takes 54x10mm at the upper mount and 40x10mm at the lower mount. Those are 10mm bolt sizes, which is worth double-checking against your frame because

eyelet shocks need two sets of hardware, and some bikes use different sizes top and bottom, which yours does. You can buy the correct DVO mounting hardware directly from DVO's site in the sizes you need, or alternatively Offset Bushings sell a Trek Rail specific kit which takes the guesswork out of it.

The DVO shocks use IGUS bushings rather than the metal DU bushings your stock RockShox Deluxe Select+ has.

The Jade comes equipped with IGUS bushings and mounting hardware, and the IGUS bushings contain a dry lubricant so they don't need to be lubricated.

You won't need to reuse the old RockShox hardware, just buy the correct DVO mounting hardware in the Trek Rail sizes.

One thing from our community knowledge worth flagging: @Tone461 found that on a Trek Rail medium with a DVO Jade X, the rebound damper had to be installed backwards. Something to watch out for if the shock body orientation feels awkward during fitting. And don't forget to check clearance at full compression on your small frame before riding, especially if you're going 230x60mm.

 

[Zrt1200]

@Zrt1200 Good choice. There are a couple of things you need to sort out before bolting it on.

First, mounting hardware is not included with the Jade X Prime, and the spring isn't included either, so make sure you've got that ordered separately.

For the hardware itself: the Trek Rail takes 54x10mm at the upper mount and 40x10mm at the lower mount. Those are 10mm bolt sizes, which is worth double-checking against your frame because

eyelet shocks need two sets of hardware, and some bikes use different sizes top and bottom, which yours does. You can buy the correct DVO mounting hardware directly from DVO's site in the sizes you need, or alternatively Offset Bushings sell a Trek Rail specific kit which takes the guesswork out of it.

The DVO shocks use IGUS bushings rather than the metal DU bushings your stock RockShox Deluxe Select+ has.

The Jade comes equipped with IGUS bushings and mounting hardware, and the IGUS bushings contain a dry lubricant so they don't need to be lubricated.

You won't need to reuse the old RockShox hardware, just buy the correct DVO mounting hardware in the Trek Rail sizes.

One thing from our community knowledge worth flagging: @Tone461 found that on a Trek Rail medium with a DVO Jade X, the rebound damper had to be installed backwards. Something to watch out for if the shock body orientation feels awkward during fitting. And don't forget to check clearance at full compression on your small frame before riding, especially if you're going 230x60mm.

What spring rate for 100Kg rider

 

[Greg Watts]

What spring rate for 100Kg rider

@Zrt1200 First thing to clarify: is that 100kg your body weight, or kitted up (helmet, pack, water, etc.)? It matters because the spring rate is based on your ready-to-ride weight. I'll work on the assumption it's body weight, so figure around 105-107kg geared up.

One important note with eMTBs: TF Tuned recommend adding the extra weight of the battery and motor to your rider weight, typically 5-7kg. With the Trek Rail being on the heavier end of the eMTB spectrum, this pushes your effective system weight higher still.

For a 230x60mm shock on the Rail at your weight, you're looking at a 550lb spring as your starting point. That's well supported by community experience: @Rail7Lou runs a 550lb spring on a Vivid Coil at 225lbs (102kg) with full gear and gets 32% sag, which is a very similar weight to yours. @PetrD also found a 700lb spring necessary for a 280lb (127kg) rider, which scales about right.

My honest advice: don't trust the online spring calculators blindly as they don't take enough criteria into account. Contact DVO directly and tell them your ready-to-ride weight, the Trek Rail frame, and the 230x60mm size.

You can call the folks that build, tune, and design these things on the phone and pick their brains.