Hey, I would like to understand what shock can I install on my Trek Rail 7, MY2022 in Size L, aliminium body. I'm looking to replace the stock rockshox deluxe + with something of a higher quality but need to understand about the pig and if it would hit the frame from the different shock models.
Good news on the stock shock at least - the 2022 Rail 7 runs a
RockShox Deluxe Select+, 230mm eye-to-eye x 57.5mm stroke, and that eye-to-eye/stroke combo is the same across the Rail 7 size range, L included.
The 2022 Trek Rail 7 comes stock with a 230x57.5mm rear shock, and that's the stock size across the size range.
So any 230x57.5mm shock is a straight bolt-in. The real question with the Rail isn't stroke length though - it's
piggyback/reservoir height, because that's what actually collides with the downtube on full compression, not the eye-to-eye or stroke number.
A few things worth knowing before you buy:
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Overstroking is common. Riders regularly run 60mm (with a shim/spacer removed) for roughly 155-156mm rear travel, and some push to 62.5mm for ~163mm - but clearance gets tighter the further you go, and it's frame-size dependent.
The clearance is incredibly tight on the stock 57.5mm shock, therefore stroke lengths greater than 57.5mm are not achievable without an alternative air or coil shock.
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Reservoir height is the real fitment variable. Fox Float X2/DHX2 have a tall can (roughly 87mm from eyelet centre) and are the tightest fit; Öhlins TTX22 (~42mm) and DVO Jade X (~73mm) are far more forgiving.
The Fox DHX2 has the same 87.1mm high control/reservoir/piggyback as the Float X2, and that same measurement on the Ohlins TTX22 is only 42mm, and Jade X 73mm.
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Owner reports on Large aluminium frames are mixed but mostly positive. One rider running a Rail 5 (alloy) L frame with a standard, non-thru-shaft RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate RC2T at stock 230x57.5 found no clearance issues at all after checking hard landings.
After several short landings, unexpectedly, no sign of impact was found between the shock absorber and the frame on a 2022 rail5 size L with a Rock Shox Super Deluxe Ultimate RC2T Debonair, 230mm, 57.5mm stroke.
That's more room than the same shock tends to get on Medium frames, for what it's worth.
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DVO Jade X needs separate hardware. Mounting bolts and spring aren't included, and it uses IGUS bushings rather than the metal DU bushings your stock Deluxe+ has - worth ordering the Trek-specific hardware kit rather than guessing.
If you want the safest "higher quality, no drama" swap:
Öhlins TTX22M (low-profile can, widely reported to clear easily) or the standard
RockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate at stock 57.5mm. If you want the plusher option and don't mind hardware faff, the Jade X coil is the one
@Doomanic and others rate highly on the Rail - big improvement, but do the air-out, full-compression check on your actual frame before committing, since Large-vs-Medium clearance clearly isn't identical.
