Cane Creek launches updated versions of its famed MTB IL shocks in reduced sizes

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New sizing makes the sought after Cane Creek shocks more compatible with most short-travel mountain bikes

The new Cane Creek Air IL
(Image credit: Cane Creek)

Cane Creek is launching updated versions of its Air IL and Coil IL shocks that are known for being packed with class-leading performance. The renowned brand from North Carolina, USA has been shaping the cycling industry for nearly three decades and is famed for producing some of the best mountain bike components, which are tried and tested on the endless miles of rugged singletrack of the Pisgah National Forest that the employee-owned brand calls home.

The biggest change to the IL shock is the shock body itself, reduced in size and making it more compatible with most short-travel mountain bikes, where space can be short. It now gives twin-tube suspension performance in a package similar in size to a mono-tube damper design. The reduced size also increases compatibility on bikes with through-shock designs from some of the best mountain bike brands like Santa Cruz and Specialized.

Cane Creek Coil IL suspension

The Coil IL features newly added detents that allows for more precise preload tuning (Image credit: Cane Creek)

The Air IL features a 6mm reduction in the outer diameter of the air-spring to further increase the likelihood of fitment while increasing the max pressure up to 350 psi from 300 psi in the previous model. The Coil IL features added detents on the preload collar which allows for more precise preload tuning. 

Cane Creek says the revised IL shocks feature class-leading externally adjustable DB Twin Tube technology to give the widest range of 4-way damping adjustability on the market. With both the Air IL and Coil IL now featuring a thicker inner damper tube for increased strength and a 17mm reduction in overall width on the valve body to again increase fitment possibilities on tight frames, but giving a smaller and stronger package.

Cane Creek Air IL suspension

The revised Air IL features a 6mm reduction in the outer diameter (Image credit: Cane Creek)

Pricing and availability

Cane Creek IL shocks are available to order now (with free shipping in the US) in a variety of sizes and in Air and Coil versions. Each shock is hand-assembled and individually dyno-tested in its North Carolina facility and they aim to continue to provide a level of quality, performance and rider benefit that is unmatched.

Pricing for the Air starts at $629.99 / £689.99 and for the Coil at $579.99 / £599.99. Check out Cane Creek for more details and ordering information.

Paul Brett
Paul Brett
Staff writer

Paul Brett joined BikePerfect as a staff writer in 2022. He has been an avid cyclist for as long as he can remember, initially catching the mountain biking bug in the 1990s, and he raced mountain bikes for over a decade before injury cut short a glittering career. An award-winning photographer, when not riding a bike, he can be found at the side of a cyclocross track or a downhill mountain bike world championship shooting the action. Paul was the founder, editor and writer of Proper Cycling magazine, and he's traveled the world interviewing some of the biggest names in mountain biking and writing about some of the biggest cycling brands.

Current rides: Canyon Inflite, Specialized Diverge, Marin Alpine Trail 2