ok so i wanna upgrade my suspension an since im getting a gold valve kit for the forks i wanna put a better shock on the back. i do pla on keeping my bike for awhile so i think its worth it in the long run for better turning and what not.. ive read about the f4i shock bing compatible but not really great for commutes which is fine but i wanna know if there are any other rear shocks out there for under 500 or so that i should pick up... if you guys could tell me what shocks you have on yours or what you would suggest let me know... i also seen the fox one is good.. but is that still a good replacement for the f2 shock now a days or is the f4i the best im gonna get?

 

What year is your F2? If you have the 94 w/the remote reservoir,you can get it revalved/resprung.

 

F3 shocks bolt right up and have a remote reservoir.

 

Not sure if Id call the f4i shock the best but it works great for my ride. I upgraded to the f4i and it is noticeably better handling. I also only have a 3/8" pad seat with the shock and it isnt all that rough of a ride. Of course, with the better turning ability I can dodge pot holes with ease. The price is right as well. I picked mine up on ebay in great condition for like $50.

 

thanks doug..

an my f2 is a 92

 

I put an F4i shock on y 92 and it bolted right up. The bike sits a little higher in the rear, but it is 100% better than the old shock.

 

Thanks mike that was gonna be my next question lol. so i wont need anything else cool

 

The F4i shock raises the rear 1.5". It's a pretty aggresive increase in angle. It does make turn in a lot more noticeable, as it decreases rake and increases height. I personally found it uncomfortable for commuting, which is a lot of what I used to do on my F2. Now that I live bicycling distance from work I could roll with the F4i shock I suppose.

However, I already got the best option out there for our bike: The fox racing rear shock, re-spring and revalved for my weight. You should look into getting one for yourself and having that work done, although it's not cheap unless you know somebody.

The "cheap" option, which definitely delivers a lot of bang for your buck, is getting the F3 rear shock, and re-springing it for your weight. The valving will still be bearable, despite not being ideal. You'll just have to adjust it so as it's rather close to the end of it's adjustability, which isn't ideal for adjusting for multiple conditions. For the average rider though, they set and forget. If you aren't planning on heavily tracking this bike, don't bother, and just get the F3 and get it resprung and revalved.

I'd also seriously invest in your front forks if you haven't already. They'll offer a lot of help in the form of being able to brake later with more confidence, they won't push as much when accelerating out of your turns, etc etc etc.

 

So is there a difference between the 94 F2 an the 95-up F3 shock? We ran a revalved rear shock and a progressive sprung front-end for endurance racing back in the day

 

yea thanks jess when i get the rear spring i am already gonna replace the fornt with gold valves and all that good ish