Ohlins TTX22M Coil Shock: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

While the suspension world is dominated by the big guys Fox and RockShox, there are several others out there manufacturing absolute gems. Ohlins is a big name in the motorsports world and is gaining a ton of traction in MTB too. Check out the following review to get a taste for something new and different. 

Introduction

My first Ohlins TTX22M experience started with my Specialized Demo downhill bike and it continued down to my Specialized Kenevo e-bike with OEM parts. Now I got the first aftermarket Ohlins TTX22M rear shock to replace the rear shock equipped on a 2019 Specialized Levo. All of my bikes now have Ohlins TTX22M shocks instead of Fox DHX2 or X2, which I have used ever since they were brought into the market.

So many of you probably wonder what’s the biggest difference in those two. Well, we all know all the technical stuff. The legendary twin tube design, and all the complicated stuff, not like the conventional monotube design, which has oil flow passage one end to the other starting from the main chamber and going through compression valves and shim stacks end up in the piggyback reservoir. This twin tube design uses a slight second outer tube to allow the oil to flow more easily to the other side of the piston. Resulting in much smoother and more steady controlled damping and less pressure on those internal parts. But this is just the same story for nowadays high-end rear shock from Cane Creek and Fox who use similar structures.

Performance

So what’s the REAL difference in performance. On the parking lot test, Ohlins TTX22M shows less impressive compared directly to the DHX2. The initial plushness of the DHX2 was very impressive and TTX22M didn't seem to match. The DHX2 has a wider adjustment range and riders are able to do more fine-tuning.

It is true but once you bring it up to the real trail and fly down, the immediate impression you will encounter will be “OMG” the traction ability is like second to none!!!

Once you set the right sag by calculating and picking up the spring, there’s not much more you can fine-tune the shock. Maybe I should say that you do not need to fine-tune this beauty after choosing the right spring rate. It is very weird for me since I kind of always wrestled with my Fox DHX2 for the best possible traction each and every trail but no more on this Ohlins TTX22M, you can just forget everything and enjoy the ride.

Conclusion

One thing I noticed after a long ride down in local bike park is the heat built up on the shock body is much less compared to that of Fox DHX2. Maybe that is due to internal oil volume or maybe the material used is more solid or maybe less internal friction, whatever it is…it is obvious that it is all positive signs. For those who have not tried this Ohlins TTX22M yet, please do try and you will be fully satisfied, and strongly recommend to try this amazing shock. As always thanks for Worldwide Cyclery for their quality support and help.