RockShox Super Deluxe RC2T Rear Shock [Rider Review]

RockShox is constantly striving to improve their shocks and dampers to meet the demands of all of their top world cup racers. They know traction is very important, and that is why they released the RC2T. See what one of our customers thinks of the new shock!

Overview

The new and reassigned 2023 RockShox Super Deluxe with RCT2 is a game changer! I came from a different brand's single-canister shock, and I had always felt a desire for more adjustability and better ride quality on my current bike.

After conducting extensive research and watching various videos on World Wide Cyclery's website, I chose this Super Deluxe. To my excitement, it truly filled in the gaps I was experiencing with my old shock. Maybe it was a placebo effect? I had my brother-in-law ride the bike after the upgrade, and he noticed a significant difference from his current bike, which had the same rear shock as mine did. Another added benefit is how cool this shock looks! The double canister with the blue rings for low-speed compression adjustment really makes it stand out. Now, if you're like me, you won't be seeing much of the colors on the canister in the fall and the spring as mud and dust usually cover it up. A good wash reminds me of how good it looks.

It's impressive on the trails to be able to adjust low and high-speed compression right from the controls on the side. I love how easy it is to service this shock from home. My other shock was way too complicated to service without expensive special tools. The low-speed compression made the biggest difference for me in terms of trail quality. Given that I'm a pretty light rider, adjusting the low-speed compression down more helped me personally reduce trail chatter in the rear. I'm running a RockShox fork in the front as well. With both upgrades this fall, my riding feels much smoother, and my hands and legs aren't as tired on the downhills with the extra absorption.

As long as you purchase the correct size, this will fit. I did have to use a rubber mallet to knock out my prior mounting rod, but it doesn't take too long. Be sure to check out online videos if you plan on doing this yourself; the geometry of how they line up can be a significant factor in how good the shock feels when you're riding. If this isn't your style, take it to your local bike shop, and they'd be happy to install it for you. I shopped around for the price, and most shops were pretty reasonable. I personally like learning how things work on my bike, so I did the work myself. I'm not super handy, so the online videos came in handy.

Climbing uphill was similar on both my old and this new shock, but this new one really shines in terms of how much more control I have on the thrilling downhill trails in my area. There are adjustments to simulate a lockout with a switch, but there is still some movement, which is still appreciated uphill. It's nice to have a spectrum of adjustments rather than a full lockout, as it's helpful to have bump absorption when an unexpected rock or stick appears around a curve or something.

SRAM/RockShox has a great online tool for looking up the recommended PSI settings and high and low-speed compression settings for your shock. I personally use their app called TrailHead. Be sure to download it for quick reference!

Final Thoughts

The price was a little higher than I was hoping to pay, but considering the performance difference as well as the ease of home servicing options, it became a no-brainer for what I was looking for. Servicing other shocks can be much more expensive, and that adds up fast over the years.

RockShox manufactures solid suspension components, and I highly recommend purchasing this rear shock if you're on the fence at all.