Advice Needed: Will This Rear Shock Work? (to replace Cane Creek AD-5)

Hey Charlie,
It's a Cane Creek shock, not a Crane Creek. If you've been searching for the latter, try the former wording.

Secondly, have you seen this thread: Service Tip for all Cane Creek rear shock owners.

Did the LBS say why it wouldn't function? If not, my very first thought is whoever rebuilt it may not have been totally knowledgeable about doing so. Unless the shock is physically bent or the housing has cracked, it's almost always the seals that just wear out from what I understand. You said Cane Creek echoed the though it was a total failure, but has a Cane Creek Service Center seen your shock?

And while not ideal, you could probably swap it out for a cheaper spring unit...understanding it wouldn't be nearly as smooth of a ride though. (see next post)

Also, eBay and/or Craigslist may be another place to source one over time.(i.e. Cane Creek Rear Shock or CL Cane Creek AD-5)

Also, don't rule out finding an entire bike with an AD-5 shock for a bargain price.(i.e. Bike-E, etc.)​

Worse case, as you wouldn't get much for it, doesn't Cane Creek still have their trade-in program?

Lastly, I realize the cheapest/easiest fix is to procure an identical (working) shock, but in case that route doesn't pan-out I'm just thinking of what else you might do.

 

I did just notice on the Bicycle Man website, that the Maxarya Ray 1 bike lists a Cane Creek AD-5 in the original specs, but they seem to have since changed over to a: Rear shock DNM MM-22 coil, oil, gas filled.

 

Cane Creek makes some great products, that's why I'm a bit puzzled as to why your's can't be rebuilt. Regardless if/when you get a working shock they do tend to last quite awhile, usually only needed an occasional rebuilt of the seals.

And by the way, check this one out on eBay: DNM TORCH MM-22AR 155 mm Mountain Bike Rear Shock 550 Lb NEW
right now.

 

That I do not know for certain. Since it's 15mm longer at rest, you'd need to unbolt your present Cane Creek shock and then move the frame so the shock bolts are 155mm apart. That is how your bike would be at rest. Just from looking at pictures of the frame online and it's rough dimensions, I would guess that a shock 15mm longer would push the rear tire down towards the ground about 30mm, or 1.18" so it would roughly raise your seat height by 1/2" or so. That is assuming a replacement spring shock is adjusted so tightly that when you get on the bike, it does not squat any. If the pre-load could be adjusted soft enough to squat 15mm upon your sitting on the bike, it should ride at the same height as your Cane Creek if it does not presently squat any when you sit on the bike.

From looking at the spring shock on eBay, there is a good amount of pre-load adjustment so my thoughts are you would be able to back the adjuster off until the spring shock sags some at rest, or at least under partial load. Maybe not the whole 15mm, but perhaps 5 or 10mm?

It also looks to have a rubber bumper inside the coil spring to to protect the shock from ever bottoming out and bending the main shaft. On dirt bikes (MTB or motor) that's much more of a possibility with the 'jumps' involved, however on a recumbent street bike my thought is you'd never bottom the shock out anyway. As such, one way to gain a bit more travel when the shock is semi-compressed would be to cut the rubber away if you ever needed to.

 

Another option might be an FDR Tough Shock. EasyRacer used these shocks on their EZ-Rider AX suspended bikes (now out of production, pic attached) and my girlfriend has one. I just looked and it's 6" c-to-c (152mm) of the bolt-eyelets.

Of course absolute worse case, you could have a welding shop fabricate a spacer the length of the Cane Creek shock and bolt it back in it's place.(i.e. barstock w/bolt eyelets welded to each end) You would no longer have a bike with suspension, but it would be ride-able/useable.(i.e. hardtail)

 

Hey Charlie,
You might want to peruse this thread (Wanted: Help with Rear Suspension for Vision R-44 (Cane Creek AD-5)) and see if it's of any help?

BTW, the ebay link (in post #5 of that thread) still turns up a lot of comparable shocks.

 

​

While not cheap, the Fox Racing Shox Float CTD Rear Shock 2014 is only 10mm longer than the stock (140mm) Cane Creek AD-5 shock.

 

Rock shox Deluxe Rear Shock 140mm 5.5 inch​

Man, it looks like you've nailed it on eBay! The auction doesn't state the diameter of the shock or the eyelet size, but it looks reasonable…and at that price it's certainly worth a try.