This week, Cane Creek announced the DB Air IL, the latest shock from the Western North Carolina brand. The Air IL is suited for a broad range of bikes from 100mm to 160mm of rear travel. Pricing for the new shock is $475, and it’s available now.
Key features of the DB Air IL include:
- Cane Creek’s Twin-Tube Design, which increases oil volume compared to standard shocks
- Four-way adjustment–low/high speed compression and rebound
- Their patented Climb Switch.
Keen observers will notice that the DB Air IL looks very similar to the outgoing DB Inline, which was introduced in 2014. That shock aimed to provide the ride quality of the legendary DB Air, but without the additional reservoir. While performance of the DB Inline was good, reliability left something to be desired. Because of this, Cane Creek made reliability a high priority when designing the DB Air IL. To that end, Cane Creek used a new material for both the oil seal head as well as the air piston seal. In addition, the seals are substantially larger.
The good news here for owners of the DB Inline is that the redesigned air piston and oil seal head can be retrofitted to their shocks. Cane Creek and its service centers are offering this upgrade to the Inline at no cost to the customer. And, should you want to upgrade to the entirely new shock, Cane Creek is offering special pricing to Inline owners. If your shock is still under warranty, you can snag the DB Air IL for $65. If your shock is out of warranty, the cost will be $225.
Remotes
Along with the DB Air IL, Cane Creek also announced two new handlebar mounted remotes: the OPT and the DROPT.
The OPT remote is intended to be used with Cane Creek shocks that have a Climb Switch. We saw the prototype for this remote during our visit to their HQ last summer. Compared to other remotes that are simply on/off switches, the OPT can be set anywhere in the Climb Switch’s range, meaning the rider can get just the right amount of pedaling platform desired.
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Compatible with all mechanically-actuated dropper posts, the DROPT remote is intended to pair with the OPT to reduce handlebar clutter. However, it can also be used by itself for riders that are looking for a slick replacement to their stock remote.
Pricing for the remotes is $49 for the OPT and $69 for the DROPT. Both remotes will be available for purchase on February 1st.
For more information on all of Cane Creek’s products, be sure to visit their site.
