PUSH ELEVENSIX shock – custom tunes for everyone!
The PUSH ELEVENSIX coil-shock is made to order and tuned specifically to the bike and rider. No other shock gives you more tuning options and allows for more individual adjustments. But does this justify the eye-watering price tag?
Once again, our race-bike group-test has shown: many bikes perform a lot better with a custom-tuned shock than with a conventional off-the-peg model. Unless your last-name is Rude, Moir or Vouilloz, however, an extensive suspension tune and a tailored bike set-up are a very exclusive treat. But if you’re willing to spend an eye-watering €1,363, the PUSH ELEVENSIX coil shock is the closest you can get to a custom setup. The shock is hand-built by the Colorado-based suspension specialist and tuned to match the rear-end of the bike and weight and riding style of the rider. Therefore, the shock is not suitable for every bike and compatible only with a handful of exciting bikes. Our test-boss Felix had the shock tuned for a Specialized Enduro, his 95 kg weight and very aggressive riding style.
The ELEVENSIX is hand-made in Colorado with several machined parts – a true work of art.
ZAdmittedly, the rear-end of the Specialized Enduro delivers outstanding performance even with the standard FOX Float X2 shock and even helped the bike to secure the Best in Test badge in our 2020 best enduro bike group test. But doesn’t the ELEVEN SIX coil shock constantly bottom out on the Specialized Enduro, which is designed for air shocks? That’s exactly where the bike-specific tune of the shock and several other high-tech sorceries come into play. For example, the typical bottom-out foam bumper (which on the ELEVENSIX is adapted to several factors too) is additionally supported by a hydraulic bottom-out control system and thus provides considerably more damping in the final 15% of the stroke. But PUSH take a different approach with the damping altogether. While the lever might look like an ordinary climb switch, it does a lot more than just stiffen up the rear-end, allowing you to switch between two independent compression-settings. On both circuits, the high and low-speed compression stage can be adjusted individually with 25 clicks respectively. The low-speed rebound has 18 clicks independently of the compression settings. All in all, with a total of 118 clicks, you might be a little overwhelmed at first.
Already with the standard FOX Float X2 shock, the rear-end of our Specialized Enduro test bike delivers superb performance. Only after installing the ELEVENSIX shock did we realize how much potential was left untapped.
The ELEVENSIX is only available for selected bikes and adapted to the rear-end of each bike. Not only do PUSH tune the damping of the shock but also adapt the shape and position of the piggyback to match the frame of the bike.
The ELEVENSIX enables two completely independent compression setups that can be selected via the lever.
In practice, it’s not too crazy, because PUSH deliver their shock with a basic setup, which, in our case, was pretty good. All damping settings, spring rate and preload are already set to the rider specifications and a small cheat sheet helps you find the basic settings again, in case you got carried away clicking knobs. After experimenting with the settings over a 6-month period, our test-boss Felix chose to configure NEITHER of the settings for climbing, because he gets to the trailhead mostly with a shuttle or a lift. Instead, he customises one configuration for maximum grip and efficiency, and the other one to provide lots of support and maximum reserves for rowdy descents, messed-up landings and huck-to-flats. In other words, one mode is tuned for enduro races and natural terrain, the other one for bike-park party laps. The best part is that Felix can easily switch between the two modes just by activating a lever. Regardless of the setting, the ELEVENSIX is a great match for the rear-end of the Specialized Enduro and improves its already superb performance. Despite the linear steel spring, the shock never blows through its travel and offers good reserves. In the enduro setting, the rear-wheel literally sucks itself into the ground and provides enough traction for the most daring hero lines. Even with significantly more damping, the PUSH ELEVENSIX still copes with the endless brake bumps, huge gaps and massive drops of your typical bike park.
The PUSH ELEVENSIX is the most expensive shock we’ve ever built into a bike and perhaps overkill for most riders. However, if you ride the same bike on different types of terrain or are simply tired of the limited possibilities of off-the-peg shocks, the PUSH ELEVENSIX is a unique coil shock that offers a significant performance boost.
Tops
- Perfectly tuned to match the bike and rider
- Two individual setups
- Excellent bottom-out control
Flops
- Eye watering price tag
- Only available for selected bike models
Tester: Felix
Duration: 6 months
Price: € 1,363.73
Weight: 943 g (575 lb/in spring)
More information at pushindustries.com