With the new Kitsuma shock from Cane Creek, the brand aims to reduce poor suspension setups by making on the fly adjustments as easy and simple as they can be.

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As a progression from the much loved Double Barrel shocks, the Kitsuma is set to improve upon its predecessor in every way. The brand says that the shock caters to all kinds of riders, body types, and frame designs without the need for any internal valving adjustments or compromises. 

Cane Creek has changed the interface of the shock entirely. Opting for four dials for a high and low-speed rebound, and low and high-speed compression the Kitsuma does away with any awkward fettling and fumbling that you would get with tool accessible adjustments.

The Kitsuma gets four ergonomic and simply illustrated knobs that make dialing your suspension on the fly a lot easier. Helping the cause, the range of the low-speed compression and rebound circuits are adjusted by single rotation, while the high-speed circuits are controlled within two rotations. This is meant to make it easy for the rider to identify where the settings are set at a glance.

The Kitsuma also gets a wider range of adjustment while using few clicks on the dials. The aim of this is to create more discernable differences between clicks and it supposedly makes for an easier setup. There's also a three-position climb switch.

There's more adjustment on the rebound too, to the point where there's a wider range of adjustment than any other shock on the market, Cane Creek says. The rebound adjustment range has also been shifted downward for more rebound damping. This allows the shock to be used in more frames, accomodating for the higher spring rates found on modern bikes.

Additionally, the insides get an upgrade. There's an improved oil piston that's been ported and polished for better responsiveness, a monoblock seal head for greater durability and better alignment, a more progressive bottom-out bumper, larger shaft quad rings, and uncut backup rings for better durability.

The Kitsuma comes in both air and coil forms in metric lengths from 185mm to 250mm.

The Kitsuma coil (weighing 417g) will set you back £600 without a spring and the Kitsuma air (585g) will cost £625. Both models will be available from the end of September 2020.

• canecreek.com

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