2025 RockShox Rear Shocks First Look | Vivid Coil and Super Deluxe

The RockShox Super Deluxe was originally their do it all high performance shock, getting specced on everything from downcountry to downhill bikes, but with the release of the Vivid, the Super Deluxe has become the trail and all mountain specialist. At first glance, the new Super Deluxe C2 looks completely identical to the outgoing Super Deluxe C1 from the outside. The only visual differences I could find were a small change on the lockout lever, where it now says “open” instead of an open lock, and a silver band around the reservoir. Riveting, I know. But that’s not why we’re here! Just like any one of us, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and RockShox has redesigned the damping circuits on the Super Deluxe to deliver better overall performance for more riders.

 
2025 Super Deluxe Ultimate C2

• High and Low Speed Compression Adjustments
• Low Speed Rebound Adjustment
• Optional Hydraulic Bottom Out
• Redesigned High-Flow piston for lighter action
• Linear XL Air Can for increased positive air volume
• Available in 165, 185, 205, 225 Trunnion mounts and 190, 210, 230, 250 Standard mounts

Just like on the C1, there is an optional Hydraulic Bottom Out (HBO) bumper that takes the edge off of those big impacts. During the last 20% of the stroke, the HBO circuit engages and provides extra damping to slow down the shock and avoid clanging off the bottom of your travel, giving you a far smoother experience as you huck past the landing. Unlike the C1 Super Deluxe, all aftermarket C2 Super Deluxe will come standard with the HBO circuit, and they'll all have that little triangle on the stanchion to let you know it's in there.  

More options are always welcome, and the Super Deluxe is getting a Super Size option with the Linear XL Air Can. Think of the bigger air can as bridging the gap between the Super Deluxe and Vivid Air, with a larger positive air chamber that gives more supple action off the top of the travel. For those of you with the previous generation Super Deluxe C1 shock, this air can is compatible with that shock, and you can bring your suspension a bit closer to the Vivid for just $97. The Linear XL Air Can might look like the Meg Neg we saw years ago, but it's completely different, and is actually a "Meg Pos", significantly increasing the positive volume rather than the negative volume.

2025 Super Deluxe Ultimate C2

Turn your Super Deluxe into a "Mini Vivid" with the Linear XL Air Can!

Super Deluxe C1           Super Deluxe C2

The updated High-Flow Piston makes for smoother transitions between damping circuits and overall more traction

No, that's not a Super Deluxe Coil

Vivid has always meant gravity in RockShox’s lineup, and it’s back with authority. Vivid Air has quickly become one of the most popular air shocks for enduro and downhill riding, and the all new Vivid Coil is now RockShox’s coil shock for everything from trail to downhill bikes. The Vivid Coil is replacing the Super Deluxe Coil (SDC) and is now the only coil shock RockShox offers. While the SDC has been a favorite here at the shop since its release, the Vivid Coil is its next evolution, with all of our favorite features carried over to the new platform.

While the Vivid Coil is a new product, I think of it more as a SDC V2, as the differences between them are not revolutionary. Starting with the basics, the Vivid Coil comes in all the same sizes and uses the same springs as the SDC. Vivid Coil also uses the same RC2T damper with HSC, LSC, LSR, and adjustable HBO, but adds the TouchDown technology debuted in the Vivid Air. Just like in the Vivid Air, TouchDown in the Vivid Coil bypasses any compression damping in the first 10% of travel, so when you touch down after hitting a jump, that first little bit of travel is going to be extra supple. You can expect this shock to feel even more “coily” with less resistance in the initial part of the travel, a welcome change from RockShox.

Mid stroke and end stroke are going to perform very similarly to the SDC, with the middle 70% of travel offering support from the HSC and LSC, while the last 20% gets help from the adjustable HBO circuit, which has the same 5 clicks of adjustment as before. RockShox also found that the SDC bottom out bumper wasn’t letting all shocks use full travel, so it’s been redesigned and is stroke specific so all shocks can maximize travel. The rebound knob removes to reveal a 3mm allen wrench to adjust both the HSC and HBO dials, just like on the Vivid Air.

For downhill bikes, there’s a Vivid Coil DH that uses an RC2 damper, which is identical to the RC2T but forgoes the “Threshold” lever, which is the climbing platform. Coil shocks aren’t much use without the coils wrapped around them, and you can choose between Electric Red and Black to wrap around your Vivid Coil. These are the same coils used on the Super Deluxe Ultimate, so if you’re swapping yours out for a Vivid Coil you won’t need to buy a new spring. But the new Electric Red springs are a different shade of red compared to the red springs RockShox came out with last year to better match the Electric Red ZEB and Boxxer lowers.

 
2025 Vivid Coil Ultimate

• High and Low Speed Compression Adjustments
• Low Speed Rebound Adjustment
• Adjustable Hydraulic Bottom Out
• TouchDown technology for more "coil like" feeling
• Stroke specific bottom-out bumpers
• Maxima push damping fluid for reduced friction and silent damping
• Available in 165, 185, 205, 225 Trunnion mounts and 190, 210, 230, 250 Standard mounts

All the different spec levels of the Vivid Coil have the same shock body with TouchDown technology, and all Vivid Coils can be upgraded to the Ultimate spec with the RC2T Ultimate Reservoir Upgrade just like the Super Deluxe. A cool feature is that all levels of the Vivid Coil have the adjustable HBO, which makes the Vivid Coil a great choice for a wider selection of bikes than other coil shocks, even those with more linear leverage curves.

TouchDown Technology inside the shock body.