Ohlins TTX22m.2 rear shock review

Affectionately known as 'Swedish Gold', Öhlins' TTX22m.2 is the brand's latest coil shock that gets a range of updates that have made it more user-friendly than before. With that, it’s easy to set up and it balances a level of comfort and grip with a lively responsiveness that many will appreciate. But against Fox and RockShox, it’s more of an investment

Öhlins TTX22m.2 - Technical specifications

The TTX22m.2 is Öhlins’ latest iteration of its golden coil shock and this time around, it’s seen a range of updates in a bid to up its adjustability and performance. The brand claims that this is a go to shock for gravity-fed riders and it effectively comes in two models, with the longest 250 and 255 lengths receiving the DH compression valve, whereas all others get the blue trail valve.

Onto the changes and this version of the TTX22 gets a new bump rubber that’s said to help improve the shock’s performance at bottom out. The cup it sits in has been tweaked too, to aid the cause. Öhlins says that this improves mid to end stroke control because this rubber engages earlier in the travel, acting as a second spring. In a sense, this adds progression to the shock’s spring curve as the rubber absorbs and releases energy, forcing the shock to return to full travel after heavy compression. While simple, the new bit of rubber also lowers the chances of harsh bottoms outs, that’ll affect handling.

The shock comes with an adjustable stroke length that’s achievable by adding or removing 2.5mm spacers that sit beneath the bump rubber cup and this is done without the need for fancy tools. The same goes for spring removal.

Öhlins has also built the TTX22m.2 to offer a wider adjustment range, now featuring a high-speed compression valve with more adjustable and distinct settings. Now, there are three high-speed compression settings to pick from, including a climb mode that’s had its support boosted for better behaviour when pedalling. On the subject of adjustments, this shock also gets 16 clicks of low-speed compression as well as seven clicks of rebound, all of which are externally accessible.

There are then two cylinder heads available, helping the shock fit into a wider range of frames. These are designed to fit both regular eyelets and trunnion mounts, both of which are available in side-to-side reservoir designs, or with piggyback reservoirs.

As for sizes, the TTX22m.2 can be picked up in 210x55, 52.5 and 47.5mm, 230x65, 60 or 57.5mm and 250x75, 70 and 67.5mm. There’s then a full range of springs that go up in 4Nm/23lbs increments.

On test, we’ve got the shock in its eyelet mount, side-by-side reservoir and 230x60 size. With a 88 (502) spring and mounting hardware, it weighs 869g, which is a smidge heavier than the Marzocchi Bomber CR.

Öhlins TTX22m.2 - Damper tech

With a huge background in supplying suspension components to the pinnacles of motorsport, and we're talking Valentino Rossi, Sebastian Loeb and Carl Fogarty, Öhlins has gone around its TTX damper a little differently compared to the likes of Fox or RockShox. This twin-tube damper design, found on both the brand’s forks and shocks controls the two-way oil flow through the piston. The whole idea of this makes it possible to tune the oil when it’s travelling through the compression and rebound valves, controlling the pressure on each side of the shock’s piston.

This makes the damper more sensitive, and responsive and it reduces the need for tuning for the best rear wheel traction, says Öhlins.

Öhlins TTX22m.2 - Performance

Bolting the TTX22m.2 to my Canyon Spectral was offered an excellent opportunity to ogle this prime example of Swedish Gold. Build quality is nothing short of top-notch with the threads proving to be perfectly sharp, whilst the dials provide a certain tactility that makes trailside tweaks an absolute pleasure. A great tweak to this shock is that the rebound dial has been shrunk, meaning that the shock can fit very happily in my frame, whilst being easily accessible.

And setup is as simple as it gets. Once the shock stroke is set with those spacers, and the spring weight is dialled, it’s just a case of settling on one of the seven rebound adjustments. I mostly rode with the high and low-speed compression settings open, maybe adding a click or two of low-speed riding trails that were full of compressions to help the bike sit up more in its travel during them.

I did spend a good amount of time flicking through the high-speed compression circuit and it’s rather interesting here as when bouncing about in the car park, there’s little difference between the two (well three but bare with me) settings. Instead of loading the shock with a very wide range of settings, Öhlins has packed in fewer but in a more realistically useable area to make it hard to land on an unrideable setup. Instead, you’re taking an already well-set-up shock and tuning it towards what you want, assuming the shock stroke and spring is already correct.

With that in mind, when the high-speed compression is cranked into its second position, the shock is clearly firmer when charging down the trail, whereas the difference is almost unnoticeable when bouncing it when static. The same goes for the third setting but this one is tuned specifically as a climb setting, not a lockout, and it does an amicable job of calming down pedal bob and improving pedalling efficiency. It could be firmer but that would come with a sacrifice to comfort and traction when faced with technical climbs. I like what Öhlins has done here.

Compared to competing shocks, the TTX22m.2 has fewer clicks in almost every setting but this makes setup much easier, as there's far less of an opportunity to get lost in those dials. However, because the adjustment range is comparatively narrow, it'll be well worth having the shock tuned for your weight, riding style and bike before you install it. That's just to make sure that you're sat within that usable adjustment range so you can get the absolute most out of this shock.

Moving on, and I won’t lie, there have been a few occasions where I left the shock in its climb mode but to my surprise, it posed little effect when descending. The initial stroke is definitely firmer but it doesn’t get in the way during bigger hits. Although, the shock obviously works its best when descending outside of the climb mode, where it’s freer to move throughout its travel.

But what’s really clear is how little stiction is present. This results in a mega supple shock that keeps the wheel confidently planted to the trail, again providing tonnes of traction. This is also a credit to that unique twin-tube design which also helps the rear of the bike remain composed when riding through fast chunky sections and this is where the shock seriously shines. Never has the TTX22m.2 felt overwhelmed, even through the fastest and rockiest of trails.

As it the bike rolls over repeated hits, the shock more than copes, resulting in a rear end that you can happily rely on, and push through such sections with shed loads of confidence. It soaks up bumps incredibly effectively, and as it does so, it helps stave off fatigue during longer descents.

While the grip is plentiful and its action is super smooth the TTX22m.2 doesn’t suck the fun out of a bike’s ride. It’s clear that towards the mid-stroke, the bike’s support comes into play to keep the character lively and well, fun. Harsh bottom-outs haven’t been an issue either as the shock has taken them all well within its stride, thanks to that redesigned bottom-out rubber.

Öhlins TTX22m.2 - Value and verdict

The Öhlins TTX22m.2 is a premium product which not only shows in its price but also its build quality. However, the Fox DHX2 Factory 2Pos-Adjust comes in at £739, more than £100 less. With Fox’s top-end offering, you’re getting more adjustment and a dedicated lockout, which is missing on the TTX22m.2. There’s more adjustability too but apart from the rebound dial, you’ll need tools to access them.

RockShox’s range-topping Super Deluxe Ultimate Coil RC2T is still cheaper at £670. This one gets fancy independent compression and rebound circuits, an increased bushing overlap and an adjustable hydraulic bottom-out.

Both of these shocks boast more adjustment, but in Öhlins’ defence, it’s arguable that with more adjustment comes more opportunity for a poor setup with ease of achieving a great setup with the TTX22m.2 being a huge benefit.

Thanks to its excellent performance, ease of set up and unrivalled suppleness, the Öhlins TTX22m.2 proves to be more than a pricy bit of bling. If you’re looking for the ultimate in smooth in a beautifully built package, this shock is exactly that. While it’s not reaching Push Industries' prices, it’s still a fair investment against the mainstays of mountain bike suspension.