Digressive Valving Explained

In a digressive valve shock, the damping force initially increases rapidly as the shock is compressed. This rapid increase in damping force helps provide a firm and controlled response to small bumps and impacts, resulting in improved handling and stability. The digressive damping characteristic allows for a more aggressive damping curve at low speeds, making the vehicle feel more “sporty,” reducing body roll, and enhancing overall handling performance.

Additionally, the aggressive damping curve at lower speeds prevents the wheels from accelerating downward into holes or uneven road surfaces that would normally be felt inside the cabin, thus improving overall ride comfort. As the shock rebound speeds increase with larger inputs or bumps, the slope of the damping curve flattens. This characteristic allows the tires to quickly drop out, preparing the suspension for the next obstacle or bump, ensuring effective compression control.

It’s worth noting that these performance benefits of digressive valve shocks are further enhanced when combined with LD pistons. LD pistons provide additional advantages, such as superior gross motion control commonly associated with Fox dampers. The rebound characteristics mentioned above are additive to the performance of LD pistons, resulting in improved body roll control, enhanced ride comfort, and effective compression control.

See our Agile Tuned Fox 2.5 Series smooth body shocks for more information.