The Hazzard is MRP’s coil rear shock, not a fork, and that matters because it changes how the bike holds traction, supports your weight, and stays calm when the trail gets rough. This MRP Hazzard review focuses on the things riders actually care about: ride feel, climb mode, fit, setup, and whether the shock justifies its premium price. If your frame already feels harsh or inconsistent on descents, this is the kind of suspension upgrade that can make the bike feel more composed without turning it into a dead lump on the climbs.
What to know before you buy the Hazzard
- The Hazzard is a coil rear shock with rebound, low-speed compression, high-speed compression, preload, and a two-position climb switch.
- Its biggest strength is traction and consistency on rough terrain; its biggest trade-off is weight.
- Frame fit is critical because yoke- or strut-mounted designs can create side-loading and compatibility problems.
- Current UK pricing sits in the premium bracket, even when discounted.
- I would target it at enduro and aggressive all-mountain bikes, not lightweight trail or XC builds.
What the Hazzard actually is and who it suits
The Hazzard is a rear shock built for riders who want the feel of coil-sprung suspension without giving up meaningful damping control. In practice, that means a softer first part of the stroke, better ground tracking, and a ride that feels calmer when the trail is full of roots, braking bumps, and repeated hits. MRP says it was developed for all-mountain and enduro use, and that matches the hardware: a 14 mm shaft, a reinforced eyelet joint, and a damping package built around rebound, low-speed compression, high-speed compression, and spring preload.
What separates it from a basic coil shock is the Shred Lever, which adds a firmer low-speed compression mode for climbs and transfers. That is useful because many coil shocks force you to choose between plushness and support, while the Hazzard tries to give you both. I like that approach because it solves a real trail problem rather than just adding more knobs for the sake of it. The trade-off is obvious, though: this is still a coil shock, so if your priority is low weight or a lively, poppy rear end, you are looking at the wrong tool. That distinction matters, because the trail feel is where the Hazzard either wins you over or disappears from your shortlist.
What it feels like on the trail
The best way to describe the Hazzard is calm under load. It wants to sit into the travel in a way that makes the rear wheel stick to the ground rather than skitter across it. A UK review in Singletrack highlighted the same character, describing it as exceptionally supple and pointing out that the climb switch is genuinely useful rather than decorative. That lines up with what I would expect from a good coil shock built for rough terrain.
| Trail situation | What the Hazzard does well | Where to be careful |
|---|---|---|
| Roots, braking bumps, and chatter | Very sensitive initial stroke, so the rear wheel tracks the ground instead of bouncing off it | If you like a lively rear end, this can feel almost too composed |
| Steep compressions and square-edged hits | Coil consistency and high-speed compression control help the bike stay settled | Spring choice matters if you want more ramp-up near the end of travel |
| Long climbs and fire-road transfers | The climb switch firms things up enough to reduce wasteful movement | It is not a lockout, and that is the right compromise |
| Bike-park laps and big enduro days | Support and traction stay consistent as the shock warms up | Weight is the price you pay for that calm feel |
For UK riders, that matters on wet roots, off-camber stones, and fast, loose descents where rear-wheel grip is the difference between holding a line and dabbing. The Hazzard is not trying to feel snappy or playful first; it is trying to keep the bike planted and predictable. That makes the next question more important than the ride feel itself: will it actually fit your frame properly?
Setup and frame fit are the real make-or-break points
This is the section I would not gloss over. Coil shocks are far less forgiving than air shocks when it comes to fit, leverage ratios, and frame hardware. The Hazzard is available in standard eyelet and trunnion formats across a range of lengths, and you need the exact mount and stroke that your frame was designed for. Get that wrong and you are not just making the bike ride badly; you can also create fit issues that shorten shock life.
MRP also warns that yoke- or strut-mounted frames can introduce side-loading, which is why I would never buy one blind for a modern enduro frame without checking the frame maker’s compatibility notes. If your bike uses a linkage yoke, the details matter even more. MRP publishes maximum yoke-length guidance, and that is not a suggestion. It is the difference between a shock that works as intended and one that is being asked to cope with loads it was not designed for.
- Match the mount type exactly - standard eyelet or trunnion, no guesswork.
- Match the eye-to-eye and stroke - the wrong size can alter geometry or over-stress the frame.
- Check yoke and clevis clearance - side-loading is where coil-shock compatibility gets messy.
- Choose the right spring family - Enduro SL, Progressive, or steel with the correct spacer kit.
- Accept the weight - MRP lists 867 g for a 230x60 with a 500 lb spring, which puts it firmly in gravity territory.
That last point is the honest one. You do not buy this shock because it is light; you buy it because it can make a big bike feel better in the rough. Once the fit is sorted, the next question is whether the price makes sense for what you actually get.
Why the price only makes sense for the right bike
In current UK retail, the Hazzard sits around £329 on sale, with an RRP close to £700. That is not cheap, even when discounted, and it tells you exactly where this product sits: premium coil territory. I would not recommend it to someone trying to solve a vague suspension complaint on a general-purpose trail bike. I would recommend it to someone who already knows they want more grip, more composure, and more consistency on rough ground.
| Factor | Hazzard coil shock | Typical air shock |
|---|---|---|
| Off-the-top sensitivity | Usually better | Usually firmer, though easier to tune broadly |
| Consistency on long descents | Very strong | Can feel more variable as heat builds |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Setup speed | Simple once spring rate is right, but fit matters | More range through air pressure and volume spacers |
| Best use case | Enduro, park, rough natural trails | Trail bikes, mixed climbing, riders watching mass |
My verdict for UK riders in 2026
My view is straightforward: the Hazzard is a strong choice if you want a coil shock that still gives you real control over support, not just a soft and vague ride. The climb switch is the feature that makes it practical, not just plush, and the damping range is wide enough to be useful without becoming fiddly. For UK terrain, where wet roots and choppy descents punish rear shocks that are too nervous, that combination makes a lot of sense.
- Buy it if your bike is an enduro or aggressive all-mountain frame and you want more grip on rough trails.
- Buy it if you care more about descending composure than keeping the bike light.
- Skip it if your frame has awkward yoke geometry or the maker does not clearly approve coil shocks.
- Skip it if you want the most efficient all-rounder for big climbing days.
- Consider it carefully if your current air shock already feels overworked on long, rough descents.
If your original goal was a front suspension upgrade, this is the wrong product entirely, because the Hazzard is a rear shock. But if what you really want is a calmer, more controlled back end for hard riding, this is one of the more convincing coil options I have looked at. I would shortlist it for riders who know their frame fits, know their spring rate matters, and want the rear wheel to stay glued to the trail when the terrain stops being polite.
