Starting to get some play in back of my Cannondale Trigger and hoping it’s shock bushings rather than any pivots. When lift bike up and gently lower wheel onto floor there’s a tiny ‘knock’ – dumb question but is there an easy obvious way to isolate the cause? Take shock out and manually check for play with fingers? I do realise all makes could differ…asked similar question on Trigger thread but all Dale owners seem to have fallen asleep watching Ed Sheeran tonight 😉

Sounds like bushings to me.

I put finger across both surfaces and move bike you should feel any movement

Just ‘cured’ that on my Jekyll by tightening the shock bolts a tad.

Almost certainly the shock bushings.

Evidence is strong enough to go ahead and change them IMO.

Hold the front brake on and rock the bike back and forth. Go round all pivots and bushings, holding them in turn in your other hand/fingers. You will feel play, just like you can with a loose headset

Like @eddiebaby says, can also be shock bolts, they need doing up proper tight so the bush reducer is jammed between the jaws and doesn’t move.