My old Stumpjumper was from about the same era. The original owner had replaced the standard rear shock with a Fox Float RP I think, can’t remember exactly. It had a switch to help eliminate pedal bob, but I can’t say I ever felt that working. I’m sorry I can’t remember the exact size, but I do know it wasn’t quite exactly what the original shock was, because of the aforementioned issue with the weird sizing. So it was a couple of mm different, but I can tell you it worked absolutely fine. So I would say, if you can find a basic air shock that will fit, then go for it. A new equivalent bike will be expensive, and not necessarily any ‘better’, although many on here will tell you otherwise. It really is all down to trying out different things and seeing what suits you best. It may well be that you actually prefer the older design; I’ve tried a few different bikes over the last few years, and I still prefer a 26″ wheel for some of the riding I do, and larger wheels for other stuff. Horses for courses. But for the cost of a replacement shock, you will at least have a bike that you can enjoy riding. And that’s the most important bit.
