Levo Gen 3 Do I need to upgrade my suspension or something else?

[irie]

A problem with air springs is that they're hard to set up for lighter riders. They're made for average sized men. For many ladies (and small-framed men), the pressure required to get adequate sag is freakishly low.

This ^^^

Hoping 30/30 will fix the issues.

30% sag is not a lower limit for you @ 5'2"/142lb, whatever sag works best for you is right.

 

[EmtbChar]

30/30 (down to 60psi on the fork!) with rebound a few clicks from fully open was much better but still not quite there. Still have around 10mm of travel not being used so 35/35 is next.

I definitely have the death grip and working on loosening that up as well as using my legs to absorb bumps. Almost there!

Thanks for all the help!

 

[kneecap]

Like I posted , most these responders are strong faster dudes & don't really connect to your issues. I replaced the compression fluid in my same fork to Red Line 2.5 wt. fluid, helped quite a bit. My issue is that forks don't move fast enough to respond to high speed rocks & bumps. That marzocchi will be somewhat better. better. also, I run my compression & rebound dampers fully opened, I don't do much jumps or built features, works fine.

 

[RustyIron]

30/30 (down to 60psi on the fork!) with rebound a few clicks from fully open was much better but still not quite there. Still have around 10mm of travel not being used so 35/35 is next.

Yeah, nah, that might not do what you think. Concern yourself with how the bike handles, not with the amount of travel left over at the end of your ride. Darren Murphy has gone so far as to suggest that travel indicators (o-rings) should be removed from all bikes because they confuse too many riders. That might be extreme, but he was trying to make a point.

Another misconception held by many is that decreasing pressure (increasing sag) somehow provides a plusher ride. Nope. More sag results in greater rate of rise of internal pressure, more progressivity, a harsher ride. I don't think that's what you're looking for.

An added benefit of maintaining proper sag is that your bike will ride higher in the travel. It slightly decreases the angle between your fork and the ground, providing better downhill control. A slightly taller stance in front will also make it easier to move your weight back.

Go ahead and decrease the pressure and ride around. It's good to "feel" the difference. Just be aware that things might turn out "strange."

 

[irie]

30/30 (down to 60psi on the fork!) with rebound a few clicks from fully open was much better but still not quite there. Still have around 10mm of travel not being used so 35/35 is next.

I definitely have the death grip and working on loosening that up as well as using my legs to absorb bumps. Almost there!

Thanks for all the help!

"Still not quite there" sounds like a huge improvement so use those settings as your new baseline. No need to use the remaining 10mm travel, keep that in reserve for unexpected hits. You do not want the fork or shock to regularly bottom out!

Could well be as good as it gets tbh. Go ride and have fun.