Levo Gen 2 EXT Arma, will average rider benefit from coil shock?

[RebornRider]

Let's get this straight to start with. I'm a very average rider who has been mtb'ing for a little bit more than a year. Van Girl Yuka is now hitting stuff that I would probably walk around. My inexperience makes it hard for me to notice subtle things like a 2 psi change in tire pressure. I am probably NOT a candidate for a high end coil shock. However, ...

My regular ride (Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park for you NorCal guys) includes a lot of very rough washboard hard pack. I've softened my original '19 Turbo Levo Carbon Expert suspension to the point where I use 95+% of the travel on the small jumps and drops that I can find. FWIW, I always compress the bike at drops to get a bit more air time, even though that makes for some harsh, flat landings. It's still fun!

I wanted to know if a high end coil shock would take some of the harshness out of the washboard hard pack, and if my inexperienced (and possibly numb) butt would notice any difference in handling. So I bought an EXT Arma which arrived today.

My plan is to update this thread as I gain experience with the new shock. I'm guessing there may be others here who are wondering if an expensive coil shock makes a noticeable difference to the average rider.

If this shock does make a useful difference, I want to try a Smashpot (or equivalent) for the fork. If it doesn't make a useful difference, "nothing ventured, nothing gained" and "you can't win them all".

 

[#lazy]

I would consider getting the original shock setup to the best it can 1st then upgrade to a better air shock

 

[RebornRider]

I would consider getting the original shock setup to the best it can 1st then upgrade to a better air shock

You aren't curious about what difference a coil would make? I am.

 

[Bigtuna00]

Let's get this straight to start with. I'm a very average rider who has been mtb'ing for a little bit more than a year. Van Girl Yuka is now hitting stuff that I would probably walk around. My inexperience makes it hard for me to notice subtle things like a 2 psi change in tire pressure. I am probably NOT a candidate for a high end coil shock. However, ...

My regular ride (Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park for you NorCal guys) includes a lot of very rough washboard hard pack. I've softened my original '19 Turbo Levo Carbon Expert suspension to the point where I use 95+% of the travel on the small jumps and drops that I can find. FWIW, I always compress the bike at drops to get a bit more air time, even though that makes for some harsh, flat landings. It's still fun!

I wanted to know if a high end coil shock would take some of the harshness out of the washboard hard pack, and if my inexperienced (and possibly numb) butt would notice any difference in handling. So I bought an EXT Arma which arrived today.

My plan is to update this thread as I gain experience with the new shock. I'm guessing there may be others here who are wondering if an expensive coil shock makes a noticeable difference to the average rider.

If this shock does make a useful difference, I want to try a Smashpot (or equivalent) for the fork. If it doesn't make a useful difference, "nothing ventured, nothing gained" and "you can't win them all".

You already bought it. Go ride it, then come back and edit your post

I don't think air vs coil has anything to do with ability level. It's about feel. If you crave more suppleness, better traction, coil can deliver that. Coil weighs more and it's harder to tune the spring, so it's a trade-off as with anything.

There's no reason you had to spend $1100 on an Arma. MRP makes a Levo-compatible coil for a few hundred less. Cane Creek as well. I know you already bought it, I'm saying this for the others who might read

The Arma is REALLY GOOD on small bumps (I mean, so far it's really good everywhere, but also small bumps). The thing that's really weird about it is it's so supportive, I expect it to be harsher. With a Cane Creek DB Coil I was running the FlipChip in high. With the Arma I've put it back in low, the shock rides so much higher. Yet I would say it's equally supple on the small stuff.

The Smashpot is *not* as transformative as a coil shock IMO. It's definitely better for some of the same reasons (more supple, no need to mess with air pressure), but you're not changing the damper, so the net effect is smaller. So after you blow your mind with the Arma, don't expect the Smashpot to do the same

 

[#lazy]

You aren't curious about what difference a coil would make? I am.

You should put it on a get a suspension guru to go out and set it up with you for a day and while he’s there get him to sort your forks out too . Be money well spent ?

 

[RebornRider]

OP here - I just got back from my first coil shock ride on my usual Pleasanton Ridge route (~22 miles, total of 2900 ft of climbing and descending per BLEvo). My numb and untrained butt can definitely feel the difference between the new coil shock and the original air shock. The coil takes the edge off everything. Washboard still moves the bike around, but the harshness through the pedals and saddle (if I dare sit on a washboard section) is gone. My eyes tell me to expect to get jolted by the next stretch of trail, but then the jolt never happens.

And even though I compressed the bike as hard as I could before my favorite little drop, the landing was nowhere near as harsh as I was expecting.

#lazy - I had my suspension set up at Mammoth Mountain bike park last year as part of a lesson. Just pressures, compression and rebound dials, though, not a re-valve job.

 

[Squamish Sucks]

I’m legit confused about this whole post and how/why your butt numbness factors into this discussion.

If your butt is getting numb then you’re either sitting on the seat when you shouldn’t be or you have a seat that doesn’t fit you.

Getting your butt off the seat or buying a new seat are both much cheaper than buying a new shock. The suspension your bike came with is more than capable to handle what you described.

But then again, getting an upgrade for your bike is always exciting so I am happy you found it to be an improvement!

 

[RebornRider]

I was accused in another thread of having a numb butt because I said I couldn't detect things that highly experienced riders can detect (or so I'm told). Things like a 2 psi change in tire pressure, or 5 more psi in the fork, or 1 click more high speed compression. I guess I don't have enough experience to understand what those changes *should* feel like.

I wondered if I would feel a difference between a coil spring shock and an air spring shock. And by extension, would other average riders benefit from going from air to steel.

So not literally numb!

 

[Squamish Sucks]

Ahhhhhhh ok makes sense now!

 

[Bigtuna00]

Glad you enjoyed the Arma. Don't forget, even if you end up with hard bottoming, you have adjustable HBC so you can tune it.

I've been riding since '89 and I still can't tell the difference between 1 click on the clickers...or even 2 or 3. It has nothing to do with experience

(I can't tell the difference between 20-23 PSI on tires but I could definitely feel 18 PSI, didn't like it at all)

Anyway don't feel bad, I think there are thousands of riders like you and me

 

[#lazy]

Anyway don't feel bad, I think there are thousands of riders like you and me

And bike shops love it when they see your X5’s pull-up outside ?

 

[Bigtuna00]

And bike shops love it when they see your X5’s pull-up outside ?

Cars are a different story... And I do mean *cars*, I have no interest in driving a boat...

 

[RebornRider]

And bike shops love it when they see your X5’s pull-up outside ?

Bentley Bentayga W12



(Actually a Ford Escape, but let's keep that a secret.)