RebornRider
Well-known member
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".
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".