[Happymtb.fr]

I got some info for the oil EXT uses, see here http://www.extremeshox.com/product/shock-fluid-2-5w/

Density at 20°C	0.80 Kg/Lt
Viscosity cSt at 40°C	9
Viscosity cSt at 100°C	3
Viscosity Index	325
Flammability	>150°C
Sliding Point	-60°C

 

[HAB]

Here is a link to the service manual for the EXT Storia / Arma

http://www.extremeshox.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/MTBservice-manual-eng.pdf

Service is quite easy to do and doesn't require the specific tools. A torx T20 with a hole in the center is needed to access the rubber grommet pressurising the IFP. Then some metric bolts, a M2 for lifting the pressure cap and a M6 for the IFP. A pin spanner opens the bearing assy.
View attachment 160551

The oil coming out was black which gave me little indication about its possible origin. I went for Motorex Fork oil 2,5w because it is around 15 cSt @40°C and is a very common viscosity for damper. If you know something about the oil used by EXT, please let me know.

Edit: Wladoil makes the oil for EXT with the following spec:

Density at 20°C	0.80 Kg/Lt
Viscosity cSt at 40°C	9
Viscosity cSt at 100°C	3
Viscosity Index	325
Flammability	>150°C
Sliding Point	-60°C

What does the valve to pressurize the IFP look like? I can't tell from the photos/manual, and don't have mine in front of me. The manual makes it sounds like it takes a special valve adapter?

 

[Happymtb.fr]

What does the valve to pressurize the IFP look like? I can't tell from the photos/manual, and don't have mine in front of me. The manual makes it sounds like it takes a special valve adapter?

You need a needle connected to a pump. It's not a valve, it's just just a rubber grommet

 

[konastab01]

So what everyone’s opinion of the best shock on the market currently

 

[slimshady]

The red one!

 

[StiHacka]

The red one!

I'll have one with a Ti spring, please.

 

[slimshady]

I'll have one with a Ti spring, please.

in rootbeer I guess...

 

[jstuhlman]

and the moastest shimzzzz!!!

 

[boogenman]

So what everyone’s opinion of the best shock on the market currently

Romic D Shock - Cambria Bike

 

[Jm_]

For me it came down to the EXT Arma and Avalanche Woodie

 

[Jm_]

Romic D Shock - Cambria Bike

What could go wrong?

 

[konastab01]

Romic D Shock - Cambria Bike

The only think i thought was great about a romic, was the noise it made.

 

[konastab01]

For me it came down to the EXT Arma and Avalanche Woodie

Interesting, my mate said his EXT was class. Avalanche is states and im UK and dont know if I want the hassle. I'm thinking Intend although he doesn't want to sell outside of the EU now and Ohlins could be a potential

 

[bullcrew]

I just go to home Depot buy a fender washer to fit, drill some holes and bolt it in...

 

[bullcrew]

Interesting, my mate said his EXT was class. Avalanche is states and im UK and dont know if I want the hassle. I'm thinking Intend although he doesn't want to sell outside of the EU now and Ohlins could be a potential

Just grabbed a woodie for my bike...tried about every shock under the sun...yeah it's not twin tube. They all have pros and cons I like and dislike but if you take which seems to fit the bill overall the woodie does it for.me...i like the tuning on ccdb, loved the x2, but for just riding and consistently performing avalanche has been that...

I do want to play with the ohlins though lol...

 

[Jm_]

Just grabbed a woodie for my bike...tried about every shock under the sun...yeah it's not twin tube. They all have pros and cons I like and dislike but if you take which seems to fit the bill overall the woodie does it for.me...i like the tuning on ccdb, loved the x2, but for just riding and consistently performing avalanche has been that...

I do want to play with the ohlins though lol...

Best I've ridden is still my old Chubbie, so for new bike, Woodie seemed like the perfect choice. I think I emailed the EXT people and didn't get a response, but the EXT looked pretty decent, just a few dollars more. In general, most of mtb suspension is 90% bullshit, as in whatever feature they are boasting about is either non-functional, implemented poorly/incorrect, or actually detrimental to performance. No shitty poppet valves and gimmicks, just 100% functional damper.

 

[englertracing]

Just grabbed a woodie for my bike...tried about every shock under the sun...yeah it's not twin tube. They all have pros and cons I like and dislike but if you take which seems to fit the bill overall the woodie does it for.me...i like the tuning on ccdb, loved the x2, but for just riding and consistently performing avalanche has been that...

I do want to play with the ohlins though lol...

Im glad yours works for you.
Craig delivered me a fooked tune.
Lsr too slow
No low speed or medium speed compression
Hella top out clunk

A blow through packer. But the arrogant prick was too good for it to be far off and refused to retune even with me paying. A dumb fk like me couldn't possibly accurately describe what I feel MY bike is doing.... and give feedback to someone who has never done a shock for this specific bike ....

So I ended up buying shim restackor and and have had much better results.

Also his shim stack was too tall resulting in the rebound clamp shim pinched and deformed in the threads. Poor assembly practice on a shock his "holiness" designed.

The ext looks like a lot nicer piece.

Fk craig

 

[konastab01]

Im glad yours works for you.
Craig delivered me a fooked tune.
Lsr too slow
No low speed or medium speed compression
Hella top out clunk

A blow through packer. But the arrogant prick was too good for it to be far off and refused to retune even with me paying. A dumb fk like me couldn't possibly accurately describe what I feel MY bike is doing.... and give feedback to someone who has never done a shock for this specific bike ....

So I ended up buying shim restackor and and have had much better results.

Also his shim stack was too tall resulting in the rebound clamp shim pinched and deformed in the threads. Poor assembly practice on a shock his "holiness" designed.

The ext looks like a lot nicer piece.

Fk craig

Ha, but he's the expert. Lol

Its defo between the EXT and the Ohlins. Id like a intend but i dont know if they are good and as i said he won't sell outside eu now. I still fancy one of his forks though.

 

[bullcrew]

Im glad yours works for you.
Craig delivered me a fooked tune.
Lsr too slow
No low speed or medium speed compression
Hella top out clunk

A blow through packer. But the arrogant prick was too good for it to be far off and refused to retune even with me paying. A dumb fk like me couldn't possibly accurately describe what I feel MY bike is doing.... and give feedback to someone who has never done a shock for this specific bike ....

So I ended up buying shim restackor and and have had much better results.

Also his shim stack was too tall resulting in the rebound clamp shim pinched and deformed in the threads. Poor assembly practice on a shock his "holiness" designed.

The ext looks like a lot nicer piece.

Fk craig

I've been pretty lucky even had his shocks off other rides that worked well on my bike .. I can retune so it do it doesn't bother me so much.
Yes he can be difficult no question and he's been it it so long he can be salty to deal with...expects people to know what's happening and packing up as well as blowing through can overlap...

Sorry to hear that it was bad...still a great shock and proven.

Wouldn't nice if the tunes had a little more workable area..

Possibly more range on slow speed rebound and compression mid amount of high speed and keep main tune not general but mid race huck and let the dials have a bit more control...

 

[Happymtb.fr]

I have way too little time on the EXT to say something about reliability or performance but the shock is noisy. There is an audible flow on the rebound stroke and there is also a clicking noise supposedly coming from a check valve. Maybe not a big deal depending on what you are looking for...

Both Fast Suspension Holy Grails I have had were silent, as well as the acclaimed DHX RC4. The later being easy to serve, shim and find spares for.

 

[konastab01]

I have way too little time on the EXT to say something about reliability or performance but the shock is noisy. There is an audible flow on the rebound stroke and there is also a clicking noise supposedly coming from a check valve. Maybe not a big deal depending on what you are looking for...

Both Fast Suspension Holy Grails I have had were silent, as well as the acclaimed DHX RC4. The later being easy to serve, shim and find spares for.

My mate who's a pro and pretty picky has said the ext is one of the best shocks he's ever ridden.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

Ext has a very soft initial stroke because of its low IFP pressure (55psi on the Storia). It's the easiest shock to compress I have seen.

Öhlins seems to be good too now, they had a bit stiff valving at the beginning but they have worked on it. People here are loving their TTX but they might be blured by national pride...?

 

[Jm_]

Ext has a very soft initial stroke because of its low IFP pressure (55psi on the Storia). It's the easiest shock to compress I have seen.

I guarantee my CCDB that sucked in air is easier to compress. To be fair, supposedly from dry seals sitting around for nearly 3 years.

 

[Kanye West]

Im glad yours works for you.
Craig delivered me a fooked tune.
Lsr too slow
No low speed or medium speed compression
Hella top out clunk

A blow through packer. But the arrogant prick was too good for it to be far off and refused to retune even with me paying. A dumb fk like me couldn't possibly accurately describe what I feel MY bike is doing.... and give feedback to someone who has never done a shock for this specific bike ....

So I ended up buying shim restackor and and have had much better results.

Also his shim stack was too tall resulting in the rebound clamp shim pinched and deformed in the threads. Poor assembly practice on a shock his "holiness" designed.

The ext looks like a lot nicer piece.

Fk craig

Yep that sounds about right. Probably why nobody in the engineering world hires him and keeps him around. Can't deal with being wrong once in a while and having to back up a few steps and re-work things.

 

[konastab01]

Ext has a very soft initial stroke because of its low IFP pressure (55psi on the Storia). It's the easiest shock to compress I have seen.

Öhlins seems to be good too now, they had a bit stiff valving at the beginning but they have worked on it. People here are loving their TTX but they might be blured by national pride...?

Even if the onlins isn't great, its probs one of the best looking shocks out I think although the ext and push are up there.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

@konastab01
What is your bike?

 

[Cerberus75]

A buddy of mine loves his Onlin but weights too much more than me to get a good feel for it. I have nothing but good things to say about my Avalanche stuff. I've ridden the EXT stuff so going with it this time.

 

[Nick]

I wanted to try an EXT but in the early stages of Covid I couldn't get any commitment on lead time from Italia.

 

[HAB]

I've got a lot of time on both the EXT Storia and Ohlins TTX22. AMA.

 

[konastab01]

@konastab01
What is your bike?

It’ll be going on a Lahar.

 

[konastab01]

I've got a lot of time on both the EXT Storia and Ohlins TTX22. AMA.

And how’s your reviews of them to compare each other

 

[englertracing]

I've got a lot of time on both the EXT Storia and Ohlins TTX22. AMA.

Does the ext deliver?

 

[Jm_]

I'm curious why so many choose the storia over the more tunable arma?

 

[Cerberus75]

I'm curious why so many choose the storia over the more tunable arma?

I went back and forth and chose it and had the climb switch tuned softer. So I can use it when peddling through tech, we'll see if I made the right choice.

 

[HAB]

Does the ext deliver?

Yeah, it's exceptional. It's a little noisy, and I had some quality issues with their springs, but the performance of the shock itself is really outstanding. The first tune I got did come with the rebound really really slow, but they were good about taking care of it, and with that sorted, I'm stoked on it.

The Ohlins is also very good, but can't match the EXT for being as totally frictionless off the top. It's also not as fine tunable (either 2 or 3 HSC settings, depending if you have a size that gets a climb switch or not) but their tune for the bike I have it on (Nicolai G16) is pretty dialed.

 

[englertracing]

Yeah, it's exceptional. It's a little noisy, and I had some quality issues with their springs, but the performance of the shock itself is really outstanding. The first tune I got did come with the rebound really really slow, but they were good about taking care of it, and with that sorted, I'm stoked on it.

The Ohlins is also very good, but can't match the EXT for being as totally frictionless off the top. It's also not as fine tunable (either 2 or 3 HSC settings, depending if you have a size that gets a climb switch or not) but their tune for the bike I have it on (Nicolai G16) is pretty dialed.

a 2 or 3 setting hsc is a major turn off for me...
I have heard the EXT is typically a bit slow in rebound.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

I had some quality issues with their springs

It sounds familiar...

 

[Happymtb.fr]

Since I had the wrong oil in my Storia, I opened it again today and go a little further than last time with the help of a friend machining a socket for me. I could access the damping assy in the bridge. It's all nicely machined in there!

My concern is the orientation of the piston. On the picture below, the face on top is the one where the compression shims were. The other face with the smaller round holes had the check valve against it.
Of all the damping assy / cartridges I have seen on my bench, it is the first time I see a bigger flow area on the compression path than on the check path...

I am persona non grata at EXT since I am not the first owner of the shock so that I cannot ask them. Plus they wouldn't like somebody digging in their shock!

Have some of you damping nerds, or professionals, seen such a configuration before?

 

[englertracing]

Looks like one side of the piston is longer.
I think it was right way around.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

View attachment 160994
Looks like one side of the piston is longer.
I think it was right way around.

Indeed, good catch!

Still, the flow areas don't make sense to me...