![]() ![]() Externally on the Storia HBC can only be turned on or off but EXT can customize it for you if you'd like it more or less firm. The Storia uses a secondary compression circuit to improve pedalling rather than simply increasing the compression in the main damper as others do. There were even devices you could snap in place to prevent bobbing back in the day. It wasn't long ago that a lockout for a coil shock was unheard of. I had great traction, issues with repeated impacts disappeared, and the system finally felt fast. I had been using the 400 based on the baseline recommendations from EXT and I didn't feel like I needed more support but once I installed the 425, things started to sing. All Storia shocks come with two springs that differ in spring rate by 25 lbs. Once I put my Zeb back on, I knew what I was dealing with up front and could focus on what was happening the rear.Īfter twiddling with suspension settings without much success I decided to install the heavier of the two springs EXT supplied, even though that didn't seem to e a likely solution. I never felt like I was bottoming the bike simply didn't feel fast or responsive and was obviously riding too low in its travel, although I failed to identify this at the time. The shock never felt bad but it never felt great either My setup problems may have been obscured by the HBC (hydraulic bottom out control - more on that below). I also realized that zeroing in the suspension of two new products can introduce too many variables. I seemed to have poor traction in the rear and repeated hard impacts felt more harsh than I expected. One thing I heard is that EXT forks can take a little longer than others to break in, which may have contributed to the issue. I left Squamish feeling optimistic but I wasn't among those who immediately fall in love with EXT suspension. ![]() Cascades figures describe their link as 26% progressive vs 15% for stock for the entire leverage curve. ![]() The more significant factor is the change in leverage ratio observed on the graph, for the last 20mm of stroke, where the Cascade link goes from 2.6:1 to 2.1:1 while the stock link goes from approximately 2.45:1 to 2.15:1. This gap continues for the majority of the stroke and at about 40mm the leverage ratio of the Cascade Link is said to begin increasing more than the stock linkage, eventually ending with a slightly lower leverage ratio (2.1 for Cascade vs 2.15 for Yeti). For every millimetre of shaft movement in your rear shock, with the cascade link, the rear wheel should travel 2.9 mm, which should translate into better small bump sensitivity. The leverage initially is said to be increased from about 2.7:1 to 2.9:1. The main draw of the Cascade Link is the way it changes the leverage curve of the SB150 frame. I measured up the two links and they were remarkably similar despite each dimension between the three attachment points being dissimilar. I wanted to know if I could feel a difference with my existing setup before I threw more variables into the mix. My first move in this process was to install a Cascade Link for my Yeti SB150 frame. *At this point I have no evidence this will be the case with EXT and thus far I have had no issues at all But, as any Ferrari owner will tell you, while there's an obvious boost in up front costs associated with a taste for Italian metal, it may be the maintenance and repair costs, and assaciated ordeals, that break you.* Venturing into boutique parts isn't for rookies or bed wetters, unless you happen to be a mountain bike 'journalist,' in which case both are eligible. The exotic often comes with the lure of superior performance, which is certainly the case with EXT. Servicing or finding parts for a fork or shock that isn't made by Rock Shox or Fox isn't likely to be easier, or less expensive but if we were practical and pragmatic, would we be mountain bikers? Exotic Italian suspension parts on a mountain bike may feel even riskier than that Alfa. Are you drawn exotic mechanical adventures, unafraid of the challenges you may encounter trying to repair an Alfa Romeo? I love reliability but I'm also a sucker for all things Italian. ![]()
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