EXT Announces New E-Storia Coil Shock
EXT have unveiled their new e-Storia, a coil shock that's designed to handle the increased suspension stress that eMTBs can generate. The Italian suspension manufacturer produces suspension components that have been used in Formula 1 and WRC, so they're no strangers to adapting shocks to suit different chassis weights.
The demands put on a shock that's mounted to a 50+ pound bike with a motor are obviously greater than what's generated by a standard bike that's 20 pounds lighter, so it made sense to come up with a shock designed specifically for the eMTB market. The latest eMTBs are getting lighter, but there are also more longer travel option hitting the market, another factor that can push a regular shock to its limits.
The demands put on a shock that's mounted to a 50+ pound bike with a motor are obviously greater than what's generated by a standard bike that's 20 pounds lighter, so it made sense to come up with a shock designed specifically for the eMTB market. The latest eMTBs are getting lighter, but there are also more longer travel option hitting the market, another factor that can push a regular shock to its limits.
E-Storia Details
• Chromoly shaft
• Adjustable low- and high-speed compression, rebound
• Adjustable hydraulic bottom-out control, lock out lever
• Springs available up to 800 lb/in
• Metric standard and trunnion mount options
• Weight: 460 grams (210 x 55mm without spring)
• MSRP: 879 Euro
• Available July 2
• extremeshox.com / USA: extusa.bike
• Chromoly shaft
• Adjustable low- and high-speed compression, rebound
• Adjustable hydraulic bottom-out control, lock out lever
• Springs available up to 800 lb/in
• Metric standard and trunnion mount options
• Weight: 460 grams (210 x 55mm without spring)
• MSRP: 879 Euro
• Available July 2
• extremeshox.com / USA: extusa.bike
The e-Storia uses a chromoly shaft and a more robust body construction to allow it to withstand those higher forces. It also has its own range of springs, which runs all the way up to an 800 lb/in option.
As with EXT's other shocks, spherical bearings are an option.
The orientation of the reservoir is designed to help avoid frame clearance issues.
Along with the beefed up externals, EXT also made changes to the e-Storia's internals. The range of the rebound and compression adjustments has been increased to allow for more tuning options, and the range of the externally adjustable hydraulic bottom out feature has also been increased.
Other details include new seals designed to reduce friction, a higher viscosity oil to keep the shock operating consistently at all temperatures, and a new main piston design that EXT says improves the shock's sensitivity and adjustability.
The e-Storia will be available on July 2, and will be priced at 879 Euro + VAT. There will be trunnion and standard mount sizes in 185, 205, 210, and 210mm eye-to-eye lengths. Claimed weight is 460 grams for a 210 x 55mm version without a spring.
Photos: Veronica Mariani / EXT
Video: Shadin Studio
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27.5 or 29er
Mountainbike or Motorbike
Gravel / XC / Downcountry / Trail / Enduro / DH / Park / Jump
Now add 40kg / 60kg / 80kg / 100kg weight brackets
The number of combinations is now infinite!
(though i do agree about sticking 38s and 29s on a bike for someone who weighs 50kg!)
Marketing stuff as eeb is just another way of saying heavy duty. Nothing wrong with it.
At least 50% of the defect coil shocks we are getting are from ebikes.
And by defect I mean crack in the housing not a defective seal.
Lot of frame manufacturers are evaluating to forbid the use of coil shox in their ebikes.
That happens for a reason...
So there definitely is a market and need for this kind of Shock
One of the major benefits of air shocks is the ability to configure for (pretty much) ant rider regardless of weight - not every manufacturer will bother offering free spring swaps.
It seems that a lot of companies are into pushing out eProducts because the can charge 10-20 ePercent more eMoney for the same (or very similar) rebranded thing.
Thank you! I thought I was the only one seeing through this BS
I’ve been super happy with the “ebike” product market lately personally. With dh and freeride bikes becoming less popular the last decade, the parts market for that genre died off a bit. We’re starting to see a resurgence in the popularity of these bikes though and Ebike parts are just beefed up enduro parts. They weigh less than what many brands used to call “dh” but are plenty burly, so perfect for freeride and dh use.
Also, e bikes have motors and therefore run at higher average speeds which is harder on the shock. So this makes sense for e bikes.
The current Kenevo design is famous for over-stressing and blowing up coil shocks, so this is a great upgrade for that bike.
Everyone should ride dual 29" wheels.
Everyone should be happy on 8'/4' sweep handlebars that are 800mm wide.
Everyone should ride 135mm width saddles.
Everyone should be happy on 435mm rear centers.
Everyone should be happy on the one product we offer in this single variant.
If people are coming in with broken coil shocks on their ebikes then that probably has more to do with the rider doing something wrong than anything else. I have worked in a bike shop in the alps and the damage seen on the bikes is INSANE! It has nothing to do with the bikes (most are DH bikes) or the terrain but rather the inexperienced riders that rent them. E.g. People only using the rear brake destroy the rear pads and then the disc or bented seat posts because they are trying to pedal DH bikes like XC bikes and go over the minimum insertion and sometimes they bend the frame!!! I could go on and on...
I think there is a market for stronger more reliable and durable mtb products but that has nothing to do with ebikes being harder on stuff but rather because mtb is obsessed with weight!
Business is still business, the ebike market is a large and quickly growing market compared to dh/fr. They would be left trying to sell it as “burlier, more durable, heavier” to a market who would end up rejecting it. Or they can just say “it’s an ebike shock” and the burlier, more durable, heavier argument is already made with that one word, to a market that will buy it. And people like myself who buy ebike parts for my regular bikes.
Why do coffee shops sell “Pumpkin Spice” every fall? Because there’s a market for it and people buy it. Even though there are plenty of haters, which is basically PB commenters to anything ebike related.
Capitalism and sales strategy still exists. Not sure why people get so mad about that. People act like they want small companies to do well and grow, but then get upset when they make business moves to do exactly that.
I have been thinking for a while that bigger humans would be better off with the ebike derivative of the Fox 36, for example. Someone who is in that weight class on the heavier end of the spectrum could do with the extra heft. A mate of mine who is a stacked 96kg has been running a Totem for years because he thinks every other fork he’s tried has been too noodly. The totem coil is like, 2.8kg.
Function should always be seen as more important than weight, and yet here we are putting 1800g 170 mm travel 29er forks on our enduro bikes and wondering why they creak.
I didn’t jump to any conclusion, you did.
FAT riders can also destroy shocks as it simply has to do with force applied on the shock.
As I am sure you know that force gets exponentially higher with speed.
So you could say a fat/slow Rider produces the Same force as a normal/fast Rider. (No scientific approach).
I ride and raced downhill and enduro for 12 years now and never destroyed a single shock until I put a coil in my ebike. Bad luck? Maybe... I am 190 with 96kg and ride pretty fast. Why didn’t I destroy one yet? Probably Specialized fsr + added weight of the Levo.
I personally think this shock is basically a soft launch of EXT new shock (v4 or whatever).
I would/will buy it for my enduro as finally you have the climb switch AND the HBC adjustment on one shock which is amazing.
Ebike specific marketing is just marketing and ext is not good at it, and never was.
And lastly - everyone here has to chill out. It’s just a bycicle part why are people getting so upset about it?
Just look at the comments under this article and there's plenty along those lines from people with non-coil-compatible frames. I'd argue that's just a big of a niche as e-bikers looking to upgrade their shocks.
My point remains - no need to brand it e-bike specific, it's just BS. Market it as extra tough for large riders, poor frame designs (yokes) and e-bikes. Triple the market, job done.
See what using your line of „logic“ produces? If you don‘t, well, qed…
More like cracked the housing...
Spec fsr has quite a lot torsion going on, that kills coil shox pretty fast...
Probably e-coli... Aehm e-coil sells better than "ow, your heavy, here is your more heavy suspension"
It is indeed boutique suspension, but EXT has got my back with every doubt and question I asked.
It requires a little more tinkering, but hat thing delivers tons of grip once correctly set up.
Now, I am so used to it that when I ride my air suspended trail bike I find myself overshooting corners or coming in too hot.
And I can second it- I ride the Storia on my Stumpjumper- feels bottomless for 140mm of travel
It’s so much better in every aspect! Small hits, big hits, climbing, jumping, just everything!
You wouldn’t believe that a coil shock is at the same time more poppy and uphill friendly than a Air shock, but also eats up the smallest bumps so well and gives you traction you never believed was possible before!
Get the Storia, it’s so worth it!
I would love to also get it for my Santa Cruz Heckler, but unfortunately Santa Cruz forbids the use of a coil shock in that frame..
Your username made me laugh BTW.
Utter bullshit. And not obvious at all, since we already have riders (way more than) 30+ pounds heavier than other riders.
Sure they're good with adapting shocks to different chassis weights, but bike weight is just a small part of the total weight of a bike + rider system. 30 lbs extra is only 10-20% of the system weight. System weight that ranges from 120ish to 250ish on average, so a 100+% difference. If they really cared about the weight they would have made this from the beginning to match that upper range rider weights regardless of motors.
Additionally;
As a “work in progress” (fatty) on my trail bike, I would weigh significantly more than a smaller person on a heavy ebike.
(Also when I was thin, I’d still weigh more than a normal person on an ebike due to my height).
So there’s an alternative scenario for all the folks moaning about ebikes weighing more and destroying trails.
Will there be complaints that talk people weigh more and are destroying trails or is it just easier to moan about ebikes?
Totally agree.
My point was against the same response that gets rolled out at every ebike debate around weight.
but I am sure that they have as have noticed new bikes are heavier due to fact that are getting so much abuse & manufacturers do not want them broken
Yes I am getting old so know I am never going to need such a strong bike
So yes would like better suspension, but do not really need it?
1: Will it work on a Stumpy Evo?
2: Does the Ti check valve in the rebound circuit still make the god awful clicking?
I do, however, have an EXT Storia shock on my non-e-bike (bike) and it is a very good bit of kit indeed.
Easy decision if you have the money though, I agree.
That claim is so rough that you can hope this coil shock smooths it out at the end.