Spotted: EXT is Developing a New Air Shock

Jan 12, 2022 at 6:31
by James Smurthwaite  
Thanks to PB Users @kidklayko & @noakeabean for the heads up on this one.

EXT is an Italian suspension brand that has forged its reputation in coil shocks with models such as the Arma and Storia. In 2020, the brand released its first fork with the impressive Era and now it looks like the brand is set to release another 'first' with an air shock. The shock was first spotted by @kidklaykom who spotted it in a factory tour video released by the brand, and we were then alerted to it by pbuser @noakeabean.

The shock can be seen at 2:35 in the video.

As product leaks go, it's one of the least subtle we've seen recently but given that we've been so impressed with EXT's offering in the past we decided to reach out to the brand for more information. They told us, "It's one of our upcoming damper products. It will be based on e-Storia/Arma MX hydraulic damper design."


They added the shock will have, "a unique and innovative patent pending design that boosts an externally adjustable twin air positive chamber, that follows the Era twin chamber +/++ philosophy to maximize linear capacity." The shock will also have, "full external tunability of the air/spring rate characteristics while controlling bottom out without the use of "tokens" but with a large negative chamber."

We've been told the product is going through its last development phase before pre-production begins in April/May with a full release coming July/August 2022. We look forward to learning more about this new avenue for the Italian brand soon.

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115 Comments

  • 244 2
 No hype, responds to direct question with details and timeline. No need for smoke and mirrors when you simply build better products. Amen.
  • 85 1
 If you are a larger established brand with product development cycles and supply chains with product backed up in them you have to carefully control information like this because otherwise everyone will wait for the new thing and not buy the one in the store/warehouse/factory.
ETX only have a coil, so they can afford to put this out any time, it adds hype to them and potentially erodes their competitors market.
  • 35 1
 Agreed. Recently swapped a Push 11-6 for EXT Storia Lok V3. The hydraulic bump stop enabled me to run 50 or 25lb softer spring and measurably improved performance. Consistently faster segment times on stuff I ride all the time. The stopwatch never lies! Dealing with EXT USA/Suspension Syndicate was great. My only gripe is that for this type of product I should get a copy of the dyno plot and a setup sheet with the base clicker settings detailed out so I don't have to manually check them. Not at all a bash on Push as their service was great as well but the I think EXT product simply out performs the Push.
  • 7 5
 @kleinschuster: Push has hydraulic bottom out now as well, you could have just had your shock upgraded to the latest updates.
  • 5 0
 @SonofBovril: It is a completely new platform so not possible to upgrade the previous version of the 11-6 to have this feature.
  • 2 3
 @jasonwd: EXT is much bigger than you thing in regards to Motorsport applications. Supply chain affects them too.
  • 1 0
 @kleinschuster: running an older push without hydro bottom out?
  • 3 3
 @5afety3rd: If they don't have an Air MTB shock yet then there is no existing supply chain therefore, at this moment, they can do whatever they hell they want.
I speak from a place of - My bike came with a poorly specc'd coil. I want an air shock. I could go _right now_ and buy a DPX2 or "ooh.. look shiny new EXT". My fragile ego says shiny new EXT to go with my overspecc'd carbon bike.
  • 2 0
 @jasonwd: supply chain leftovers are fixed with year end discounts, there in no drama here, just standard sales practices.
  • 3 0
 @5afety3rd: yes i have a 2 or 3 year old 11-6 not able to be updated to the latest version. I also didn't really find value in the dual circuits. The simple close open switch on the EXT does everything I need for where I ride.
  • 4 1
 @notsosikmik: correct. Old versions are not able to upgraded from my understanding. Push was also not fully onboard with being as custom as they claim to be for dialing in my shock for a frame not in their list. They did a really good job on the base tune that I was able to work from. However, out the the box Push vs EXT the EXT hands down outperformed the 2nd gen 11-6 I have.
  • 1 0
 With a coil like feel....
  • 2 0
 @SonofBovril: And PUSH are quite selective about which brands/ models they will build a shock for. The "re-build it to allow it to move to any bike/ future proof" claim did not hold up to a real life situation.
  • 5 0
 @andrewbikeguide: I tried to take my 11-6 from my sentinel to my dreadnought and they wouldn't retune it. Same eye to eye, same mount. Slightly different stroke if I recall.

Not that custom if they can't do that. I won't purchase again, not impressed by customer service at all.
  • 52 0
 New bikes are out for 2022. Putting baller suspension on your 2020 model is in. EXT is baller.
  • 65 0
 Learning to properly tune your existing suspension isn't as baller but way more cost effective.
  • 5 0
 @haen: so true.
  • 38 1
 @haen: No! Spend tons of money on new parts and be a dick about it! This is the way.
  • 8 1
 @RusMan: Are you speaking for all Mandalorians?
  • 2 0
 @haen: *if possible
  • 7 1
 @haen: Also helps you understand the limitations of your current setup so you don't just blindly buy your next fork based on stanchion color
  • 1 0
 @rip8569: New Stanchion color's... I got so excited I hit "BUY NOW" on Amazon and have no idea what I bought...

Maybe I'll get that 336 fork people jeeyp telling me is a good idea for those of us on a budget...
  • 1 0
 @haen: Can't add hydraulic bottom out yourself, but damn is it handy.
  • 7 0
 @haen: or just replace your Fox or Rockshox fork and shock every year in the hope they finally got it right this year!
  • 1 0
 @haen: Just run max PSI
  • 4 0
 @haen: American life is about balling and keeping up with the jones, not being effective lol. This is why dentists look at you like you’re stupid when you try to tell them to tune their suspension, not just buy an expensive fork.
  • 1 0
 @robertg620: really see this with the ebike crowd. 10k bikes that somehow have trouble descending. Certainly the suspension set up and not the rider....
  • 2 0
 @JDFF: bonus if they’re descending seated with one pedal at the bottom of its stroke.
  • 31 3
 Hi, everyone I just want to get something straight. I am the one who screenshotted and cropped these photos and posted them to the forum. The notion that @noakeabean found and spotted and took the photos is a false statement. I am not taking credit for the video as they were in a video put out by EXT. I did not take these photos physically with a camera. They were screenshotted then cropped. Credit goes to EXT, and editing could go to me.
  • 4 8
flag FUbob (Jan 12, 2022 at 20:36) (Below Threshold)
 You want a cookie?
  • 1 0
 @FUbob: Absolutely that sounds delicious, chocolate chip? Oatmeal? I love treats. Lol, this whole thing has been a troll, just wait, I'll tell all of them in a day or so. Yes I did take the photos, but whatever they were screenshotted. Nokeabean used them, cool, don't care, no credit to me? Whatever. I was a little upset he left me out, but I really don't care, I acted all toxic like a 13-year-old streamer to be funny, but I forgot people can't see your facial expressions on a computer, I really don't care. I eventually it turned it into a large troll, this should be fun revealing it.
  • 23 3
 I weighed a 216x63mm Storia back to back against the same size Cane Creek IL coil, both with the same weight coils, and it was 74 grams lighter. The existing Storia is so freaking light its close to an X2 air shock. The hydraulic bottom out and high speed compression tune is so good that I don't see the point of an air piggy back shock anymore.
  • 6 0
 Did you weigh them with the exact same spring or just a spring of the same weight rating? looking at quoted and real figures the cane creek IL should be lighter for any given length, the spring is the biggest part of the overall weight and not all are created equal, having a super alloy steel or titainium vs standard steel makes a big differance.
  • 3 0
 @maglor: He may be making the point that EXT spring are lovely and light, as well as their damper units.
I don't know if EXT springs can be used on other shocks, but if so you have a good point.
  • 2 0
 @chakaping: I wonder who makes the lightest spring. I've been using a Sprindex and its been great, but I think I have my preferred spring rate in mind now so I don't need the adjustability anymore.
  • 3 0
 @chakaping: the EXT spring will fit other shocks with adapters. Thy are one of the lightest springs available.
  • 2 0
 @maglor: stock spring for both. The EXT springs are light!
  • 1 0
 @SkullsRoad: Öhlins make super light springs for people who really care about weight, or want the yellow. I don't know enough about coil shocks to know wether or not a lighter spring is important or not.
  • 1 2
 @Jules15: less weight, more money and don’t last as long (replace every year if you ride a lot).
  • 1 0
 I'm not sure who manufacturers them, but Avy's springs are ridiculously light. My 500lb spring is somewhere in the vicinity of 300g iirc.
  • 1 0
 Air would be for versatility and ease of timing for a wide variety of trails… if you know what you ride and it’s consistent then coil is probably spot on. After using Shock wiz front and rear for a week and a really wide range of trails I know that I could not have adjusted a coil in enough ways to suit the changes in terrain and riding type.
  • 1 0
 @hamncheez: Cane creek do standard steel and thier more expensive Valt lightweight springs which should be close to the EXT one, so unless it was a Valt spring then not a fair fight.
  • 2 0
 @DHhack: As long as you don't damage the coating and let the spring corrode thiers no reason it needs replaced every year, if you're really worried get a titainium one.
  • 1 0
 @maglor: it was valt stock, but the progressive one.
  • 1 0
 @maglor: all springs wear out. Lighter springs wear out sooner. Good luck finding a ti spring anywhere near its rating.
  • 1 0
 @DHhack: Yer but not in within a year, you don't go about changing your car springs every year. The lighter springs are actually better quality and higher grader materials to make them lighter so if anything more resistant to fatigue.
  • 1 0
 @maglor: I’m looking at my box of old springs and not believing you
  • 1 0
 @DHhack: Are they all broken? I'm not saying your wrong but curious if replacing them yearly is one of these stories that gets peddalled around to make you buy more (i've never heard of it though), like how often you should replace helmets (some say 2 years, others 5) or these matress adverts that say 8 years (interestingly also spring fatigue) but there's no real way to know how long they will last if you're replacing them early to be safe, unless you are dyno testing them and getting rid as soon as they loose any weight rating but they will still keep working fine, just maybe 480lbs instead of 500.
EXT quote "Long life span (automotive standards of over 500.000 cycles)" i'm not sure how many cycles your average ride puts on a spring but climbing doesnt exactly put many full cycles on it and decending is a much smaller amount of time so i'd imagine 500,000 cycles goes pretty far unless you're riding every day.
  • 14 2
 @jamessmurthwaite Credit @Kidklayko and the MTB Tech Rumors, Innovation and Prototypes forum thread please! Cmon!
www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=230309&pagenum=8#commentid7075583
  • 8 0
 www.vitalmtb.com/forums/The-Hub,2/2020-MTB-Tech-rumors-and-innovation,10797
  • 6 1
 he found the photos give him credit pls
  • 6 0
 I am not taking any credit for these photos, they were merely screenshotted and cropped from a youtube video put out by EXT. Here is the link www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiRA5C8wBT4 the photos were "taken" so to speak at 2:35-2:38. I am the one who took the photos but I did not call this in.
  • 9 0
 Patent pending design with adjustable twin positive air chamber?
This is already state of the art!
See: www.instagram.com/p/CYpInC0tKv3/?utm_medium=copy_link
  • 5 0
 Se Germanz: www.mtb-news.de/forum/t/awk-doppelkammersystem.728967/page-135
  • 3 0
 www.chickadeehill.de/lfb6
  • 9 1
 I'd rather have a coil version of the Era, but don't let that stop you EXT!!!
  • 4 0
 Second that - I'd pick up a coil Era in a heartbeat.
  • 2 0
 yes
  • 13 9
 In this new ERA of suspension design. Did they take the EXTra time to address the top out issue, or will it be the same old STORIA twinning with an air chamber.
  • 9 3
 too much effort buddy. you've gotta damper that a little.
  • 1 1
 @Notmeatall: little damper wrong article that's the Sid
  • 1 0
 "full external tunability of the air/spring rate characteristics while controlling bottom out without the use of "tokens" but with a large negative chamber."
So, Fox AVA makes a return? I guess it's been 15+ years, the groms (& e-n00bs) won't remember.
  • 1 0
 AVA wasn't two chambers, it was just one adjustable chamber. www.ridefox.com/fox_tech_center/owners_manuals/08/eng/rear_shocks/ava_(air_volume_adjuster).htmair_volume_adjuster
  • 1 0
 @Socket: I know (still have one) it was in reference to adjusting progression without spacers.
  • 2 0
 @JamesSmurthwaite

chickadeehill IRT shock LFB6 with twin positive chambers

www.instagram.com/p/CYpInC0tKv3/?utm_source=ig_embed
  • 1 0
 Great products but they might want to teach their staff how to correctly use a torque wrench when fitted with a crows foot. At 1.25, the crows foot should be at 90degrees to the torque wrench, not as in the video.
  • 3 0
 Seems everyone is + or ++ these days
  • 3 0
 I have the EXT ERA and Storia.. Epic. thats all i say.
  • 1 0
 How much is it going to be tho? and why use the e-Storia hydraulic damper design?
  • 1 0
 Should be a bit stronger in terms of mechanical strenght and should fit more frames - like e-bikes, motos etc so Id say they just made more universal. In other words, less product options for more sports
  • 2 0
 @bok-CZ: I'm not sure I would trust an Ebike shock on a mx bike
  • 4 0
 @michaelbozof: I believe they got more experience, anyway you can see the same shock under moto and super moto shocks as well as under MTB shocks on their site. So they seems to be pretty sure
  • 3 1
 @michaelbozof:

"It will be based on e-Storia/Arma MX hydraulic damper design."
Perhaps to combat extreme sideloads of some bikes out there?

The E Arma was built for "E bikes" like the Sur Run E motos.
www.extremeshox.com/product/arma-mx-e-mx-dedicated-damper

EXT also makes Moto shocks so they seem to have everything covered.
www.extremeshox.com/product/mxsm-shock
  • 2 0
 @michaelbozof: they make a mx versions for Surrons it a lot bigger
  • 1 0
 eStoria has dramatically different internals from the prior Storia, including bladder replacement of IFP. Supposedly wider range of damper adjustments as well.
  • 2 0
 I'm afraid the sticker at 1'44" is not perfectly aligned... :p
  • 2 0
 That grated me too
  • 1 0
 Same here just like cmon!!!
  • 2 1
 Lol when I received my era the first thing I noticed were stickers that were on the piss and it’s even on their qa check list which had me questioning the quality. Sure enough 2 defective eras later and now they bring out a v2…
  • 3 1
 Not everyone prefers a coil shock. This is excellent news.
  • 2 0
 spotted on youtube? wow!!!
  • 2 0
 This is interesting, I'd buy this.
  • 1 0
 Looks like a Vivid! I'm guessing the adjusters won't fall off of the EXT though.
  • 2 0
 Long term review tomorrow.
  • 2 0
 Is “looks like ohlins” the new “looks like session”?
  • 1 0
 that would go nicely on my bud's Blur
  • 1 0
 Ill buy
  • 2 5
 EXT: Due to internal policy from January 1st 2018 it is no longer possible to change shock’s length and stroke (!!!) to adapt to a new frame.
New frame and goodbye to the money (1100€) for EXT.
  • 2 0
 I've had my Arma V3 adjusted 3 times for different bikes by Suspension Syndicate (EXT-USA) Perhaps that're referring to a previous generation shock from 2018?

Sometimes it's not financially feasible to change, like going to a trunnion mount for example.
  • 2 0
 Not the case when I contacted suspension syndicate in 2020. They were willing and able to do it, but the price to convert from trunnion to eyelet with a stroke and tune change wasn't really worth it considering the resale on these shocks.
  • 5 0
 Krispy is correct. This is for V1/V2 shock models. Stroke and eye-to-eye changes are fully supported for the V3 and e-Storia chassis shocks.
  • 2 0
 I didn't know, sorry, I will contact the EXT, thanks for the info.
  • 1 0
 @EXT-USA: thanks
  • 2 0
 @Greg-e-Cube: You are quite welcome!
  • 2 2
 Too late EXT, Manitou already make the best air shocks.
  • 1 2
 Shocking............I'll see myself out.
  • 1 2
 Pun
  • 2 2
 Bos void 3 FTY !
  • 1 0
 Anything resembling customer service from Bos for the barely acceptable (FTBA)!
  • 1 0
 @Hill-Seeker: yeah I agree they destroyed customer confidence a few years ago. They seem to have changed that today though.
Their products are very good also.
  • 1 0
 @Simzesun: Their products are phenomenal, but I've not seen any improvement in service. Speak/be French, or be ignored.
  • 1 2
 Looks like an X2
  • 2 2
 You mean it looks like an Xession
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