Best shock upgrade for Stilus? And which options?

[Kiwimike]

Looking to upgrade my V2 Deluxe Select with something nicer / more-tunable, to match the Lyrik Select + up front. As I have a SRAM dealer account, I'm thinking a RS Super Deluxe Ultimate RC2T.

But lordy there are options. In the 205 x 65mm range, there are four sepeate builds:

LINEAR AIR, 0 NEG/ 4 POS TOKENS, LINEARREB/LCOMP
LINEAR AIR, 0 NEG/ 3 POS TOKENS, LINEARREB/LCOMP
LINEAR AIR, 0 NEG/ 1 POS TOKENS, LINEARREB/LCOMP

...which only seem to differ by tokens

and then:

PROGRESSIVE AIR, 0 NEG/ 1 POS TOKENS, PROGRESSIVEREB/LCCOMP

I'll be faffing with tokens to get my ShockWiz tune right, so the main choice seems to be between linear and progressive.

I see Lombardo spec the Super Deluxe Select RT on the Sempione Team - Which hunting about RS site comes with a linear can.

Anyone done a swap for a Super Deluxe ultimate, can offer any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[MickS]

@Kiwimike I would stick to the damper having the same tuning as the stock one (that is LL), unless you are missing some range of adjustment for rebound damping, or if the compression damping tune from factory is not working for you. In my case only the half of the range for rebound damping adjustment is usable (anything below the middle setting is very slow), but it's because of my low weight (I use only 130-140 psi for ca 27,5% sag).

I've seen in the other threads that people upgraded their setups to Fox DPX2 and DVO Topaz and were happy with the upgrades.

Have you thought about switching to coil? I wonder if Stilus frame suspension kinematics would allow for that. I'd love to have more small bump sensitivity, I've tried riding on my colleague's bike with coil damper, and obviously, the difference was big (in favour of the coil ofc).
The new RS SD coil shock with that hydraulic bottom out sounds promising. I wonder if it could manage to solve the potential lack of progression in the kinematics of this frame. Do you know if Stilus frame is linear or progressive?

 

[Kiwimike]

First ride on the 2023 Super Deluxe Ultimate coil - WOW. Over chattery gravel and small roots the bike feels like a hardtail on a newly-tarmac’d road!

Climbing over big rocks, felt utterly planted and grippy like never before.

And the first half of the descent was likewise unreal.

The fact I washed out the front and now have a separated clavicle and two months off the bike isn’t the shock’s fault

So won’t get to play with all the settings for a while - but with everything set in the middle, it beat the pants off the Deluxe air, as you’d expect. It’s a Linear tune.

Fit-wise went on easily, but there’s zero clearance at the bottom between the coil and seat tube. I expect if the coil settles back it might rub the paint a tiny amount, but really don’t care. As the suspension progresses it moves out, so no bother.