Levo SL Gen 1 Increasing travel to 160 = high or low flip chip

[chrismechmaster]

Hello everyone

when increasing the front travel on the SL to 160 and the rear slightly by using a 55 stroke rear shock , should the flip chip be left in the stock LOW position or change to HIGH ??

many thanks in advance

 

[Mikerb]

going to 160 slackens the head angle a little. Putting the flip chip on high likely takes it back to where it was. A slacker head angle makes the steering more stable especially for descents but also makes steering response a little slower.....so it depends what you want. What effect your rear shock change makes to all of that I would think is marginal and could even be none depending how you set it up.

The flip chip is quick and easy to change so probably best to leave it as is and try that, then flip it and see which you prefer!

I find the Levo a little top heavy so raising the bb is not a positive. I dont know if that is the same with the SL though.

I converted my Levo Comp ( not SL) from 150 to 160. The old fork also sat down 10mm under its own weight whereas the new one does not so the change was in effect 20mm. I left the chip flip in the low position. I guess it is difficult to separate the geo change from the vast improvement in fork performance ( Lyric Ultimate v RS Rev) but overall I felt I had a much better riding position and the bike was far more capable on steep descents. Since gravity runs are my favourite aspect of mtb I left it as it was, even so I noticed no downsides on any other type of riding.

 

[Shinn]

I put a DVO D1 at 160 on my SL, left it in the low position and I've not noticed any difference really in the geometry, but as said by @Mikerb its difficult separate the performance change in the shock itself and the change in geometry. However, I have not tried it in the high position after installing the new fork.

My bike was in the high position when I got it and there was a huge difference for me when flipping it to the low.

 

[DuncanDoughnuts]

I have a 160mm and put the bike in high.... have lots of rocky technical climbs and was bashing cranks in the low... high made it better, but preferred the low settings for stability ...

 

[fabio-no-drop]

On my TL mount a 650b" wheel in the rear + DVO Topaz with 55 travel and low setting with the flipchip + 160mm RS Pike. Head angle is now 65°, but i think i will turn the flip to High position. The negative issue is the seat angle, very slack and the position is not so confortable when i ride uphill (even if i select "firm position" on the shock).

Obviously is another bike when i ride it down

 

[DuncanDoughnuts]

move the saddle forward on the rails to change the effective seat angle ....

 

[fabio-no-drop]

move the saddle forward on the rails to change the effective seat angle ....

I putted the "nose" of the saddle a bit down, in order to balance my position and to have less pressure on my jewels ;-)

 

[Bigtuna00]

IMO Flipchip position has as much to do with tune as your hardware. With a Cane Creek DB Coil I ran it on high. When I switched to my EXT Arma I found the shock was so much more supportive I could set it back to low. Both with the same sag, but obviously way different damper tunes. This is just to say, there's no "rule", you'll have to choose what you like best.

 

[fabio-no-drop]

IMO Flipchip position has as much to do with tune as your hardware. With a Cane Creek DB Coil I ran it on high. When I switched to my EXT Arma I found the shock was so much more supportive I could set it back to low. Both with the same sag, but obviously way different damper tunes. This is just to say, there's no "rule", you'll have to choose what you like best.

I agree.

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

left mine on low, still would like the bike slacker