Levo Gen 2 Levo Gen 3 2022 Geo & Suspension

[jpdbr]

On the Geo side the setup I have liked the most is:
-170mm fork
- -1Headset Cup
-High position on chainstays bolt for BB height, so this way I compensate for the 170mm fork plus the -1 Headset Cup.
Bike definitely turns and carve’s curves better with the -1 headset Cup, I have tried all configurations and also this same configurations with stock 160mm fork.

On the shock side of things I still need more testing as all 3 have their advantages and disadvantages and need more fine running for this new bike, for example the TTX22 which is the shock I still use on my ‘21 Levo Sworks feels to harsh with same configuration so I have been dialing compression and it feels better now. What’s most amazing is that at least for me whatever shock I pick I get same time on track I really know very well, so on performance side of things thins are most likely equal and decission will be transferred to what a feel is a better package just relying on sensations... it’s gonna be a hard decission; on my ‘21 Enduro Sworks I really love the X2, on the , ‘21 Levo Sworks the Ohlins TTX22 Coil is the best option and I’m thinking on this new Levo the DHX2 might be the sweet spot, as it’s more like a combination and middle ground of both the X2 and the TTX22.

On the final notes the new bike is a rocket but it feels a little bit slower than when comparing to the older Levo, this comparison has been taking as I said on a track that I know very well and on which I have the KOM, so it’s apples to apples haha. This might be also because it’s the worst time of the year here for putting your bike against the clock as tracks are really destroyed, dusty and with zero to none grip if you make the slightest mistake at high speeds haha.

 

[E Bob]

Anyone played with there geo settings yet ? id like to get the slack front high rear to work, iv ditched the x2 and fitted an ext storia, Have gone from a 600 spring on the gen 2 down to a 525 and still fell its slightly over sprung.
The gen 3 is way more progressive than the gen 2, its a good thing, and should suit a coil well just need some more miles and few trips to mojo's

 

[E Bob]

On the Geo side the setup I have liked the most is:
-170mm fork
- -1Headset Cup
-High position on chainstays bolt for BB height, so this way I compensate for the 170mm fork plus the -1 Headset Cup.
Bike definitely turns and carve’s curves better with the -1 headset Cup, I have tried all configurations and also this same configurations with stock 160mm fork.

On the shock side of things I still need more testing as all 3 have their advantages and disadvantages and need more fine running for this new bike, for example the TTX22 which is the shock I still use on my ‘21 Levo Sworks feels to harsh with same configuration so I have been dialing compression and it feels better now. What’s most amazing is that at least for me whatever shock I pick I get same time on track I really know very well, so on performance side of things thins are most likely equal and decission will be transferred to what a feel is a better package just relying on sensations... it’s gonna be a hard decission; on my ‘21 Enduro Sworks I really love the X2, on the , ‘21 Levo Sworks the Ohlins TTX22 Coil is the best option and I’m thinking on this new Levo the DHX2 might be the sweet spot, as it’s more like a combination and middle ground of both the X2 and the TTX22.

On the final notes the new bike is a rocket but it feels a little bit slower than when comparing to the older Levo, this comparison has been taking as I said on a track that I know very well and on which I have the KOM, so it’s apples to apples haha. This might be also because it’s the worst time of the year here for putting your bike against the clock as tracks are really destroyed, dusty and with zero to none grip if you make the slightest mistake at high speeds haha.

Good Post, When you say -1 cup, is that in the slack way ? Id also like to keep ground clearance so was hoping to keep the back end in high, ‘170 air shaft now on shopping list’ Cheaper than shorter cranks too...
Did you keep same spring in your ohlins ? I found I needed to go down from a 600 to a 525 for the gen 3, that’s on an ext storia.
My experiences with shocks.. Couldn’t get a dhx2 to work on my gen 2, Got an x2 pretty good ‘filled with tokens’ But reliability was shite, Ate seals. My mates are running the ext storia on there gen 2’s and love them, same tune and spring ‘600’ on gen 3 turned bike into a hard tail, down to a 525, it’s working but not there yet.

 

[Citylad77]

I have mine with the slacker front with high settings on the back, feels like the middle settings on the front would be the sweet spot.

 

[jpdbr]

Good Post, When you say -1 cup, is that in the slack way ? Id also like to keep ground clearance so was hoping to keep the back end in high, ‘170 air shaft now on shopping list’ Cheaper than shorter cranks too...
Did you keep same spring in your ohlins ? I found I needed to go down from a 600 to a 525 for the gen 3, that’s on an ext storia.
My experiences with shocks.. Couldn’t get a dhx2 to work on my gen 2, Got an x2 pretty good ‘filled with tokens’ But reliability was shite, Ate seals. My mates are running the ext storia on there gen 2’s and love them, same tune and spring ‘600’ on gen 3 turned bike into a hard tail, down to a 525, it’s working but not there yet.

Yes when I say -1 headset cup is the slackest setting up front! Also remember the 170mm fork gives you another -0.5 HA making it again more slack! On GEO settings at least I have found my sweet spot.

Totally agree with you that DHX2 doesn’t work that good on gen2 that why I have my gen2 with the Ohlins TTX22, on that bike I run a 503lbs spring and on gen 3 I have been testing with 503, 480 and 457 and I might test with a 434, also I do believe compression and rebound need some fine tuning for this new gen3 plataform. I still haven’t totally ditched out the DHX2 option, but I don’t fully trust it as I have seen to many of them broken on Levo’s and Kenevo’s. At the moment the fight is between X2 and Ohlins, X2 also need some more fine tunning.

As I said before Gen3 bike feels like a rocket but for me it hasn’t been that big of a change as my Gen2 was setup with 170mm Fox 38, 210x55 Ohlins TTX22, and I turned around between 29er and mullet setups, flip chip was ALWAYS on low position for me even when using mullet setup. Biggest change at least for now is that the bike with the -1 headset cup really turns very well and as I said before carves turns very well getting inside the curve very easily like being turning on a “rail”. Last week I run both bikes, gen2 and gen3, against the clock that same day on the same track with no difference on final time between both! I repeated the test 2 more days having had the exact same time on the 6 runs (3 on each bike), please take in mind that, as I said on a older post, that track is really in bad conditions this days so you can’t push all what you would like but in those harsh conditions it’s almost no more time of improvement can be made and some risk has been taken to get this times on this conditions, not being easy to exactly match runs. It’s a track that has it all; technical, pedaling, dust, antigrip, rockgardnes, berms, jumps, etc. New bike feels more planted, but slower on straights than Gen2.

 

[Chriso82]

Good Post, When you say -1 cup, is that in the slack way ? Id also like to keep ground clearance so was hoping to keep the back end in high, ‘170 air shaft now on shopping list’ Cheaper than shorter cranks too...
Did you keep same spring in your ohlins ? I found I needed to go down from a 600 to a 525 for the gen 3, that’s on an ext storia.
My experiences with shocks.. Couldn’t get a dhx2 to work on my gen 2, Got an x2 pretty good ‘filled with tokens’ But reliability was shite, Ate seals. My mates are running the ext storia on there gen 2’s and love them, same tune and spring ‘600’ on gen 3 turned bike into a hard tail, down to a 525, it’s working but not there yet.

Hi what settings did you go with in the end, I have just put a ext shock on. Currently running low rear. Standard cup and 160mm fork

 

[Baron]

Quick question for those into their Ohlins TTX22M. I’m 86kg and needing some advice on what spring I would need on Gen3 Sworks. Used a 548 on a Gen2 but advice so far is go for 640 ??

 

[Dan202B]

Thanks for this info. I just got a 2022 Levo and am ready to make some suspension changes. I am going with the EXT E-Storia coil and a ZEB Ultimate. I was trying to figure out if I should stay with the 160 fork or if a 170 would be better. With the head set cups and Flip chip I thought you could get the best of both worlds. Thanks for the post you confirmed my thought process is acceptable.

 

[etoni]

i think the gen2 for with the 29" wheel is faster on the straight. but all in all the gen3 is sweeter to ride. i have a 38 grip2 ebike tune fork as a spare, should i test it in the gen3, or do i lose more traction in the corner, compared to the 160mm fork?

 

[ebikerider]

Gen 3 in low with 29x2.4 rear and 170 fork in the middle headset setting has best for me so far. Going to try the -1 headset tomorrow.