Levo Gen 2 Rockshox Deluxe Select +

[Grannyjones]

The rear shock which comes with the Turbo Levo is Rockshox Deluxe Select + and I have to inflate it to 230psi to get the 30% sag when I sit on it. This seems incredibly high - on my previous bike it was only 170 psi. My weight is about 70kg.

Anyone know if this is right or could there be something wrong with the shock ?

I've been unable to get hold of a recommended air pressure chart for the Rockshox Deluxe Select +

The other issue is it's losing air over time. Seems to have dropped 50psi in about 5-6 weeks.

 

[steve_sordy]

The rear shock which comes with the Turbo Levo is Rockshox Deluxe Select + and I have to inflate it to 230psi to get the 30% sag when I sit on it. This seems incredibly high - on my previous bike it was only 170 psi. My weight is about 70kg.

Anyone know if this is right or could there be something wrong with the shock ?

I've been unable to get hold of a recommended air pressure chart for the Rockshox Deluxe Select +

The other issue is it's losing air over time. Seems to have dropped 50psi in about 5-6 weeks.

I have a Rockshox Deluxe Debonair which I believe is similar. I too was surprised at the amount of pressure I had to use compared to other bikes I have ridden. But doesn't that depend upon the leverage ratio of the bike at the sag point you are using? I have a Focus Jam2.

Ref the loss of pressure. Sorry about this in advance, but you do know that every time you check the pressure you lose some air into the hose of the shock pump? But if you measured after 5-6 weeks then OK, it looks as though the loss is real. But a 50psi loss on 230psi will have affected your sag% quite a bit; didn't you notice that whilst riding?

It is important that you get on top of this. Reset the 230psi, check the %sag. If all OK ride the bike, but check the sag every week - don't check the pressure. If the sag is increasing, then you are losing pressure. Be as consistent as you possibly can when checking sag, wear the same kit, water, clothes etc. Check sag in exactly the same manner.

Once you know that the sag is increasing then it is safe to conclude that you are losing pressure. You don't say how new the bike is, I'm guessing fairly new. So take the bike to the place you bought it from and get them to fix it. It may be as simple as replacing the Schrader valve, or just tightening it!

 

[Mikerb]

both issues you describe suggest the shock is not equalised...although the drop in air pressure reading suggests it is doing that by itself albeit gradually. For your weight the air pressure will be a bout 160psi if properly equalised.
I suggest you deflate the shock gradually. Then with compression set wide open and rebound on full fast inflate the shock and cycle it every 10/15 psi 5 times.

 

[Grannyjones]

I suggest you deflate the shock gradually. Then with compression set wide open and rebound on full fast inflate the shock and cycle it every 10/15 psi 5 times.

I will try that but the issue of requiring high air pressure in the Rockshox Deluxe has been here since new. It's now just 9 months old.

It is important that you get on top of this. Reset the 230psi, check the %sag. If all OK ride the bike, but check the sag every week - don't check the pressure. If the sag is increasing, then you are losing pressure. Be as consistent as you possibly can when checking sag, wear the same kit, water, clothes etc. Check sag in exactly the same manner.

Yes, I noticed the sag was low when riding the bike on the last ride.
It has been used irregularly this Winter due to the usual poor weather and lots of other bike problems.

The problem of losing air only started early January when I got the bike back from the bike shop after it had been repaired for electrical fault for about a month and noticed how bad the shock was sagging straight into the ride. Pumped it back up to 230psi then it was okay for a while then noticed it was sagging bad yesterday. On connecting a shock pump to it I noticed the air had dropped to about 170psi.

I will be checking the sag more regularly now I'm more aware of this problem.

 

[steve_sordy]

both issues you describe suggest the shock is not equalised...although the drop in air pressure reading suggests it is doing that by itself albeit gradually. For your weight the air pressure will be a bout 100psi if properly equalised.
I suggest you deflate the shock gradually. Then with compression set wide open and rebound on full fast inflate the shock and cycle it every 10/15 psi 5 times.

For the avoidance of doubt, my shock (and fork) was properly equalised.

 

[steve_sordy]

......................I will be checking the sag more regularly now I'm more aware of this problem.

Once you have confirmed that it is actually losing air steadily, I suggest that you get it sorted rather than just keep topping it up. It could be a very simple fault (like a leaking Schrader valve).

 

[Grannyjones]

I will ask the mechanic at the next 50 hour service to attempt to sort it out. It's on 40 hours now so not far off! It was last done in September last year. Which shows how this bike has been seriously under-used for the last 5 months!

As for the high required pressure - Is this the norm for these shocks ?!

 

[jbodnar]

I think I had more than 250+ psi in my Deluxe Select + for 30 percent sag.

I had a similar problem as you, but with a Manitou McLeod shock...it lost air between rides unexpectedly, as you described.

I do not know where it was leaking from (taking off the air can and lubing the seal did not help).

It was under warranty, so Hayes sent me a newer Manitou Mara shock as a replacement.

I prefer a Manitou Mara or McLeod over the Deluxe Select +...I only need to run about 185 psi.

 

[steve_sordy]

230psi on my shock on a Focus Jam2 for 30%sag. My kit and I weigh 92kg.

Edit: That 230psi became 215psi after I added one bottomless token. (Sorry! How could I have forgotten that important detail?)

 

[Mikerb]

I am about the same as @steve_sordy with my Fox DPS on my Levo.....the DPS has medium compression tune. I was on 190 with the RS Delux RT on the same bike.....it had high compression tune.

 

[Canmore TLCC 29]

I will try that but the issue of requiring high air pressure in the Rockshox Deluxe has been here since new. It's now just 9 months old.




Yes, I noticed the sag was low when riding the bike on the last ride.
It has been used irregularly this Winter due to the usual poor weather and lots of other bike problems.

The problem of losing air only started early January when I got the bike back from the bike shop after it had been repaired for electrical fault for about a month and noticed how bad the shock was sagging straight into the ride. Pumped it back up to 230psi then it was okay for a while then noticed it was sagging bad yesterday. On connecting a shock pump to it I noticed the air had dropped to about 170psi.

I will be checking the sag more regularly now I'm more aware of this problem.

My Rockshox Deluxe Select + failed twice this winter. Suck below the sag markers. I had it serviced and with 220 psi, sag was perfect. I rode it in -15C winter weather here in the Canadian Rockies, and the shock bottomed out after about 45 mins of riding. I feels like the bike has a flat, and I had pedal strikes that surprised me, then I figured out I could drag my heals on the ground. So I brought it to the shop and they will send it away for warranty work this time. I think the issue is the air volume drops due to temperature change alone. I planned to add air this time, but for some reason the pump I had was not able to inject air. I never had that problem before, so I suspected something was wrong.

Anyway, the ideal gas law explains the change in pressure since the pressure is proportional to the absolute temperature. if using psi, temperature is in degrees Rankin. P1*V1/T1=P2*V2/T2. assume the shock is not leaking and the volume is fixed. V1 = V2 so they cancel out.

P1 = 220 psi
T1 = 72 F = 531.7 R
T2 = 5 F = 464.7 R

220 / 531.7 = P2 / 464.7
0.4137 = P2 / 464.7
464.7 x 0.4137 = P2 = 192.25 psi

I don't know if the pressure falls below 200 psi if that is enough to allow the piston to bottom out and become trapped. I am not familiar with how these shocks are built. Perhaps someone else would know.

 

[urastus]

P1 = 220 psi
T1 = 72 F = 531.7 R
T2 = 5 F = 464.7 R

220 / 531.7 = P2 / 464.7
0.4137 = P2 / 464.7
464.7 x 0.4137 = P2 = 192.25 psi

it's a great point, but overly complex. Why bring rankin (what or whoever that is) into it? ? . Also, at what temperature is P1? So 220psi (at what temp?) will drop 28psi by 72F? Or is 72F what the 220psi started at and it loses 28psi by 5F?

 

[Canmore TLCC 29]

it's a great point, but overly complex. Why bring rankin (what or whoever that is) into it? ? . Also, at what temperature is P1? So 220psi (at what temp?) will drop 28psi by 72F? Or is 72F what the 220psi started at and it loses 28psi by 5F?

Boyle’s law my friend. Rankin because you have to use absolute temperature. If you want to be critical of my calculations you would point out that I failed to use absolute pressure. Which is 14.7 psi higher. Oh well. The point is, pressure drop with temperature is sufficient enough to screw up shock performance, and possibly cause a lockup.