The Period is the result, an air-sprung fork (a coil version is in the functions) that utilizes EXT’s HS3 hybrid air spring. There are 140, 150, 160, and 170mm selections, all for 29” wheels.
My 170mm examination fork weighed in at 2270 grams, which include the thru-axle. Not surprisingly, high-close Italian suspension just isn’t low-priced – the Era retails for €1480.
• Supposed use: all-mountain / enduro
• Journey: 140, 150, 160, or 170mm
• Wheel measurement: 29″
• Stanchions: 36mm
• Offset: 44mm
• HS3 hybrid air spring program
• Changes: HSC, LSC, rebound, two positive air chambers
• True body weight: 2270 grams (w/through-axle)
• MSRP: €1480
• A lot more details: extremeshox.com
HS3 Air Spring
Inside of the Era’s remaining leg reside two optimistic air spring chambers, a unfavorable chamber, and a tiny coil spring to make the fork even a lot more supple. Due to the fact the coil spring has significantly less friction to triumph over than the air spring prior to it starts off going, it will help make certain that the original part of the fork’s journey is extremely responsive. DT Swiss use a similar notion in their F535 One fork, though the damper and air spring styles of the two forks are incredibly various.
The Era’s optimistic chambers are loaded by means of two Shrader valves on the leading of the fork marked + and ++. Personally, I think that labeling them as A & B or 1 & 2 would have been a very little considerably less confusing, but perhaps that is just me. The + chamber is the larger of the two, and is dependable for the total of drive expected to compress the fork by its full stroke.
As the fork compresses, the moment a specified force is attained the piston that separates the two chambers starts to go and the ++ chamber requires around, dealing with the mid-stroke assistance and amount of money of bottom out resistance.
Having the fork established up demands inflating the increased stress ++ chamber initial, and then the + chamber. The tension that is in the ++ chamber wants to be greater than what’s in the + chamber in order for all the things to function correctly.
Damper
On the damper aspect, the Period has externally adjustable rebound and higher- and minimal-pace compression damping. The precise selection of clicks may differ a little because of to assembly tolerances, but my test fork has a full of 12 clicks of LSC and 10 clicks of HSC.
The cartridge makes use of a spring-backed inside floating piston to manage the oil displacement that takes place for the duration of compression, and uses a piston that steps 22mm in diameter. EXT went with a larger piston diameter and a bigger volume of oil in buy to support sustain consistency on very long, sustained runs.
Chassis
EXT labored closely with Mojo Mounting to build a crown that achieved their stiffness plans. The result is made from forged 7050 T6 aluminum and employs a condition that boosts the total of overlap in between the crown and the steerer tube. Much more overlap should really increase stiffness, as properly as minimize the chance of the fork building the dreaded ‘creaky crown syndrome’.
The Era’s bushing design and style and design ended up at first made by EXT for use on Entire world Rally Championship cars. They also designed their have oil, and worked with RacingBros to build the fork’s wiper seal.
The quest to generate a supremely smooth functioning fork didn’t prevent there, even though EXT also use a proprietary cartridge coating and a ending system on the fork’s steel chromed shafts to ensure there isn’t really any undesirable stiction.
I’m typically not a person to gush, but just after 6 good rides on the Period I am comfy expressing that I have never ridden a fork that felt this very good right out of the box. I’ve even switched bikes with a few of using partners mid-trip so they could experience what I was emotion, and in equally situations the general consensus was “that’s absurd.”
Indeed, the “air that feels like a coil” assert has been made many periods just before, but in this situation EXT have appear unbelievably close to mimicking the ultra-delicate, plush experience of a coil fork, with the capacity to tune the finish stroke ramp up to avoid harsh base outs.
I’m now running 65 psi in the + chamber and 100 psi in the ++ chamber on the 170mm model, which is a minor bit above what EXT suggests for my 160 lb body weight. Disorders have been dry and rapidly recently – I could see dropping the primary air chamber tension for even far more traction, but as it is there is certainly been an outstanding volume of grip.
It truly is the ease that the fork initiates its journey that really stands out. Even when climbing, the section of the journey wherever fork general performance tends to acquire a backseat, the Era’s skill to easily smooth out chunkier sections of path is recognizable. Idea the trail the other way and the Period definitely shines – sq.-edged hits simply just vanish, all without having employing up as well a great deal vacation.
It can be a unique sensation, and it took me a little bit to get accustomed to the really feel of the Era. At very first I believed I may will need to run a lot less than the encouraged 15-20% sag, given that it did not look attainable to have these kinds of a supple commencing stroke with out bottoming out off the smallest drop or sitting far too deep in the journey. It turns out that was not the case at all – there was sufficient aid for pushing into corners and dealing with compressions, all although reserving enough travel for the actually significant hits.
So significantly I have only experienced one harsh base out, which occurred when a huck-to-flat turned to a huck-to-uphill in other words, not an sudden outcome. Due to the fact then, I’ve additional 5 psi to the ++ chamber and haven’t had any more end-stroke incidents.
How long will the EXT’s chic smoothness past? Will that crown design retain creaking at bay? I am going to be continuing to put time in on the Period around the coming months – search for a abide by-up report after I rack up plenty of miles. As it is, the Era is a impressive debut from the Italian suspension specialists.
Studio photos: Alex Luise
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