Coilovers - Bilstein B14 vs. EQT Balanced Line

[Jovian]

Im running the EQT Coilovers and have a writeup here on them. There are a few pictures to so you can get an idea how easy it is to adjust them. https://www.carworklog.com/2019/12/15/replacing-suspension-on-the-2016-gti/

Also love my Santa Cruz Hightower for a 29er it sure rips.

 

[kmarriner]

Personally, between the two I think I'd go EQT. Ed has track time on them and I know he wouldn't sign off if they weren't great.
Plus the customer service is top notch and they have built in camber adjustments.

On the MTB front, if anyone is interested in trying out a pivot (especially a switchblade) let me know and we can setup a demo through your local dealer. I'd bet money that once you ride it you will fall in love.

I am also personally a huge fan of air, but I am going to give coil another shot once I build my switchblade.

 

[CarolinaPanthers]

Jovian, your blog awesome! I’m already calculating where to adjust my *non-existent* coilovers based off your pics haha. Also, just read PB’s review on the budget Hightower and now I’m rethinking how badly I want coilovers lmao!!

I’m more and more surprised with coil. Lately I’ve been tuning my DHX2 to pop better, yet also eat up small chatter and mid to bigger hits than air. Perhaps I didn’t set up the air shock right, but man I’m loving coil lately!! Been hitting bigger moves lately and the coil definitely helps save my ass/gives me confidence to do so safely.

Love Pivot bikes! Firebird looks so sick!! And the Switchblade looks like it could handle most anything I’d be into - pedaling around to getting a little rad. And 29er wheels + coil = magic carpet?? But, I’ve got coilovers to buy and entirely too much money and parts wrapped up in 27.5 to be looking at more bikes. Though I really want to get into a DH rig if parks ever open back up...

 

[Jovian]

Thanks man! Glad you find it useful. It originally started as just a log for my car so I could keep track of maintenance and keep some friends updated on work that was being done to my cars.

Im definitely an air shock guy. The stuff I ride I dont take many hard hits and rather have the supple feel of air shocks. On my Hightower I run a Superdelux ultimate and my 5010 I run a Float elite DPX2. I was especially surprised at the DPX2 as its small bump compliance was fantastic and really smoothed out my rides on the small stuff at speed.

 

[kmarriner]

Jovian, your blog awesome! I’m already calculating where to adjust my *non-existent* coilovers based off your pics haha. Also, just read PB’s review on the budget Hightower and now I’m rethinking how badly I want coilovers lmao!!

I’m more and more surprised with coil. Lately I’ve been tuning my DHX2 to pop better, yet also eat up small chatter and mid to bigger hits than air. Perhaps I didn’t set up the air shock right, but man I’m loving coil lately!! Been hitting bigger moves lately and the coil definitely helps save my ass/gives me confidence to do so safely.

Love Pivot bikes! Firebird looks so sick!! And the Switchblade looks like it could handle most anything I’d be into - pedaling around to getting a little rad. And 29er wheels + coil = magic carpet?? But, I’ve got coilovers to buy and entirely too much money and parts wrapped up in 27.5 to be looking at more bikes. Though I really want to get into a DH rig if parks ever open back up...

Well, if you want to try almost any Pivot out let me know. I am the guy to talk to about demos.

Or if you are ever in Tempe.

Thanks man! Glad you find it useful. It originally started as just a log for my car so I could keep track of maintenance and keep some friends updated on work that was being done to my cars.

Im definitely an air shock guy. The stuff I ride I dont take many hard hits and rather have the supple feel of air shocks. On my Hightower I run a Superdelux ultimate and my 5010 I run a Float elite DPX2. I was especially surprised at the DPX2 as its small bump compliance was fantastic and really smoothed out my rides on the small stuff at speed.

I am usually a Float X2 man, but the redesigned piston and valve system in the dpx2 that fox did for the new switchblade is incredible. Like better in every conceivable way from the previous version.

 

[CarolinaPanthers]

My favorite air shock was the DVO Topaz. So simple and just worked well. Crazy supple off the top. I guess I used a lot of travel fairly regularly on stuff I wasn’t expecting too, but I also never had any rowdy bottom outs on big hits.

One day I’ll revisit my CCDB Air. I have it feeling pretty good, but not great. I have a feeling a little more air would do the trick. It was always kind of mushy off the top and blow through the midstroke, and would bottom out harshly at times, yet not fully bottom out? It did feel good smashing rocks, which is what I have the bike set up for, but it didn’t have a ton of pop.

CCDB Inline Coil feels awesome on my Scout, though I might be a little undersprung. Still, pedals well and pops like crazy, though I do rush through travel. Climbing is awesome as the shock just tracks the ground so well. DHX2 on my 153 is a revelation lmao. Pedals better than air, gobbles up chunk better than air, jumps better than air, and bottoms out less violently than air. My favorite part is not having to break out the shock pump before each ride haha.

 

[CarolinaPanthers]

About ready to pull the trigger. Narrowed it down to EQT and BC.

Love the ease of damping adjustment on EQT. Also love the fact that the ride height can go from a little lower than stock (e.g., similar drop as springs) or a lot lower. I don’t plan on going crazy with the drop. Only downside is price. Love the company and and everything Ed does for our platform. From the sale/tune thread, it was cool to see an employee own up to a mistake and then bend over backwards to make it right. Shows me a lot about the integrity of the company, and would like to support that.

BC coilovers come in at 25% less, and I’m a cheap ass lol. Only concerns are minimum drop may be too low and rear damping adjustment requires jacking the car up. Slightly inconvenient as I currently live in an apartment, but might be a good thing so I’m not twisting knobs every couple of days. Can source the coilovers through FCP Euro for a lifetime warranty which is nice. Also a bit of nostalgia in play for me as I had BCs on a previous car and liked them.

Anyone able to comment on the max ride height of the BCs? I saw pics of the Extreme Low versions (uses shorter springs and shock bodies) at about their minimum drop. Just not sure how to extrapolate that for the standard drop model.

 

[odessa.filez]

imo the divorced spring / shock thing is not a big thing. Changing ride height is mentioned. Well. maybe at first to get things the way you want it. But afterwards? You'll be getting a rear end alignment.

And everytime you make a ride height change thereafter you may require another alignment. Front align is a diy, rear align is a PITA. So true coilover to ease ride height changes wouldn't draw me in.

I like the idea of height adjustment without changing strut travel. I also covet easy damping adjustment in the back. Wish my konis had that.

 

[CarolinaPanthers]

imo the divorced spring / shock thing is not a big thing. Changing ride height is mentioned. Well. maybe at first to get things the way you want it. But afterwards? You'll be getting a rear end alignment.

And everytime you make a ride height change thereafter you may require another alignment. Front align is a diy, rear align is a PITA. So true coilover to ease ride height changes wouldn't draw me in.

I like the idea of height adjustment without changing strut travel. I also covet easy damping adjustment in the back. Wish my konis had that.

Good points! I dove into some more videos and have finally wrapped my head around divorced spring/shock ride height and preload adjustment haha. I figure I'll spend a day or two and get the ride height where I want it, let it settle for a week, and then get an alignment.

Adjustments from there would be limited to damping. Knowing myself, I love turning knobs haha. Might be better to have adjustments be *slightly* more of an inconvenience in order to to make myself think about what changes I'm making and the outcomes before continuing to fiddle with the adjustments. Lol I really want the EQTs and I'm just doing what I can to rationalize the cheaper BCs.

The only concern I have is how high I can set the rears with the BCs.

 

[Gvazquez]

About ready to pull the trigger. Narrowed it down to EQT and BC.

Love the ease of damping adjustment on EQT. Also love the fact that the ride height can go from a little lower than stock (e.g., similar drop as springs) or a lot lower. I don’t plan on going crazy with the drop. Only downside is price. Love the company and and everything Ed does for our platform. From the sale/tune thread, it was cool to see an employee own up to a mistake and then bend over backwards to make it right. Shows me a lot about the integrity of the company, and would like to support that.

BC coilovers come in at 25% less, and I’m a cheap ass lol. Only concerns are minimum drop may be too low and rear damping adjustment requires jacking the car up. Slightly inconvenient as I currently live in an apartment, but might be a good thing so I’m not twisting knobs every couple of days. Can source the coilovers through FCP Euro for a lifetime warranty which is nice. Also a bit of nostalgia in play for me as I had BCs on a previous car and liked them.

Anyone able to comment on the max ride height of the BCs? I saw pics of the Extreme Low versions (uses shorter springs and shock bodies) at about their minimum drop. Just not sure how to extrapolate that for the standard drop model.

I dont jack my car up to change the damping settings In the rear. I have the rear all the way up and the front set kinda midway on the BCs and they're great. Max the camber plates out on the BCs and have some fun, they're great on this platform. I can try and post a pic of mine on my a3

 

[CarolinaPanthers]

Yeah man! If you wouldn’t mind posting some pics that would be helpful! I know I can go low as I’d realistically like to with BCs, but I’d be bummed if max height was too low or something.

 

[audio vicious]

I'm also currently on the fence between the BC and EQT set. This thread was a nice read for me.