Bicycles

Fox Live Valve Neo electronic MTB shock claims "world's fastest" title

View 7 Images
The Float X Live Valve Neo air shock
Fox
Among other things, Live Valve Neo firms the shock when climbing (for maximum pedaling efficiency), opens it when descending (for maximum comfort and traction), and modulates it when pumping through corners
Fox
The DHX Live Valve Neo coil shock
Fox
The Float X Live Valve Neo air shock
Fox
The Neo protocol debuted in Fox's Transfer Neo dropper seatpost
Fox
The coin cell battery in each sensor module (pictured) should be good for about one year of use – the shock itself is claimed to have a runtime of up to 20 hours per charge, and defaults to Plush mode if the battery dies
Fox
The shock's battery should be good for up to 20 hours of runtime per charge – the shock remains operational and defaults to its Plush setting if the battery runs out
Fox
The front sensor module measures incline as well as bumps, detecting when the bike is climbing or descending
Fox
View gallery - 7 images

Electronic rear shocks for mountain bikes have some big selling points, but it's imperative that they react to changing terrain quickly. That shouldn't be a problem with Fox's new Live Valve Neo, as it's claimed to be the world's fastest-responding wireless cycling suspension system.

On conventional mountain bike shock absorbers there's typically a lever that allows riders to choose between a few different compression settings, depending on what sort of terrain they're heading onto.

The problem is, the rider has to reach down and manually flip that lever, which isn't all that doable when the trail is rapidly changing back and forth between being smooth, rooty, uphill, downhill or whatnot. Additionally, each setting is a bit of a compromise, intended to more or less suit different riding scenarios.

That's where electronic active suspension systems come in.

Offered by companies such as Cannondale, Magura and Pinarello, they utilize onboard sensors to detect bumps, slopes, or other changes in the riding surface. Within a fraction of a second of detecting such changes, the systems adjust the compression of the suspension fork and/or rear shock accordingly. This means that the suspension is always optimized for what's happening right at any given moment.

Among other things, Live Valve Neo firms the shock when climbing (for maximum pedaling efficiency), opens it when descending (for maximum comfort and traction), and modulates it when pumping through corners
Fox

All of that background info brings us to Fox Live Valve Neo.

A wireless version of the company's existing Live Valve hard-wired active suspension system, the setup utilizes Fox's proprietary Neo wireless protocol. Neo is reportedly 100 times faster than Bluetooth, and 20 times faster than its closest competitor.

The Live Valve Neo tech is integrated into modified versions of Fox's Float X air shock and DHX coil shock – it isn't offered on forks. The setup also includes two accelerometer-equipped sensors, which are mounted on the front and rear brake calipers.

The DHX Live Valve Neo coil shock
Fox

Each sensor "reads" the terrain 400 times a second, transmitting a signal to a processor in the shock whenever a change is detected – the signal makes that journey in approximately one millisecond. A magnetic latching solenoid in the shock responds by opening or closing the shock's compression circuit, maximizing shock absorption/traction or pedaling efficiency respectively.

This all happens in 1/70th of a second. According to Fox, this means that even at race speeds, a bump detected by the front-wheel sensor will trigger the shock before the rear wheel reaches that bump.

The coin cell battery in each sensor module (pictured) should be good for about one year of use – the shock itself is claimed to have a runtime of up to 20 hours per charge, and defaults to Plush mode if the battery dies
Fox

Using an accompanying app, users can choose between five presets: Standard, Firm (in which the system leans toward a firmer ride), Plush (for a generally softer ride), Open (in which the shock always stays open) and Closed (in which the shock is always firm, except when landing a jump or drop). It's also possible to create and save custom settings.

Fox Live Valve Neo is available now as an upgrade for most full-suspension trail and all-mountain bikes, priced at US$1,398 for the Float X model and $1,348 for the DHX version – those prices include the shocks.

You can see it in use, in the following video.

Source: Fox

View gallery - 7 images
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Flipboard
  • LinkedIn
0 comments
There are no comments. Be the first!