When buying a full-suspension mountain bike, many people either leave the fork and rear shock at their current settings, or they adjust them based simply on what feels right. The Italian-made BYB Telemetry system takes a more scientific approach, using bike-mounted sensors to determine what's best for maximized speed, comfort and safety.
Hardware-wise, BYB consists of three main parts – a telescopic sensor that's attached to the fork, a shorter one that's mounted on the shock, and a handlebar-mounted "acquisition unit." The two sensors measure suspension movement, relaying data to the acquisition unit via electrical wires. That unit is in turn equipped with an accelerometer, a gyroscope, Wi-Fi and GPS.
Riders start by using an iOS/Android app to input stats such as their weight, and the type of riding that they typically do. They then head out on a ride, with the sensors and acquisition unit gathering data as they go. The system transmits that data via Wi-Fi to the smartphone app, and optionally also to a visualization program on the user's computer.
![Serious, competitive BYB users can consult a computer program for a more advanced analysis of their ride](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/c449fe8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1833x1080+0+0/resize/1440x848!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Farchive%2Fbyb-telemetry-mountain-bike-suspension-5.jpg)
Once the ride is over, the app provides them with recommendations on how they should set suspension parameters such as preload, rebound and compression. Users can also view a map of their ride, seeing how their suspension behaved when encountering different types of terrain.
Serious, competitive riders can consult the computer program for a more advanced analysis of their ride. It's additionally possible to have the system provide recommendations for optimum performance on a specific trail, such as a race course.
All of the components are water-resistant, and can reportedly be mounted on just about any make or model of fork/shock using included adapters. The whole system weighs less than 500 grams (1.1 lb), and is compatible with both air and coil-spring suspensions.
![The BYB shock sensor, visible alongside the coil spring](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/94f2697/2147483647/strip/true/crop/800x533+0+0/resize/800x533!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Farchive%2Fbyb-telemetry-mountain-bike-suspension-3.jpg)
Created by Italian downhill national champion Enrico Rodella and physicist Stefano Calati, the BYB Telemetry system is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. A pledge of €979 (about US$1,112) will get you one, if everything works out. The planned retail price is €1,599 ($1,817).
Assuming BYB reaches production, it will be facing some competition from the successfully-Kickstarted and currently-available ShockWiz. There's no word on development of the similar SussMyBike system.
Source: Kickstarter