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Electronic suspension

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,225
20,003
Sleazattle
I'll say it. I ain't skeerd. I'll say it right now


Better than a totem, and a lot heavier.

Also a lot easier to design something where the user is at most perhaps 50% +/- 10% of the total mass vs 90% +/- 30% of the mass. Also when most of the users are technically incompetent in setting up said suspension.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
What no love for WHITE POWER???
Depends greatly on the unit.

I actually use their A-kit (Trax) shock on the rear of my Jap bike. Some of their stuff is incredibly well made, especially the modern 50mm rear shocks. Those blow away the standard Showa/KYB units.

The XCW forks of recent years are product liability lawsuits waiting to happen though.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
Magura looked like they spent a bunch of time and money on electric vodoo suspension and then they pulled out of the game all together, hopefully that happens to Fox and RS so Manitou can shine, hahaha!
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Agreed!

If electronic in suspension catches up so that their will be enough units being sold, suspension tuners will need to adapt and offer improvements for those as well. Improvements could both be software or hardware.
In the Porsche world you can buy an aftermarket box that will take control of the active suspension. You can then download different tunes. It will hold several tunes at once that you can switch among while driving.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
My take on this is the Fox system is in "firm" until it senses an impact and switches to "open". The Rockshox is in open until it senses pedaling and switches to firm.
I can do better than either system because I can see what's coming and switch the shock before I get to the bump or smooth section using a below the bar thumb lever. Also, my system doesn't change the fork because you usually want the fork to stay compliant, even when you want the rear firmer. Scott wins again.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Now I need to read About this...so I have a 2 sides of the idea and not be judgemental from what I think. (Pretty opinionated and common sense)
Avoided this thread and pinkbikes Article on it but I couldn't sleep and it sucked me in...shit...

Besides maybe some cool stuff will come from this idea...maybe lol...
 
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Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
In the Porsche world you can buy an aftermarket box that will take control of the active suspension. You can then download different tunes. It will hold several tunes at once that you can switch among while driving.
Nothing new, I got the suspension on my BMW “flashed” by Dinan to support lowering springs. Stiffer tune.
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,287
854
coloRADo
I will be interested in electronic suspension when it reaches the point of what is on cars. A single port dynamically controlled based on position and velocity. This is the magnetorheological version but I think piezo systems can pretty much work the same way.

View attachment 165651
I think it was Dave Camp @dcamp (he used to post on here) that did a VitalMTB "ask me anything". Since he works at SRAM/Rockshox. One of the questions was why not introduce that magnetic suspension thing? His response was something around weight? Probably another contributing factor that I can't remember as well.

My car has it (acura mdx) it's pretty freakin sweet. Not only for rallying turns but when we go on family vacations and the wife loads up the car it pretty much takes care of any excess body sway due to all the weight. :D
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
It’s one of those things that you stop noticing, because it works so well. Like during braking front end of the car doesn’t squat. During accel it doesn’t lift off (friends Porsche macan gts looks like a 747 taking off under accel). Corners and the other stuff, it doesn’t get thrown around. You notice it when you drive another car.
 

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,907
1,252
SWE
I do check my tire pressure before every ride since tubeless always loose a tiny bit but I never check the pressure in my forks or my air shock.
Airwuz on suspensions seems like a gimmick to "empower" the rider with a superior feeling of control while giving him/her another opportunity to spend more time on yet another app. I am thrilled! :s
Airwiz on tires is useless since I check the pressure before each ride. Then I guess that I would notice anyhow if I get a puncture mid-ride... what's the point?
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
Airwiz on tires is useless since I check the pressure before each ride. Then I guess that I would notice anyhow if I get a puncture mid-ride... what's the point?
At least that way you know that it was your bike that blew a massive load all over you instead of the crunchy hiker with rainbow Croc's (in sport mode of course) and a manbun who was impressed by your sick 2" air with a rear wheel jib to the side and couldn't contain himself. No need to slow down in that case. Strava cred preserved.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
I do check my tire pressure before every ride since tubeless always loose a tiny bit but I never check the pressure in my forks or my air shock.
Airwuz on suspensions seems like a gimmick to "empower" the rider with a superior feeling of control while giving him/her another opportunity to spend more time on yet another app. I am thrilled! :s
Airwiz on tires is useless since I check the pressure before each ride. Then I guess that I would notice anyhow if I get a puncture mid-ride... what's the point?
basically the direction i see these bikes heading in, is to take the guess work out of as much as possible for the rider. eventually the rider won't even have to shift on their own (probably coming in a future iteration of axs). and for the kind of person willing to drop this kind of money on a bike, they probably don't want to learn how to do it either.
 

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
...eventually the rider won't even have to shift on their own (probably coming in a future iteration of axs).
auto shift has been around for awhile now for casual bikes, I remember seeing an infomercial forever ago. I think someone made an auto shift system that attaches to a rear derailleur semi recently as well.

axs auto shift would be interesting from an engineering standpoint. someday your seatpost, shifting, suspension and even braking will all be tied together and automated smartly 'for your riding enjoyment'.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
auto shift has been around for awhile now for casual bikes, I remember seeing an infomercial forever ago. I think someone made an auto shift system that attaches to a rear derailleur semi recently as well.

axs auto shift would be interesting from an engineering standpoint. someday your seatpost, shifting, suspension and even braking will all be tied together and automated smartly 'for your riding enjoyment'.
oh I'm aware it's not new. i know those old versions you're talking about. very rudimentary. i'm just speculating that's the direction things are going.
 
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,225
20,003
Sleazattle
basically the direction i see these bikes heading in, is to take the guess work out of as much as possible for the rider. eventually the rider won't even have to shift on their own (probably coming in a future iteration of axs). and for the kind of person willing to drop this kind of money on a bike, they probably don't want to learn how to do it either.

I think auto shifting on a bike would be a nuisance. 90% of shifts occur based on looking ahead not on speed/cadence changes, not to mention ideal cadence is drastically different between sitting/standing. But I also find automatic transmissions in cars to be a nuisance.
 
I think auto shifting on a bike would be a nuisance. 90% of shifts occur based on looking ahead not on speed/cadence changes, not to mention ideal cadence is drastically different between sitting/standing. But I also find automatic transmissions in cars to be a nuisance.
I agree with you on bicycles but not automobiles. After I got my first van (an Astro) with an automatic transmission, I never looked back. I can still drive with clutch and manual gear shift, but don't miss it one bit.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
I think auto shifting on a bike would be a nuisance. 90% of shifts occur based on looking ahead not on speed/cadence changes, not to mention ideal cadence is drastically different between sitting/standing. But I also find automatic transmissions in cars to be a nuisance.
You do realize riders like us are not the target demographic
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
I think auto shifting on a bike would be a nuisance. 90% of shifts occur based on looking ahead not on speed/cadence changes, not to mention ideal cadence is drastically different between sitting/standing. But I also find automatic transmissions in cars to be a nuisance.
The average E-Biker's bike sounds like there's a gun going off every time they shift gears, if you spend 12k on a bike you should be able to treat it how you like............
 

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
I'd be surprised to see a real attempt beyond a gimmick like autoshift for at least mountain ebikes considering that mountain bikes are a bit like the red headed stepkids of motocross, a sport that is more mature and has fallen on the use of ~5-6 manual gears.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,188
19,155
Canaderp
I do check my tire pressure before every ride since tubeless always loose a tiny bit but I never check the pressure in my forks or my air shock.
Airwuz on suspensions seems like a gimmick to "empower" the rider with a superior feeling of control while giving him/her another opportunity to spend more time on yet another app. I am thrilled! :s
Airwiz on tires is useless since I check the pressure before each ride. Then I guess that I would notice anyhow if I get a puncture mid-ride... what's the point?
I think the airwiz things are a cool idea, to quickly check the pressures without needing to rely on a shitty shock pump or other gauge.

But they need to be made smaller and way less expensive. Maybe some sort of NFC reader or something?

I'm one of those people that checks tire pressure by giving it the good ole squeeze and hoping for the best. And shock pressure, I check maybe once every few rides, but I never check my fork pressure.