SMART SUSPENSION

Ever locked out your shock for climbing and forgotten to unlock it for the descent? Fox’s new Live Valve system aims to fix this. It uses two accelerometers – one in the fork crown and one near the rear axle. When either detects a bump, the fork and shock are switched from their default locked out state – intended to provide maximum pedalling efficiency – to an (adjustable) open low-speed compression damping setting.

Fox reckon this takes just three milliseconds, and both valves then close again automatically. How long this takes depends on how the system is configured and whether the bike is going up or downhill. If another bump is detected, the timer starts again. So on rough trails, the damping is left open. A third accelerometer, on the frame, detects freefall (and gradient) and opens both valves when the bike is airborne.

We’ve had a chance to ride Live Valve in the US and UK, and it’s hard to catch it out. The valves open so fast that descending with the system on feels practically as smooth as with it switched o . Sprinting and climbing are noticeably more e cient thanks to the extra-firm lockout setting, though we’d rather be able to climb steep gradients without the fork locking out, because it would sit deeper into its travel.

There’s a slight weight penalty – the Live Valve system weighs around 140g more than a twin cable lockout set-up – and the battery needs charging every few rides. That leaves the price as the main drawback. Giant, Scott and Pivot will all o er Live Valve equipped bikes, and Pivot have hinted it’ll add around US$1,800 to the price of their top model. The technology can be fitted aftermarket too, to compatible bikes, and will cost $3,000 to $3,250 for the full system, including fork and shock. £TBC www.zyrofisher.co.uk