AI knows your riding better than you do
Now that it’s very much the norm to find sensors embedded in bike tech, manufacturers of bike components are able to close a few gaps between possible performance and real-world results. Thanks to the wizardry now easily embeddable in products such as suspension, it is now possible to automate functions that may previously have required a manual interaction, such as a lockout on a fork or rear shock.
Magura previously developed a system under the elect banner that is perfectly capable of electronically detecting surface incline and the condition of the terrain, adjusting to suit. About to hit a hill? Things stiffen up to help reduce lost energy put through the fork. Airborne?
The suspension may detect that and soften up in anticipation of a landing.
Rockshox has now taken the concept into production under the Flight Attendant banner on three of its suspension forks, a rear shock and a pair of cranksets, which collect and respond to data in real time. While these are not e- bikespecific products, the system relies on a battery and by the very nature of bike industry trickledown we may come to expect future generations of such products to integrate over time.
“A three- position system provides more choice and efficiency gains in more situations for the rider. With Open, Pedal and Lock compression positions, the Flight Attendant algorithm finds the best connection to the trail, providing the right level of support and comfort at the same time,” explains Rockshox.
Manufacturers of such gear are banking on riders not being averse to more automation and fewer levers on the handlebar. In theory, letting the bike read the trail in real time will, over the duration of the ride, equate to less fatigue, better performance and very likely deliver safety advantages too.
“The algorithm finds the best connection to the trail, providing the right support and comfort levels”