We brought you a teaser story back on March about a prototype electric something or other that Geoff Kabush was riding.
It was merely a picture of a bike with what looked like a Shimano Di2 battery bolted to it. What it was actually for was a new development that Fox has been working on with Shimano to allow a push-button lockout for forks or for front and rear shocks simultaneously.
To quote the release “Intelligent Ride Dynamics (iRD) is FOX’s categorization for electronic products employing non-traditional solutions to help customers improve their ride experience. Items under the iRD umbrella will directly address a rider’s individual needs, be very intuitive and provide features beyond what has traditionally been offered.”
What it means by this is that Fox has got boffins working on non-traditional ways of making you go faster. And here, Fox has worked with Shimano to offer electric front and rear shock lockout at a virtual press of a button (or twist of a lever). The new iRD (which is nothing to do with the IRD bike company by the way) uses battery power from a Shimano Di2 battery unit to move your fork (and shock if you have both set up) from ‘Descend’ to ‘Climb’ modes.
Rather randomly, last month, Fox previewed its 2013 range with a new three way ‘Climb, Trail, Descend’ mode. Quite why the new system goes back to a two state setup, we’re not sure, though it could just be that its been working on the electric system since before the three position setup was thought of.
Anyway, using reasonably neat and unobtrusive Di2 cabling, there’s a single ambidextrous hand lever, with a single wire heading to the fork for lockout control. If you’re running both front and rear iRD shocks, then a further cable leaves the fork and heads to the rear shock and then to the battery. If it’s a fork only, then the cable goes to the fork, then to the battery. This greatly simplifies the previously-complex task of running both shocks off one controller.
Details from Fox:
The fork features: Internal actuator unit, Factory series with FIT damper and Kashima-coated upper tubes, 100mm or 120mm, 26in or 29in wheel, and 9mm or 15QR axle options.
Shock features: External actuator unit, Factory series with Kashima-coated body and air sleeve, 6.5×1.5in to 7.875×2.0in sizes, and standard or large eyelet air volume options.
Remote Switch: Right or left mounting option, two or three position rotary switch, non-contact operation and integrated battery low feature.
Full Suspension System: System includes fork, shock, battery, battery bracket and remote switch with three cables linking the system together, left or right remote mounting options, three mode positions – Climb, Climb (Rear Only) and Descend.
Front Suspension System: System includes fork, battery, battery bracket and remote switch with two cables linking the system together, left or right remote mounting options, two mode positions – Climb and Descend.
Battery Life: In excess of 2.5 months (results may vary)
Actuation Time: 0.25 seconds for fork, 0.45 seconds for shock
Full Suspension Weight: Starting at 1860g / 4.10lbs
Front Suspension Weight: Starting at 1555g / 3.43lbs
Availability: September, 2012
For a dedicated racer surely this is the sort of stuff that is of benefit, just like Di2 itself. I can’t say it’s something I will yearn for but so what?
Good old STW luddites, I can imagine the comments that would have been made when sti was released. From memory even the mags were sceptical of that.
If you don’t like or want the latest thing guess what? You don’t have to buy it.
I ride a rigid SS by the way.
electric shifting I’m looking forward to (when it’s on sensibly priced groupsets) and DrP/audi’s clever oil also sounds clever and something worth looking at tho possibly for racers/minted riders only.
We already have cable operated lockout, this doesn’t really look worth the hassle, only benefit I can see is same button/lever does both front and rear shock (can’t remember if any cable operated version does that) and your suspension maybe locks out 0.5 seconds quicker. Cons are weight, money and hassle (tho presumably only weight will bother the racers)
LoCo said: On May 21, 2012
Give a year or two and it’ll all be wifi’d so no cables, athough some monkey will end up hacking into the system …
Oh, yes….. reminds me of when I were a lad…..
Pretty much everyone had the TV from Radio Rentals. When remote control TV came in everyone had the same TV and the same remote – cue whole nights of fun when someone’s parents were out – take the remote out, go garden hopping and change folks TV channels through the window…. Priceless 🙂
Not too much fun if you’re a racer in a sprint and some joker borks your settings for you….
electric shifting I’m looking forward to..
Thought we’d see that before the likes of this Fox stuff, TBH, but then this also gives the big S chance to gauge how the MTB world will react to ‘pedal by wire’?
XTR Di2 (Xi2?) is coming – I can’t believe for a second Shimano haven’t got prototypes on the go.
With a battery and motor that big, I’d expect it to ride up the bloomin hills for me.
Why dont they just go the whole hog and sell us a car?
BTW that is an ace looking bike (IMHO).