Sram Flight Attendant is an electronic suspension wizard built into the new RockShox Ultimate family

You’ve likely heard some rumblings about a new electronic product from SRAM, well we can finally tell you all about it. Here’s everything you need to …

By singletrackandi

Get the full story on our front page at:

https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/sram-flight-attendant-is-an-electronic-suspension-wizard-built-into-the-new-rockshox-ultimate-family/

Support us and help us keep the content flowing by becoming a full member.

It’s a shame Robot Bikes aren’t still around; they would have been the perfect brand to showcase all this electronic gubbins.

Robot Bikes are still around, they are called Atherton now.

This is one of those halo-level items that I’ll never be able to afford, but I do appreciate the innovation of this product. Reviews seem to rate it much more than fox’s livevalve.

Does it just do open/pedal/lock or are there varying degrees of compression adjustment within those broad terms?
Otherwise it’s just an expensive replacement for a lever with 3 settings…

Missed opportunity to incorporate shockwiz too IMO.

Initially available on full bikes starting at just $9,500…

Looks a bit clunky at the moment, but presumably v2 models will be a bit smaller and sleeker, and we’ll slowly see this technology trickling down to cheaper models.

I too would have thought that Shockwizz tuning information could have been included in this device.

And the cost of top end bikes goes from stratospheric to lunar…

Missed opportunity to incorporate shockwiz too IMO.

I saw an instagram post the other day showing an SRAM patent for exactly this… wish I could remember the poster… sorry!

Expensive day for you @tomhoward first the new deviate and now this! 😉

It sounds like a brilliant solution in search of a made-up problem. And one more expensive gimmick to go wrong on a freezing, wet night. Journo kit.

Thank god I won’t be able to afford it anyway 🙂

Lolz, Rockshox hasn’t really been my bag for a few years now, and I’ve no need for an enduro race bike 😉

I did sort of like E:i though…

Be interesting to hear Chris Porters take on this.

I like what it’s essentially trying to do, as per the previous forum thread it’s got a gyro/accelerometer etc so can tell if you’re going down/up/on the flat as well as your lean angle.

Big bikes are getting bigger, 170/180mm travel isn’t unusual these days and if this works as it should, it’ll make these bikes a lot more efficient uphill and on flat trails.

Still no 200mm AXS dropper though Rockshox!

@jamj1974 christ I wouldn’t, would bore me to tears 😂

I saw an instagram post the other day showing an SRAM patent for exactly this… wish I could remember the poster… sorry!

Wheel_based.

Sorry, you will be waiting a long time before non-Flight Attendant forks receive the same updated chassis and Buttercup features.

I would have thought that all next year’s SRAM forks will have these features. Whether the buttercups will be backwards compatible with previous generations of forks will be interesting.

Be interesting to hear Chris Porters take on this

I’ve never heard Chris Porter talk about climbing or XC performance only downhill so given this system will be ‘open’ in that situation it will come down to his opinion of Rock Shox vs what he’s selling.  I think I know roughly how that will go

Buttercup is an interesting idea, so the air spring and damper are attached to the lowers, but isolated by a rubber mount?

Same idea as most road car suspension parts are rubber mounted compared to solid mounts/rose joints on a track car.

Buttercup is an interesting idea,

Agreed!

I have to say that while I don’t think I’ll ever want this on my bike I’m happy that brands are being more innovative with technology. This will eventually come down in price, and we might even see a more affordable option in the future. Kazimer over on Pinkbike even suggested a wireless shock lockout would be a good idea for a lower-cost option, which I totally agree with.

Ahh but how far through a typical UK winter will it last…

Looks good though and I’d love to try it even though I’ll never afford it.

I appreciate the technology in this but I don’t particularly understand the point of it, especially if your bike already has compression lockouts for climbing. It just seems like a very expensive way of not having to flick a switch yourself.

Ahh but how far through a typical UK winter will it last…

Pretty well, if the other AXS stuff is anything to go by.

Have any prices been announced, save for the (already expensive) bikes it comes with?

Edit: just seen it won’t be available aftermarket. Seems like a one way ticket to obscurity.

It sounds like a brilliant solution in search of a made-up problem. And one more expensive gimmick to go wrong on a freezing, wet night. Journo kit.

All this electronic stuff on bikes leaves me completely cold ( apart from lights, natch)
It’s just going totally against my view of what cycling is about. I generally detest electronic gadgets and gizmos unless they serve a real worthwhile purpose. I just dread the day when all this shite trickles down and takes over at all levels so we can no longer buy manual shifters, droppers etc.

Wag coming on and comparing electrical forks with disk brakes, suspension and possibly even round wheels in 3, 2, 1 ….

dont worry you’ll still be able to buy your old kit.

Looks good. but the fact that it doesnt include shockwiz is my guess that its a much simpler valve system?

I kind of like the idea of shockwiz type tuning. A one off electronic gizmo for setup is great.

But there’s no way I’d want all this electronic nonsense on my bike permanently. I don’t like it in cars either (and I used to help make it for a living).
Suspension is a compromise, but it’s a predictable one, and I quite like that when cycling.

I bet it’s not serviceable with zero spare parts available too. More stuff to go in landfill when it breaks! grumble moan etc..

Will it drop my saddle for me when it gets a bit steep? 😉

Looks good. but the fact that it doesnt include shockwiz is my guess that its a much simpler valve system?

It looks like a bolt on motor that turns the compression knob.  No connection to the air spring whatsoever.  The clever bit isn’t that it turns the compression adjuster but that it turns it the right amount at the right time (assuming it gets it right of course)

This video explains what it is, they’ve had a bike for a month to try it out

Tying you into one brand (regardless of which one) for suspension (and drivetrain?) parts seems a huge price fo pay for such little gain.

Hopefully it doesn’t become the next Hammerschmidt.