BYB Telemetry Want to Make World Cup Suspension Tech Available to Anyone
Data acquisition has become a familiar buzzword on the World Cup DH circuit, and every season more and more riders seem to be taking practice laps with their bikes covered in wires and sensors intended to monitor exactly how their bike is performing, with most of the focus directed at the suspension.
BYB Telemetry, a small Italian company, are hoping to make that same technology available to more than just the top professionals. Their telemetry system works with any fork or shock, no matter if it's air- or coil-sprung, and uses an accelerometer, gyroscope, and a GPS to keep tabs on the suspension's behavior.
The data can be viewed on a smartphone or a computer, with different levels of analysis available depending on how much guidance the user is looking for. The system can detect whether the shock is packing down or bottoming out too easily, the amount of static and dynamic sag, the maximium and average compression and rebound speed, and more.
BYB's goal may be to make telemetry more attainable, but it's still not cheap. Early backers of the Kickstarter campaign receive a discount, but the full retail price is expected to be €1599. That will likely put it out of reach for most recreational riders, but it's foreseeable that teams or shops will purchase a unit to share between riders.
Press Release: BYB Telemetry
BYB Telemetry detects the motion of the suspension and other dynamic parameters of the MTB while riding. It allows everyone to visualize the movement of the suspension, thereby making it possible for everyone to base the setting on quantitative information instead of feelings. Through an analysis app, it tells how to tune the knobs of your suspension to provide the perfect set-up, according to the needs of the rider and the track characteristic.
Enrico Rodella, the co-founder of BYB Telemetry, engineer and downhill instructor, explained: “Everyone would like to have a bike that can go smoothly through a technical section, like the ones of the World Cup top riders. Unfortunately, this bliss is only for a few fortunate people. In reality, most of us struggle just in finding a decent suspension set-up. We designed BYB Telemetry because we want to give an intuitive and easy-to-use product for getting the best out my bike.”
BYB Telemetry is similar to the telemetry system used in the UCI World Cup circuit by the factory teams, with which we share the same sensors (Specialized Factory Team). It has been developed in the racing environment, with the aim of maximize the performance and overcoming the limits of the communication between the rider and the technician. It was used by Enrico (the co-founder) in the race that proclaimed him as Italian downhill amateur champion.
BYB telemetry also provides the best suspension set-up for amateur riders. With the power of the data, everyone can visualize the behavior of the suspension. Having data instead of sensations can drastically speed up the process of finding the perfect suspension set-up, maximizing the speed, comfort, and security, either during a race weekend or just at the bike park on a Sunday.
BYB Telemetry is universal, compact and lightweight. It is designed to fit on any downhill, enduro, cross-country, and e-bike. It is entirely designed and made in Italy. It is composed by a set of sensors that can be installed on every fork and shock absorber with universal supports. The heart of the system is the electronic acquisition unit: a CNC milled aluminum case, water and dustproof. It also includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a GPS to provide the most accurate tracking of the ride. It communicates via wifi with the provided advanced visualization software, for a more precise analysis (for professional riders and suspensionists) or with an app for the automated setting of the suspension (mostly for the amateurs).
BYB Telemetry is the result of our passion. We can’t wait to share this technology! We want to make the best personalized setup accessible to every rider, helping them getting the best out of their bikes. BYB Telemetry is available from today up to the 17th of January. Early-bird discount of 40% on the retail price will be available for the first backers. You can discover all the details on the Kickstarter page: http://kck.st/2UJvxIe
About the Team
• Enrico Rodella: Master degree in industrial automation engineering, amateur downhill national champion, downhill teacher at Downhill Academy.
• Stefano Calati: Master degree in physics, currently PhD at Max Plank Institute, weekend rider and data analyst.
www.bybtelemetry.com
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88 Comments
The pricing is similar to a decent power meter and I see things like this as a more gravity orientated equivalent in terms of a training/ racing aid for people who take racing seriously. Sure you don't need a power meter to get fit and fast either but it is such a more efficient way of training and takes all of the guess work out of progress. No reason why this can't be similar.
If you want your shit 'analyzed', just buy(with a group of friends) or rent a shock wiz. Most 'average' riders run on air suspension anyway, and the wiz will get said average rider close enough to be happy. For the privateer racer, $1600 would be MUCH better spent on riding time/better equipment/coaching. Most races have suspension dudes at the track who are happy to baseline your suspension, then turn your clickers in the right direction for you after each run (if need be). All you need to do is be able to tell the dude what's happening (ie it's harsh, it bottoms too quickly, you're losing the front etc.)
Telemetry is for those who have the best of the best, technicians standing by to tear down pieces and make valving changes on the spot, have the capability to use every bit of performance their bike has to offer, and then some
If you are curious take a look at www.bitsfromitaly.it/about.php
If you only compare the sample rates I know it will be useless for the professional user.
BYB gives you 2 allready very expensive linear potentiometers (over 300 a pop), gps, a fully developed product with 2 software suites for "simple" and "comprehensive data" and all that for, acutally, a little over a grand. In my opinion that is a f*cking bargain.
I think the BYB system is a great idea, so I backed it. I certainly like the idea more than strapping a full on AIM 4s system onto a bike.
Shock Chat will include some other tool than telemetry and will help "ordinary biker" that want to self tune fork and ammo.
It will be possible to mount different sensors, export data in different formats (csv or txt for future implementations), possibility to run your own server based on open source software (like Xampp) to save data on use graphic tools.
I'd suggest to this company, that they should rent out this product for around 100 bucks a week, plus shipping. The person/renter can then dial in their suspension to a highly optimized initial starting point and can make minor adjustments as they travel to other riding areas. Then it'd actually be available to everyone, allow way more customers to get their hands on the product, and allow more rider reviews to come in as to if the product works as advertised or not.
Do you hire a suspension specialist as well to swap shim stacks and revalve between runs?
This is half baked at best.
Get it tuned for a few runs, then go somewhere else and spend another week tuning?.
How about just learn to compensate for your tune by riding better.
Wc dh is a game of milliseconds.
Riding your trail bike down a flow trail isn't.
When people are out there dropping 3k on wheels. F*ck it. Why not this
Or when people spend 8 grand on a carbon bike.
Highland and Thunder, I'm talking to you two.
Rent these things for $25 a day.
Ok, resume whatever you were doing.
Now if only it had a button to make my shock super small bump compliant, mega plush but support like a wonderbra in the mid travel.
The sensors alone retail for >500, plus a bluetooth license and I bet the connectors cost more than you think. They aren't making a killing on this, and I suspect anyone that says they could cobble one together has never tired.
There's some pretty strong patreo rule effects in stuff like this; the big, costly challenges are things you wouldn't even think of when you think about shock telemetry.
Hell, maybe your in between frame sizes and can't decide what's better overall for racing?