Review: Formula Neopos Air Volume Spacers

Nov 8, 2018
by Paul Aston  
Formula NeoPos


Formula's Neopos air-volume spacers are a foam version of the solid plastic tokens we are used to finding in most air-sprung suspension nowadays. For those out of the loop, adding or removing "tokens" or spacers from a fork's (or shock's) air spring is a method to tune the spring curve and the ride feel by altering the volume of air in the spring chamber. Neopos foam cylinders are made from a 'secret closed-cell foam material' that are said to give your fork a more consistent compression stroke, and get it closer to having that sacred 'coil-like feel.' A pack of three Neopos costs €29 EUR / $36 USD.

Installation & Theory

Previously, Formula didn't offer a plastic token option for their forks. Instead, it was recommended to add between 5cc to 35cc of oil to the main air chamber, which is effectively the same as adding plastic spacers, but with the benefit of infinite adjustment to the spring's volume.

Installation of the Neopos couldn't be easier – just remove the top cap from your Formula fork's air spring side (deflating the air pressure first) and throw them in – they do not need to be screwed or clipped to anything, they can roam free. Neopos are a much easier solution than adding oil to the fork, which was a faff to add, drain, and measure each time you wanted to make an adjustment.

Formula says that only one Neopos is needed to give its claimed benefits of a more linear feel, putting in more than one will not make it any more linear. Adding more than one will continue to increase mid- to end-stroke pressure, the same reason you'd add more plastic spacers.

You can read Formula's press release here for all of their science and graphs, but here is the layman's description: The initial stroke of the fork will feel the same at the same air pressure, mid-stroke support will be increased slightly, but the main difference will be less ramp up towards the end of the stroke. This is because, as the foam compresses, its volume reduces, which gives a more linear curve to the air spring, closer to a single rate coil spring which is perfectly linear.
Formula 35
The Formula 35 fork's air spring was originally tuned by displacing its volume with a measured amount of oil.

Speed-Sensitive Air Spring

The second claim is that, because Neopos' slow-memory foam compresses at a measured rate, the volume it displaces changes with the speed that the fork is compressing the air spring. For example: If you compress a fork to bottom out slowly, the max pressure could be 300psi, because the Neopos has time to compress at the same rate of the surrounding atmosphere. But, if you compress it very fast, the Neopos will not compress completely, the air-spring's volume will be reduced and the bottom-out pressure could be as high as 380psi.

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Neopos' speed-sensitive action also controls the high-speed rebound rate. Because the bottom out pressure is higher at faster shaft speeds, the rebound speed is correspondingly faster. If the fork is held near full bottom-out, however (say, in a G-out situation), the Nopos will continue to shrink as it adjusts to the ambient pressure in the air spring, which will reduce the internal pressure to that original 300psi, thus slowing the rebound speed significantly. The result of using Neopos is a more consistent feel in both compression and rebound over a much wider range of impacts and speeds and, in theory, allow the rider to use all of the fork's travel, while retaining mid-stroke support, and without continuously bottoming.

photo
This graph shows how the Neopos affects the spring curve. The two most important lines are the two middle lines at 60psi with a solid volume spacer vs. Neopos. We can see how the beginning and mid-stroke are the same, but there is a difference at the end of the stroke as a solid token will ramp up much more as air volume inside the decreases rapidly. Image: Formula


Riding the Neopos

Does it work as claimed? "Yes," is the short answer, I have tested the Neopos for months in different situations, but this describes one test ride: I found a short section of super rough trail in Finale (not a difficult task) with some corners and rocky straights. Starting with 10cc of oil (the equivalent of one volume spacer), I did a few laps to get a feeling for the Selva fork. Previously, my fork settings had felt over-damped and I wasn't getting full travel under any circumstances.

Out with the oil and in with the Neopos. I started with one. A few more laps revealed that there was a slight increase in mid-stroke support, which was easy to feel. More difficult to tell was if there was a benefit in the repeated and rougher big hits. It was hard to put my finger on, as the sections were rowdy, so I was more focused on the trail features. That said, there appeared to be an increased calmness to the fork in at the times where I was gritting my teeth and holding on the hardest.

Back to the workshop, I added one more Neopos and then headed back up. The fork retained its sensitivity (the Selva fork is one of the smoothest out there), and there was a more noticeable increase in the mid-stroke support. Now, however, the Selva was slightly harsh towards the end of the travel. The culprit, I discovered, was the Formula's 'e-bike' CTS (Compression Tuning System) chip I had previously installed in an attempt to increase the mid-stroke support of the fork. With the increased support from the Neopos, it was unnecessary. I switched it out to the original, 'Special Soft' CTS chip and the fork was spot on.

A few more laps determined my fork was working better overall, with more mid-stroke support and less ramp-up towards the end stroke. The lighter tune from the softer CTS gave me better tracking, bump absorption and less feedback into my arms and hands. Better still, the O-ring on the stanchion tube proved that I was getting full travel.

Starling Murmur Review Formula Selva

So I can put the Neopos in any fork, right?

No. The Neopos are not designed to work with non-Formula forks. For this reason, the official position of Formula is the following: "Neopos is designed and engineered to be compatible exclusively with Formula 35 and 33 mm stanchions diameter air forks. Formula is not responsible for any improper use of the Neopos on non-Formula forks." But, for the sake of our loyal commenters who would have instantly posed the question, and because I have heard of riders on the World Cup circuit using them in other brand's forks (even chopping them up to fit inside shocks), I decided to see what would happen.

The first great (and remember, not recommended) benefit of the Neopos is that they can be popped into any fork, and coming from a guy who has a drawer full of colored tokens - but never the right one - this promised to be a great problem solver. The next experiment was to try the Neopos in a 2017 RockShox Lyrik fork, swapping three tokens for two Neopos. I found a similar improvement, with increased mid-stroke support, although the Lyrik is already more linear than the Selva, so it didn't have as harsh an end-stroke feeling as I had to start with my original setup on the Formula fork.

Neopos degradation
Neopos degradation
My Neopos appeared to be degrading after a few months use in non-Formula products. Some mechanics who have done the same reported finding chunks of foam blocking the positive/negative transfer ports.

The third fork that the Neopos spent some time in was a Fox 36 on a Mondraker Level eMTB. After numerous days on this bike, the Neopos started to show signs of degradation, with lots of small pieces of foam inside the fork's main air chamber. This has not caused any problems for me so far, but I have heard reports from some World Cup mechanics that the small pieces of foam can work their way into the tiny air transfer ports that allow flow between the positive and negative chambers, which could affect fork performance. The takeaway is, use Neopos in non-recommended forks at your own risk. I wouldn't want to strip and clean my fork just to remove a bunch of foam particles.


Conclusion

To conclude, Neopos do perform as claimed in their Selva fork – a more linear spring curve and more predictable. For the €29 price tag, I would recommend that any Formula owners at least try the Neopos to see if they give the performance change they might be looking for. Another PB editor using Neopos exclusively in a Selva has had zero issues with degradation after well over 100 hours of use (more than Formula's suggested replacement interval).

The degradation I saw when I tried them in forbidden forks was likely caused by irregular-shaped air chambers or incompatible lubricants, so I do not recommend the use of the Neopos in other brand's forks. If I were a pro-racer with a mechanic or an avid suspension stripper, however, I would use them without a doubt.

Warning: Don't think that you can save yourself €30 and put in a chunk of your Mum's kitchen sponge and achieve the same thing.


Pinkbike's Take
bigquotesNeopos is a recommended solution for riders looking to tune the mid-stroke and end-stroke characteristics in their Formula fork. They are easy to install and live up to their improved performance claims.Paul Aston


Author Info:
astonmtb avatar

Member since Aug 23, 2009
486 articles

188 Comments
  • 326 2
 Oh. (puts down the scissors and sponge...)
  • 14 9
 Of course sponge is open cell foam ! On the other hand backer rods are closed cell foam ...
  • 116 3
 Yet another use for pool noodles
  • 6 4
 @IllestT: It's all about the right diameter ! Pool noodles only come in big diameter, Backing Rods come in different diameters, that way you don't have to destroy too many closed cells, WC approved I'd say !
  • 13 2
 Ripping my MCUs (Micro Cellular Urethan, not Marvel Comics Universe) out of my '98 RSTs when I get home!
  • 19 4
 And puts the lotion on the skin.....
  • 7 1
 @IllestT: On trend and separating fools from their hard earned Smile
  • 18 3
 Oh. (pulls out corkscrew and wine bottle...)
  • 7 2
 Imagine if you were a manufacturer of pool noodles. Your stock just went up 3000%
  • 4 3
 @IllestT: 2999.99%
  • 10 4
 Neo= new
POS = piece of sh...
  • 3 1
 And being close-minded tells me the only thing that is going to make me faster on the bike is spending time on it
  • 2 3
 All the ladies gonna be busy finding their beauty blender.
  • 171 2
 Been using the rubberised corks you get in wine bottles for a while now... They can be cut/shaved/drilled and (glued together) to stick into most top caps and so don't rattle around/break-up. Bonus is you get a free bottle of wine with each spacer you buy - marketeers are you listening?! ;-)
  • 12 1
 funny that was my exact thought when i saw the Formula ones "hm, those look like wine bottle corks"
  • 2 2
 Genius!
  • 48 1
 I like the free bottle of wine as a gift with each spacer. Nice move of the wine industry
  • 10 2
 I have been using those plastic corks for two years now, after a while they grow bigger and get really hard (say what...). No more spongy.
Real cork is better, but these are degrading soon, and tiny bits may block the air channels.
  • 8 2
 These are about 1/10th as hard as those plastic corks judging from the video in the article. They might be roughly the same shape but they don't do the same thing.
  • 22 1
 I tried to buy these volume spacers but I got thrown out when I showed them my I.D. Maybe there could be an option for the volume spacers to be sold with grape juice so those of us who arn’t over the drinking age can buy them.
  • 6 1
 Well I use the cork from the wine bottle to upgrade my cheesey grips. Best handlebar plug ever...
  • 3 1
 Win
  • 2 2
 @vtracer: sparkling grape soda lolol
  • 11 1
 Corks from vintage wines tends to be more plush than newer wine corks.
  • 66 1
 @Boardlife69: What are you riding?
Well, now I'm on "Chateau Lynch-Bages 5e Grand Cru Pauillac AOC 2015" for midstroke and Champagne "Armand de Brignac Demi Sec Limited" for the end stroke.
Pinot Gris made me bottoming out way too often.
  • 2 1
 Yes you could have patented that idea, but now in the public domain, but still a great idea, think of all the wine bottle corks in a landfill, that can now be recycled?
  • 6 3
 That Champagne really provides a good POP to get things flying.
  • 7 1
 The rubberized corks can be used as butt plugs too! You just saved me $30 plus a bottle of wine, good sir.
  • 3 1
 These comments had me cracking up, thanks all.... now I'm really hankering for a glass of wine!

On that note, I'm using multi-grade gear oil in my Marzocchi's air spring to ramp them up, as neopos is forbidden, anyone know if I can use wine instead of oil, namely Rioja or Cabernet-Savignon?
Might be handy if I ever need an emergency trailside Cab-Sav infusion as well
  • 10 1
 @danny611: everything is a butt plug if you're brave enough
  • 1 1
 @ctd07: Better off with vegi oil as wine will have a different viscosity
  • 1 0
 @pakleni: best comment so far :-D:-D
  • 1 1
 @ismasan: Can confirm. Wife works in x-ray.
  • 90 4
 You know what's closer to the linear spring rate of a coil shock? No spacers!

PM me and I'll sell you no spacers for half the price of these and free postage.
  • 6 2
 Thats not how air springs work tho.. see the review of AWK, Manitou´s IRT,... as I understand it this is a simplified version of the same thing: two positive air chambers working in series.
  • 40 0
 You’re both right. Group hug
  • 5 0
 @daweil: yes - never really understood how air springs work until I read some of the articles on here from Vorsprung which showed some of the actual spring curves etc - very interesting.
  • 1 1
 a friend of mine, tried a very good single crown fork on his pivot firebird (after 2 years struggling with his fox 36 setup..) and he just cannot believe how it changes the ride completely... "this s cheating" he said... ... ... so the best coil-like is ...yes.. a coil fork... stop trying...
  • 2 1
 Yeah i personally think the volume spacer fad is over. It doesn’t work and it makes your forks feel gross. Way better getting the right spring rate and the right compression and rebound settings.
  • 1 0
 @daweil: Big Grin Big Grin you may have missed ze pun there
  • 42 9
 Hold on, has no one noticed the throwaway comment at the end of the article?
"after well over 100 hours of use (more than Formula's suggested replacement interval)."
So $30 for something that is designed to be thrown away after less than 100 hours use. Way to go green formula...
  • 17 5
 100 hours mountain biking time (actual ride time, not including all the faff at either end of the ride) will be more than a year for the vast majority of riders.

It is also about the recommended service interval for most forks. Most people ignore that too. www.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/gen.0000000005593_sc2_service_interval_counter_mat_v10_eng_rev_b.pdf

The oil you chuck out at a service is a lot more damaging than a few grams of plastic in these.
  • 10 7
 I'm not so much concerned about the eco side of things here, but $30 EVERY 100 HRs? That's insane!
  • 9 1
 @Patrick9-32: The point is, no other system is throwaway. this is at the very least wasteful
  • 4 0
 @kopaczus: I need to replace all seals after 150h that will cost me 80€ for my DVO topaz.
I just bought all stuff except the tools to service my Selva and Topaz, 170€
  • 5 0
 @kopaczus: it boils down to 0.005 dollars per minute.... not astronomical figures
  • 14 2
 @Daver27: If you use even one disposable plastic bottle during those 100 hours of mountain biking either before, after or during you are going to be using a lot more plastic.

It seems like a weird place to make a stand in a world of pre-packaged orange slices and micro-bead face wash.
  • 2 0
 @Patrick9-32:
The question is what happens when you leave them in too long. If they degrade and the small particles start blocking stuff inside the air chamber, you could have a bigger problem.
  • 2 2
 @cvoc: not inside a formula fork!
  • 4 1
 @kopaczus: 100 hrs of actual ride time could easily be 3-4 sets of tires!
  • 8 0
 @kopaczus: Do you replace dust wipers and oil in your fork or shock? those are generally more than 30 bucks every 100 hours? what about grips? chains and derailleur pulleys? shift cables? brake pads? Pivot bearings? its silly that these should be replaced but I bet a mountain bike cost about 500 to 1000 bucks to run for 100 hours if you pay retail and do all the "recommended" service. That's why no one does it.
  • 3 0
 @Patrick9-32: Are you seriously claiming that 'the vast majority of riders' ride less than 2 hours a week?
Are you also saying that whatever they do at oil disposal sites isn't actually the right way to get rid of oil?
  • 3 0
 You get a pack of 4 of them when you buy them. In practice, I've found I only need one... I've got 100 hours on it in my Yari and it's exactly the same as when I bought it. So maybe I'll change it out at 150 hours... that means I've got 600 hours worth of them. I probably won't have this fork or even this bike for 600 hours.
  • 7 0
 Hi, the Neopos comes in a pack of 3. Most of the riders use just one. For the vast majority of riders would be 300 hours of riding.
  • 2 1
 @rideformula: haha good to know. Why isn't anyone writing it then?
Also work with cosmic sport, I ordered almost a month ago anything to do the big service. Explain how everything is here except the cheapest thing, the seals.
  • 1 0
 @Patrick9-32: unless you already don't (or minimise) buy those.
  • 2 0
 @Patrick9-32: its just ANOTHER consumable thing, all other volume reducing systems are not throwaway, seems a backwards step, no matter how well it reportedly works.
  • 3 0
 @kopaczus: $30 every 100 hours? Sounds like seals.
  • 34 1
 How long will it be before the big two start sponging off formula’s ideas?
  • 16 2
 They'd find the legal pressure really ramping up.
  • 2 7
flag picowatt (Nov 8, 2018 at 5:04) (Below Threshold)
 @seb-stott: I see what you did there
  • 2 3
 They’ll just change the material. They have already been using spacers. So it shouldn’t be difficult at all. Some ideas just need to be share across all brands.
  • 1 1
 @picowatt: i'm glad you did, otherwise....
  • 3 2
 @seb-stott: it's not like litigation has ever dampened their appetite for sales.
  • 2 2
 I can't wait! This technology should really help me with mastering corked tricks.
  • 1 0
 They already been doing that... i.e. shorter rake that formula had since 2014(?)
  • 4 1
 Technically, formula took the idea from Manitou who had a similar design a 10 years ago in there MRD forks. Noble air system if I recall correctly.

The thing is, Manitou's IRT air spring, and all the similar twin + chamber springs achieve everything these spacers do, while being infinitely adjustable to the users liking.
  • 1 0
 @mullen119: plus they don't leave chunks of foam after a while for those of us without personal suspension strippers.
  • 1 3
 @mullen119: Not true. Key here is the NEO-Pos occupies space in the air chamber and that space changes when the fork is compressed. Not the same thing. And by the way i've ridden few years on IRT system and love it.
  • 1 1
 @picowatt: the first rule of pun club is that you don’t talk about pun club.
  • 3 0
 @CantClimb: how often s that not the same? The IRT system occupies space in the air chamber, and that space changes as the fork is compressed. The only difference is you can't change the spring rate of the foam, but you can change the spring rate of a secondary air chamber.
  • 32 1
 Dear Fox/Rockshox/Formula etc, Please can we just have the option to buy a coil fork.
  • 14 0
 Cane creek or MRP both make incredible coil forks. Not to mention Push...
  • 2 0
 I will eventually Push my Fox 36. Just waiting for when it needs a rebuild.
  • 2 0
 Can we please have interchangeable coil/air forks please?
When converting your air fork to coil you mostly cant convert back.
Now that would be your so called "Innovation"
  • 2 0
 @NotNamed: You could do that with MRP. I believe the issue is that once you go coil, the metal spring, even when protected, mars the inside of the stanchion too much so that it won't hold air properly if you go back.
  • 1 0
 @NotNamed: Pre-Fox marzocchi is the only one I know of. Air spring doesn't use the stanchion, it has a seperate tube.
  • 3 0
 Riding a Yari/Lyrik Coil at the moment. That's the beauty of 35mm stanchions on every RS Fork, so Boxxer Team Parts (+ an Öhlins Spring) are a perfect fit
  • 2 0
 @crisotop: tell me more.
  • 1 0
 @thenotoriousmic: what more do you want to know? just put the coil shaft + negative spring in your RS 35mm fork of choice and enjoy! My 2018 Yari 27,5 Boost gets 175mm of travel with the standard 200mm Boxxer team shaft. Which you can cut down a couple of mm without needing to cut a new thread in.
  • 21 0
 Am I only one who see a Chameleon rather than and oily tissue.
  • 11 0
 So, I have been using them for a few weeks now in my Lyric. Improvements as told, very very nice feel for the midstroke and less bottom-out resistance compared to two tokens.
Hard to say if ist worth 30€ but I really like the new feel of my forks!

First thing I will do tonight is take them out and check for any wear and tear. Maybe it would help to attatch them to the top cap and glue them together in any way...
  • 2 0
 Did so with my Yari-Topcap. No problems since around six weeks.
  • 4 0
 @Brookes: what glue did you use?
  • 3 0
 I put one in my sektor, made a big difference to me. As you describe and just 'better' in all situations, it's the consistency thing which is important I think, a more predictable feel, more like you would get with a coil.
This "The result of using Neopos is a more consistent feel in both compression and rebound over a much wider range of impacts and speeds"
It must work, or pro mechs wouldn't be wasting their time cutting them up to fit in shocks.
  • 1 0
 @Brookes: yes, what glue?
  • 1 0
 @Serpentras: Hotglue gun would be good!
  • 1 0
 @Brookes: I was thinking about this too but thought that since its as a material that will be compressed, I figured it glueing it wouldn't be an option as it would pull off as it shrinks, but if in the real world that doesn't matter, awesome. The solution i'd come up with in my head was taping a bit of string to to top cap, threading the string through the center of the neopos and tieing it off. It will stay in place up at the top of the top cap and there is nothing restricting its compression (liked i'd assumed the glued butt end would).
  • 2 0
 @Braindrain: ive never had air suspension be unpredictable get off the pot already with that bullshit
  • 1 0
 @mhoshal: I think what @Braindrain means is that the force is not consistent (linear) as you move through the travel. I.e. the air sprung sus w neopos feels more linear. Seems like a more generous reading than where you went with it.
  • 1 0
 @mhoshal: pages 7 to 11 in the formula press release explains it better than I can. I can feel what they are explaining.
  • 10 1
 pff, just put nicely shaped sponge to the CONDOM, and you are OK Big Grin because condoms should be resistant against variety of lubricants Big Grin
  • 7 0
 Incorrect, oil based products break them down
  • 2 0
 @Gareth-R: only latex ones Wink
  • 4 0
 @Gareth-R: Drop a sponge in a nitrile glove then.
  • 12 2
 I like the warning, please recycle it in the next tireinsert review
  • 5 1
 So what you're saying is I could cut up an old tire insert and get the same result? Genius!
  • 9 2
 @Trailsoup: Yeah but your tyre insert won't have a little laser etched Fleur-De-Lys or a perfectly aligned hole through the middle for fishing it back out...

To be on the safe side I'd fork out those 30 Euros.

Ahahahahah. Sorry, 30 Euros for 3 bits of foam. WTF are these companies on?! Still I suppose they have to pay some 'engineer' type to come up with that 20 page pamphlet filled with psuedo science and charts to persaude you to part with 30 Euros.
  • 4 1
 i ride 27.5", so I still have some excess huck norris foam lying around. Time to huck my fork Smile
  • 16 5
 You can also take a wire through 30 of them and make them into an exclusive tyre insert.
  • 2 1
 @veero: thanks,that pricebitchin was the first version of my comment -thought to myself someone is gonna do it anyway and he will probably mean it.
  • 5 0
 I put 2 of these in a Pike last week. Great so far, will keep an eye out for degredation. Sliced 1 up and put it in my rear shock (ccdb air) to replace volume reducer bands, not so impressive. I think it's down to the higher pressures in a rear shock. By the time you pump it up to working pressure (150psi v 85psi for fork), they are already halfway compressed. Going back to volume spacer/bands for the rear shock.
  • 1 1
 But you could just cut a plastic milk carton too make bands for your rear shocks?
  • 2 0
 @aljoburr: buy thick rubberbands for 1€ at your hardware store... The ones for RockShox are literally rubber bands.
  • 5 1
 When ohlins sorts out their 3 chamber air spring you wont need to be putting chunks of foam in your fork. Can get good results on the current one with some internal work, but not likely with 9/10 whiny bitches moaning about a loose top cap.
  • 2 4
 3 chambers works only on dh forks, 140-180 forks do not have enough air volume.
  • 4 0
 @RedRedRe: Your statement is incorrect.

Manitou has a three chamber system called IRT available for the Mattoc trail fork, and chickadeehill makes their three chamber AWK spring kit for Rockshox forks down to 120mm of travel and for Fox forks down to 130. Clearly a three chamber air spring system can work for more than just downhill forks.
  • 3 1
 Or, i know it might sound strange, but hear me out. What if we put, now this might sound crazy, a metal coil in the front shock?
  • 3 0
 @hamncheez: that would be too user friendly....
  • 2 0
 @hamncheez: This person needs to be locked up. A coiled steel spring? In a suspension fork?!? Mad, I tell you...
  • 1 0
 @taldfind: I dunno about the IRT, but the Chikadee Hill AWK is a two-chamber system...
  • 2 0
 @santoman: Actually, AWK converts dual chamber systems into three chamber systems. Both the Fox FLOAT and Rockshox Solo Air springs have two air chambers, one positive (main) chamber and a negative chamber. IRT and AWK split the positive chamber in two, creating a spring with two positive chambers and one negative chamber.
  • 2 0
 @taldfind: ah, ok. Thanks for clarifying. I though 3 chambers referred to positive ones. BTW, I have an AWK in my Pike and love it.
  • 1 0
 @santoman: Sweet deal. I would love to try the AWK on my bikes.
  • 1 0
 @taldfind: do they not ship'em to the States?
  • 2 0
 @santoman: not from what I can see. Though being a janitor has more to do with why I can't try one.
  • 2 0
 @taldfind: I see, if you evet decide to pull the trigger on one PM me and I gladly serve as an intermediary.
  • 3 0
 Given that folk put all kinds of 3rd party oils in their forks, I don't see how these can only maintain their integrity in Formula forks. Provided the bung is smaller than the chamber diameter, it should work in anything.
  • 3 0
 Wait, so they make your fork more progressive than without them, but less progressive than with tokens?? There’s a lot of talk about them making your fork more linear, and coil-like, which is confusing.
  • 4 0
 I would love to try the Selva, looks like the best fork on the market right now.
  • 8 5
 30 Euros... is the red tint coming from Barollo wine? It better be. The Neo Pos... "Pos"... really?
  • 1 4
 u r right, i tune my PIKE with cork plug from Champagne wine.... cut it to match inner thread in the top cap and i ridin it for 4 years, no issues (yes, its degrading a little, do small particles, but they are soft and totaly no issues with preassure port between air chambers... ) but problém is elsewhere, you know... pike.... brutal cracking in the connection of innerlegs, arc, and headtube....
  • 1 0
 It´s "Barolo" you ignorant and yes they work better than token. Big Grin
  • 2 0
 @themountain: Barolo, pardon me... I am a peasant who likes vodka made of potatoes. Sorry. Cheers BTW
  • 2 0
 I like formula because they make all the new stuff compatible with the old one. If you have a 2015 fork, can still upgrade to 2018 internals.
  • 2 0
 Uh yeah, I guess no one remembers the first Manitou forks back in the early nineties? Disintegrating foam....been there done that.
  • 1 0
 What a out a piece of foam inside a balloon or - ahem - condom...? You'd have a spacer that was compressible as pressures increase, doesn't absorb oil and shouldn't chunk up and degrade......I'm going to try it.
  • 8 5
 Who has a formula fork anyways?
  • 3 1
 Me.
  • 6 0
 I'd rather have Öhlins brakes.
  • 5 0
 @FuzzyL: my comment wasn’t sarcastic, I honestly don’t know if anyone who rides one.
  • 2 1
 @nyhc00: Same but I also don't know or see anyone on MRP, Öhlins, Manitou, DVO.
  • 2 0
 I do. Is excellent.
  • 2 0
 @colincolin: All make fantastic products
  • 5 0
 @colincolin: Might be a North America vs Europe thing. MRP, Manitou, DVO, are all based in the USA. I've seen them all here. And Ohlins because they come on Specialized. I've never seen Formula forks, and in all my years maybe only one set of their brakes that came stock on a commencal.
  • 2 1
 I have seen plenty of high end formula brakes on the trails. I do have the selva and it makes the pike look like a budget fork. You can get it from universal.
  • 1 0
 Me! Equipped with Neopos since mid of April - and i love it!
  • 3 0
 @colincolin: MRP, Manitou and DVO are common enough in the Northeast...i have yet to see an Öhlins fork in the wild.
  • 2 0
 @nyhc00: As an Italian Brand they might indeed be much mit common in Europe. Plus, as far as I know, they’re only spec’ed on bikes of rather small brands. But they’re reasonably priced for a fork that’s made in such relatively small batches, and they work really well, especially the supple feel is something I like, I wouldn’t be surprised if they became much more common.
  • 1 0
 @colincolin: Manitou here currently, and Sntour with customized cartridge for the next one!
  • 3 0
 Put it in a condom to keep the chunks in check
  • 1 0
 I have a pack of these for sale in the buy sell. Work as advertised, used them in a Rockshox Yari, but sold my bike and now have MRP with their ramp control. Look me up!
  • 3 2
 Might want to give this a look Pinkbike, very similar to this and the Manitou IRT diazsuspensiondesign.com/runt
  • 1 0
 IRT is excellent. This NeoPos is a different concept. Is a simple idea. Sadly, all the 'bigger' companies will copy it.
  • 1 2
 That looks amazing! I've used the Luftkappe and MRP Ramp Control, but that sounds like a step up.
  • 1 1
 I have one of these RUNTS from diazsuspensiondesign.com in my Fox 36. This thing is amazing!!! Not made out of a sponge, but rather engineered for different travels in different Rock Shox and Fox forks. It is infinitely adjustable. Makes the small bumps super plush, while maintaining mid stroke support and bottom out resistance. You CAN have it all. yeah it costs a little more than wine bottle corks,($200US) but it doesn't degrade and the only maintenance would be a 30 cent O ring every few seasons!! Well worth the money if you want to go faster, corner harder, and drop bigger!
  • 1 2
 Hey Formula, how much does that socket to remove the top cap cost? Oh you don't remember? I'll tell you. It's 34 euro.

So when you quote 30 euro add another 34 euro for a non standard specialized tool.
  • 1 0
 Reminds me of the MCU's (microcellular urethane bumpers) back in the 90's than Manitou used which would hydro-lock when wet
  • 5 5
 And paying 30 quid for these .I am going to the hardware shop and getting myself a can of expanding foam .Undo the top caps and squirt it in. Winner,Winner Chicken Diner
  • 10 0
 I see a whole new fork in your future!
  • 1 0
 Have been running one of these in my Rockshox Yari since they came out. Works great with zero adverse affects.
  • 1 0
 @paulaston Have you tried to glue it onto rs/fox original token or only onto its screwing base? That could work I guess
  • 1 0
 So the Fox fluid is degrading the foam, So, can you run formula fluid in a fox (or RS) fork?
  • 1 0
 Every time something on a bike is described as “infinitely adjustable” Jesus kills a puppy.
  • 2 0
 Secret formula PMSL.
  • 1 0
 30¢ an hour?
Formula need to pay their bills some how . :-)
  • 1 0
 Another quality invention!
  • 1 0
 Oh look, more graphs with no units on them. Worthless information.
  • 1 0
 Sorry my bad English . Dinner
  • 1 1
 My RS bottomless tokens have some squish to them. They are not made of hard plastic.
  • 1 0
 This is actually true for the ones that go in the dual position forks, they are rubber and not hard plastic, but nowhere near as squishy as foam.
  • 1 0
 How many have a Formula fork that can actually try it?
  • 1 0
 Any reason these wouldn’t work in a Lefty 2.0?
  • 1 0
 Reviewing rat killer? What next.
  • 1 0
 No thanks! Not good for any fork if their gonna make babies in them!
  • 1 0
 These sound very interesting! For only $30 I’d give them a shot
  • 1 0
 Who owns this fork?
  • 1 0
 Put a cork in it!
  • 1 0
 Yeah, no. Hell no!
  • 7 9
 I’m just here to let you all know this article should be flagged with a trigger warning.
  • 2 0
 Seriously, had flashbacks to the early nineties and disintegrating elastomers in my Manitou fork. This is the last thing I want to see when I wake up in the morning. Wink
  • 1 1
 @Lotusoperandi: Theoretically, if it is closed cell foam, there should be no disintegration.
  • 1 0
 @Poulsbojohnny: Absolutely correct! Neopos has nothing to compare with old elastomers. The elastomers don't even compress with air. Check this out www.facebook.com/rideformula/videos/2053761097985771. Cheers!
  • 1 0
 Hi, Neopos is not to compare with old elastomers. Here a video you can maybe find interesting www.facebook.com/rideformula/videos/2053761097985771. Cheers!
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