SRAM Acquires ShockWiz Suspension Tuning Tool - Crankworx Whistler 2016
A little over a year ago, a small Australian company called Dusty Dynamics announced a new product that had home suspension tuners reaching for their credit cards before they'd even finished reading the full details. Called ShockWiz, it's a pint-sized telemetry unit that's designed to help riders of all ability levels get the most out of their air sprung suspension. It monitors the behavior of a fork or shock over the course of a ride, and then offers tuning suggestions on a smartphone app after the data is gathered.
The invention caught SRAM's attention as well, and the company recently announced that they had acquired the project. Inventor Nigel Wade will remain in charge of the development, and will continue to work on improving and refining the device's hardware and software in conjunction with engineers from Quarq and RockShox. Once the initial orders that came in via Kickstarter are fulfilled (the units will be manufactured at Quarq's factory in South Dakota) there's no concrete timeline for when a SRAM / Quarq branded product will hit the market, but it's possible that we may see something by next summer.
Nigel Wade was at Crankworx Whistler with several prototype devices that he was testing with athletes, including Giant Factory Off-Road's Yoann Barelli and Josh Carlson. The riders went out on a predetermined lap and then returned to the pits where the data could be analyzed via the ShockWiz app. According to Wade, the overall goal behind ShockWiz is to help riders find their “window of happiness” when it comes to suspension settings. Because rider preferences vary, there isn't one perfect setting, but there is relatively small range where a fork or shock will work best, and that's what the ShockWiz is designed to determine.
The ShockWiz attaches to a fork or shock's Shrader valve.
After a run is completed, the results are displayed on a smartphone app.
How Does it Work?
The ShockWiz unit monitors the air pressure inside a fork or shock's air chamber during a ride, information that can be used to determine how often the suspension bottoms out, how quickly it's rebounding, and whether or not any unwanted behavior is occurring, such as pogoing or packing up. That information is transmitted to a smartphone, where an app offers suggestions on what steps to take in order to improve the suspension's performance, whether that's by increasing or decreasing the amount of rebound damping, adjusting compression settings, or altering the amount of bottom out resistance.
ShockWiz inventor, Nigel Wade, discusses the results with Josh Carlson and Yoann Barelli
In the case of Barelli and Carlson, when they came back from their lap, the data showed that both riders' suspension was within that “window of happiness,” which you would hope would be the case when it comes to two professional athletes that have a full-time mechanic ensuring that their bikes are running smoothly. All the same, the ShockWiz did show that there were steps that could be taken to further optimize the suspension, and after a few tweaks Carlson rode away to experiment with the new settings. Yoann wanted to take things a step further, so he decided to let a bunch of air out of his fork, set the rebound as slow as it would go, and back the low speed compression all the way off to see how it felt. Of course, this is the same guy who decided to race A-Line on his cross bike - his methods aren't exactly recommended for mere mortals.
It's easy to see how the ShockWiz could become an invaluable tool for teams to use during pre-season testing, reducing the amount of time it takes to find base settings for the suspension products that arrive prior to the start of race season. The same goes for consumers and shops as well, simplifying a process that to many seems like a dark art.
We'll be keeping tabs on the product as it nears completion, and putting one to the test as soon as possible.
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100 Comments
Screw all that noise, id rather make a change and compare the results in a graph.
And I totally get that high speed compression or rebound relates to quick movements, and that with a CCDB, it actually has a popet valve that blows open in a high speed event, and the oil then passes through the highspeed circuit. In low speed events, the popet stays closed and oil passes through the low speed circuit. But getting a straight answer on which events are high-speed vs slow speed is harder than I thought it would be. Thankfully, rebound is hard to dispute, as its really the spring's energy that dictates the speed of the rebound event. The only issue there is understanding how much preload on the spring will impact when a specific rebound circuit is active.
You forgot to mention HSR. As the shock or fork is compressed, that spring, whether its air or coil has been compressed. SO, if you start at, say 80psi in the fork, and you compress it half way thru its stroke, are you saying that there is still 80psi in that fork? NO, depending on the chamber, it has grown a significant amount. Just as a coil. if it is a 300X2.8, and you compress it an inch, it takes more force than 300lbs to compress it.
Back to compression. Compression velocity, or damping, is affected by the shape, size, and the speed at which you hit a given bump.
Low Speed Compression, relates to shaft speed. That shaft speed can be via shock or fork damper. Anything that you do to the bike, your input to the bike is Low Speed Compression. You as a riding can not induce High Speed Compression, without hitting something. With that being said, LSC in in fact a G-Out, diving/compressing into corners, diving/compressing into the face of a jump, etc...
HSC is, well high shaft speed compressions. An impact that makes the suspension move fast. This is where square edge, and braking bumps come in. They may not make you go through full travel, although the impacts are quick.
Since you have referenced the Cane Creek Double Barrel, here is a link to there tuning guide. I must first warn you, it only gives a starting point. Meaning, that not everyone rides the same bike the same way. One rider could sit off the back, while another likes to ride more centered over the bike, and another over the bars. Where you shift your weight, the speed you ride at, Smoothness, and etc.... all come into play. You may have to adjust one way or another to find the right settings for you.
Generally though, any manufacturers guides are not to far off. If you need others, such as Rockshox, Fox, BOS, XFusion, or etcc.... let me know.
www.canecreek.com/products/suspension/tuning-field-app
And for clarification, I do understand that high and low speed compression are not directly linked to the speed of the bike...just that if you are going really fast, your likely to be hitting things harder. At least I am, I dont have much grace..."Thor smash."
This data acquisition looks cool. Looks like you could get a couple of guys and share the price. It's not like you are going to use it frequently.
Or hasn't he returned yet? ????
Notice is says "Discontinued". Full Cartridge or nothing at all.
Apparently I'd get that and then the coil spring from SAR, as soon as they release such kit. It will be max 300$, so considering I've spent like 800$ on Lyrik, I will still be saving money compared to buying 36RC2 for fifteen fkng hundred dollars! I can buy myself an Argyle and I will still have some beer money left. Fox has to sort this sht out...
I think SRAM may be betting on a very small market here (unless they integrate the technology into the forks and shocks)
Let's say I buy this and use it to tune my RS fork and suddenly Wham! The fork is head and shoulders above all of my previous other suspension products. Whereas I might have been inclined to turn over the fork after a couple of years, could I be so happy with the tuning improved version that I'm more inclined to stick with the fork for a number of years until it's truly shagged out? A friend has a 10 year old Avalanche tuned coil for his Heckler and says that despite trying other newer shocks he's so happy with how the shock feels, he can't justify spending the money for a new unit.
I like my new toys as much the next MTBer but I also see the value in getting something that's well suited / bespoke and making that work for you.
I look forward to trying one of these. I want the best settings possible, but I don't have the patience to be fiddling all the time. Once I start pedaling I just want to ride!
"The final price is expected to be $239 USD for a single unit or $449 for two, but lower pricing will initially be offered as part of the company's upcoming Kickstarter campaign, with the units expected to ship by early 2016."
I will say, I have a couple of bikes.....and am constantly "fiddling". I also build bikes for all my friends and past setting the sag, they tend to be on their own. When I ask for feedback they generally have no idea. This would be a great tool to get multiple bikes "in the ball park".
you mean it WAS very reasonable. I don't normally complain about the cost of mountain biking gear and accessories, but mark my words.... SRAM will at least double the price on this thing.
Sure, they will refine it, but the cost of entry for this is gonna be painful enough to keep most people from buying them.
I'd prob pay $250 for one since I ride enough varied terrain that I could justify it's use. But at $500 (just my guess here) I'd most likely just rent it from someone for a day to get my local trails dialed in.
Again, just speculating, but I can't see SRAM not gouging people on this.
But mainly, cheers to the dude who created it and sold it, a nice payday for him I'm sure. Regardless of ultimate cost, it's good to see innovators rewarded.
It is less user friendly but it should work just as good if you know what you are doing.