Spotted: Fox Live Valve on Myriam Nicole's DH Bike
If you haven't seen the race from last weekend, be warned this article contains spoilers.
Photographer Ross Bell spotted an unusual device on Myriam Nicole's winning bike after the Lenzerheide DH World Cup last weekend.
The remote looks borrowed from a Shimano ebike motor and is connected to what could be a wireless transmitter.
The cable from the plastic box connects to the rebound valve on the Fox Float X2 shock.
There's a box zip-tied to the downtube, connected with a cable to the head valve on the shock. The box has the words Fox Live Valve written on it. Also, there's a remote by the grip which looks like a Shimano EP8 ebike remote, connected with a short wire to something else on the handlebar - presumably a wireless transmitter to communicate with the box. To the foil hat wearers, we're obviously not suggesting this is an ebike-style cheat device, but the fact that Fox has repurposed an existing Shimano remote suggests this is nowhere near production. Sorry, no review tomorrow.
The commercially available version of Fox Live Valve is essentially an automatic lockout which toggles the fork and shock between open and fully locked-out depending on whether bumps are detected by accelerometers. But while we've seen remote lockouts used at World Cups before, any kind of lockout doesn't sound particularly useful at Lenzerheide; also, this system isn't automatic (at least not fully automatic) given the remote on the handlebar.
This shot of Greg Minnaar's bike in the pits before the race appears to show a similar cable port on his coil shock, but with no control box.
But look closer and you might spot the cable connecting the box to the shock attaches to the part of the shock that controls the low-speed rebound valving, opposite the red adjuster knob. So perhaps this device is to slow down the shock's rebound for the kicky jumps near the bottom of the track so Nicole doesn't need to compromise the suspension sensitivity on the fast and rough sections. Or perhaps it's to compensate for the inevitable build-up of rebound ferocity in an air shock as the air and oil heat up during a run.
It could be both, or possibly neither - I only have these photos to go on for now as Ross wasn't able to get any more information on the ground. Let us know what you think it could be in the comments.
Look closely (right click and open the image in a new tab) and you can see the device was used on Nicole's bike in her race run.
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It's not a spy-shot, review tomorrow deal: this looks like a genuine prototype. They may actually be experimenting here and it would be really cool to see a different take on live valve for enduro or DH with different goals to the previous of giving a good pedalling platform. I hope fox does actually talk about what they're doing to find what kind of electronic controlled bike stuff riders actually want.
If it works significantly better, then people will put up with having batteries and added complexity.
We’re utilized for precise hand machining on a bench vise
The remote is to activate a pump so she doesn’t have to waste time & energy sucking.
He declines to say what it is just that it’s something they want to try which may or may not be used in the future.
A little learning experiment
Band meeting.
I don't know if I want it on my bike. I'm just saying it might be possible haha. Truly proactive suspension, the first of it's kind. Elan can hook the neuralink up and it'll be good to go
Many of the riders have mix and match sets, from watching the racers YT channels etc a lot of them like the Saint callipers but the feel of the XT/XTR lever. I think Greg runs saints with XTR levers. Just personal preference for a lot of it. They’ve even mentioned mixing pad compounds (resin-metal) depending on the track.
Then, after one blank line, "Photographer Ross Bell spotted an unusual device on Myriam Nicole's winning bike after the Lenzerheide DH World Cup last weekend.".
Would it not have been a better idea to put the first sentence BEFORE the large picture directly above...? ♂️
Proof? ask jordi, "rebound effects how fast the suspension recovers after being compressed"
Turn your fork rebound to full rabbit an tell me what happens, 100% it will pogo you.. exactly like the shock does.
Too fast a rebound will kick you, its pretty simple really.
Dh bike setup is about compromise, live valve is a way to try and blur the compromise line.
BUT
Your bike must be balanced, some riders like a fast front and rear bike, its less physical, but comes with less grip, but can carry speed better (to a point).
Some riders like a slow front and rear bike, more physical but leaves you under more control, but can be slower as the suspension cant react to the ground.
Both are also frame, rider bias and track specific.
Thats why the pros go to 1 guy for advice on setup.
LoL
from a 14 year old who preffers roosts
Some people also say, and I’m on the fence about this one, higher bars reduce the chance of getting bucked. Those flat bars are deathtraps, according to some.
why would i do the tyre pressure and then full fast my rebound? that contradicts the lies your spitting out?
Mate clearly your off your chops? are you like the next doublecrown/badboyleroy?
wish we could post memes here, your def the one that the guy smokes meth before commenting
do one lap with your rebound as fast as it goes, next lap as slow as it goes.
It will buck you less on the second lap guaranteed.
I also ride a bikepark with very steep lips (Silver Star) so the difference is even more notable.