Comments on: British Professor Invents a “Better” MTB Shock http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/ Mountain bike news, trails, travels, and dirt. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:39:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Geeky Bar Grips | Mountain Bike Blog || SINGLETRACKS.COM http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4605 Geeky Bar Grips | Mountain Bike Blog || SINGLETRACKS.COM Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:32:25 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4605 [...] if mountain bikes weren’t becoming geeked out enough with GPS and electronic suspension, now you can get keyboard grips for your ride. Okay, so these are actually BMX grips from Odyssey [...] [...] if mountain bikes weren’t becoming geeked out enough with GPS and electronic suspension, now you can get keyboard grips for your ride. Okay, so these are actually BMX grips from Odyssey [...]

]]> By: trek7k http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4422 trek7k Wed, 20 May 2009 14:58:54 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4422 @element22, thanks for the primer. I guess I don't have a problem with the idea as long as it's simply a mechanical system that doesn't need an external power input (battery). In my mind mountain bikes should remain human powered, strictly mechanical machines. Then again I'm a bit of a purist :) @element22, thanks for the primer. I guess I don’t have a problem with the idea as long as it’s simply a mechanical system that doesn’t need an external power input (battery). In my mind mountain bikes should remain human powered, strictly mechanical machines. Then again I’m a bit of a purist :)

]]> By: seenvic http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4419 seenvic Wed, 20 May 2009 14:02:51 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4419 I don't equate this with an electric motor that you turn on to assist you up the hills. But I hardly understand how to tune a RP-23, so I doubt I'd ever be able to grasp this thing. I don’t equate this with an electric motor that you turn on to assist you up the hills.

But I hardly understand how to tune a RP-23, so I doubt I’d ever be able to grasp this thing.

]]> By: element22 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4415 element22 Wed, 20 May 2009 03:26:18 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4415 Electronic shocks are nothing new...They have been around since the late 80's The technology was introduced in F1 then quickly banned due to the fact that the cars were traveling too quickly. Then in 98 i believe K2 (Porflex) developed a shock for there MTB, and at the time it was kinda cool, when it worked..The whole thing failed mainly because the cost at the time was high and relability was an issue...But now a days they have electronic shocks that use a ferro fluid instead of regular shock oil and the piston is electronically controlled which controls the current (magnetic field) in the damper all that is done instaniously controls by a motion sensor in the damping unit.. Basically the higher the current the slower the fluid moves through the orfice in the shock, the lower the current the faster the fluid flows...Anyhow I think it sounds good, the only draw back i see is how long the battery will last...But then again.. Seeing that there is alot of motion somehow I think someone will come up with some sort of Kinetic energy charger of some sorts. Electronic shocks are nothing new…They have been around since the late 80′s The technology was introduced in F1 then quickly banned due to the fact that the cars were traveling too quickly. Then in 98 i believe K2 (Porflex) developed a shock for there MTB, and at the time it was kinda cool, when it worked..The whole thing failed mainly because the cost at the time was high and relability was an issue…But now a days they have electronic shocks that use a ferro fluid instead of regular shock oil and the piston is electronically controlled which controls the current (magnetic field) in the damper all that is done instaniously controls by a motion sensor in the damping unit.. Basically the higher the current the slower the fluid moves through the orfice in the shock, the lower the current the faster the fluid flows…Anyhow I think it sounds good, the only draw back i see is how long the battery will last…But then again.. Seeing that there is alot of motion somehow I think someone will come up with some sort of Kinetic energy charger of some sorts.

]]> By: Goo http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4414 Goo Wed, 20 May 2009 02:33:44 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4414 i agree with what everyone has said.... thumbs down. plus, i'd have to see it to believe that this would actually be effective, especially in an agressive riding environment such as a nasty drop-littered downhill... and what about the transition from climbing to descending? how long would it take the shock to adjust? there is also a large part of me that would get really pissed because my bike keeps changing how it acts on me... i don't think i could ever get used to it. but maybe that's just me. i agree with what everyone has said…. thumbs down. plus, i’d have to see it to believe that this would actually be effective, especially in an agressive riding environment such as a nasty drop-littered downhill… and what about the transition from climbing to descending? how long would it take the shock to adjust? there is also a large part of me that would get really pissed because my bike keeps changing how it acts on me… i don’t think i could ever get used to it. but maybe that’s just me.

]]> By: flamdrag8 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4412 flamdrag8 Tue, 19 May 2009 23:04:56 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4412 To my knowledge, this is not the first electronic shock that has come out. I believe that Noleen made a "Smart Shock" back in the mid to late 90's. This technology did not catch on then, and I do not believe it will catch on now. I think that it takes some of the adventure out of mountain biking. Mountain biking is DIY in nature, and eletronic assistance will change it into something that we all dred. I know that when I ride my bike, I am traveling under my own power, and that is satisfying. E-shocks and E-drivetrains take the wow factor out of riding. Why don't we all just take E-bikes or dirt bikes? Because, we love the DIY satisfaction of the self propelled joy we create. To my knowledge, this is not the first electronic shock that has come out. I believe that Noleen made a “Smart Shock” back in the mid to late 90′s. This technology did not catch on then, and I do not believe it will catch on now. I think that it takes some of the adventure out of mountain biking. Mountain biking is DIY in nature, and eletronic assistance will change it into something that we all dred. I know that when I ride my bike, I am traveling under my own power, and that is satisfying. E-shocks and E-drivetrains take the wow factor out of riding. Why don’t we all just take E-bikes or dirt bikes? Because, we love the DIY satisfaction of the self propelled joy we create.

]]> By: Jeremy_Green http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4411 Jeremy_Green Tue, 19 May 2009 22:33:15 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4411 Anything that makes riding more enjoyable will have a place in the market. I would personally enjoy a shock that "tunes" itself and think the technology would be pretty cool for those long epic rides over varied terrain. It would rock in a fork as well! That being said, I don't think racing should allow any form of electronic locomotion or assistance. Bike racing is supposed to be more about the rider's ability rather than the bike's ability to make up for his shortfalls. Once you start allowing for motors and electronic shifters the starts turning into a motor cycle. Buy a Honda if you want that. Anything that makes riding more enjoyable will have a place in the market. I would personally enjoy a shock that “tunes” itself and think the technology would be pretty cool for those long epic rides over varied terrain. It would rock in a fork as well! That being said, I don’t think racing should allow any form of electronic locomotion or assistance. Bike racing is supposed to be more about the rider’s ability rather than the bike’s ability to make up for his shortfalls. Once you start allowing for motors and electronic shifters the starts turning into a motor cycle. Buy a Honda if you want that.

]]> By: Asfyxiate http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/british-professor-invents-a-better-mtb-shock/comment-page-1/#comment-4409 Asfyxiate Tue, 19 May 2009 21:00:26 +0000 http://www.singletracks.com/blog/?p=2928#comment-4409 Sounds.... too much. Besides knowing me I'd get freaked out if it got wet, even if they made it water-proof, water + electronics = bad news. Soon enough there will be electronic drivetrains that you can turn on and off, in case you get to tired to pedal. Haha. Sounds…. too much. Besides knowing me I’d get freaked out if it got wet, even if they made it water-proof, water + electronics = bad news. Soon enough there will be electronic drivetrains that you can turn on and off, in case you get to tired to pedal. Haha.

]]>