What does the Fox Live Valve system consist of?
There is an acceleration sensor (single-axis) on the fork bridge and one on the chainstay on the disc brake side. Both transmit their information about the surface conditions via cable to a computer unit (controller) located on the main frame. There is an additional 3-axis acceleration sensor in the controller, which registers whether the bike is currently travelling uphill, downhill or on flat terrain. A valve with an electromagnet is located in the damping unit of the fork and in the shock, which is opened or closed by the controller. The entire system is powered by a 72 gram lithium-ion battery, which should provide a riding time of 16 to 20 hours.
What does the system register and what does it do?
The Live Valve System from Fox replaces the principle of a mechanically controlled lockout by automatically opening or closing the platform on the suspension fork and damper pre-selected by the bike manufacturer independently of each other. To do this, the system registers the surface conditions via the acceleration on the front and rear wheels and measures the inclination of the mountain bike. The system also recognises whether the bike is in the air during a jump and can open the damping accordingly. Depending on the level of acceleration, bike inclination and pre-selected intensity level, the damping is opened for different lengths of time.
How fast does the system work?
The two single-axis acceleration sensors work with a sampling rate of 1000 Hertz, i.e. 1000 times per second. The valve in the fork and damper can be opened or closed in just three milliseconds (100 times faster than the blink of an eye). The system therefore opens the platform in the fork and shock faster than the rider can notice a bump or jolt from the ground. In order to guarantee the high speed, a wireless solution, e.g. with Bluetooth or ANT+, is out of the question.
What can you set?
The handling of the Live Valve system has been kept very simple. The control unit with two buttons is located on the battery. There is only an on/off switch and a button for setting the intensity/support levels. Five LEDs provide information about the battery capacity and preselected level. In addition to the electronics, the compression damping on the fork and shock can be adjusted in the classic way, in 18 clicks with a 3-millimetre Allen key for open mode.
How heavy is the system?
Compared to a mechanically actuated lockout for the fork and shock, the Fox Live Valve system is said to weigh around 144 grams more.
How does it ride on the trail and do you really need it?
The system worked absolutely convincingly during our test rides. The speed at which the fork and shock open is impressive. Compared to mechanical systems such as Terralogic or the similarly functioning Brain system from Specialized, there is no annoying jerking or hooking. But do you really need the system? This question is not easy to answer and depends very much on your own needs. Personally, I've never missed an automatic lockout. After a few rides, however, I have to admit that the system works so well that you quickly get used to the convenient function. Extensive tests with EWS pro Greg Callaghan are also said to have confirmed that you are faster with Fox Live Valve in enduro use. On a four-minute stage, there was talk of a two-second time saving. However, whether this justifies the €2,000 added value is up to each rider to decide.
How reliable is the system?
With every additional electronic component on the bike, the risk of potential failure naturally increases. It is also necessary to charge the battery regularly. An empty battery can be fully charged in 1.5-2 hours. If the battery runs out during a ride, the system automatically switches to open mode. A 15-minute charge is enough for a two-hour ride. If you break a cable on the fork or rear suspension sensor, the system remains in the current mode. On our test bike, however, the battery capacity caused problems. The full battery discharged itself within less than a week when the system was switched off. The specified riding time of around 16 hours could not be achieved either. The reason was a kinked cable. After replacement, it worked perfectly.
How much will it cost?
Scott, Pivot and Giant will be the first bike companies to offer a complete bike with Fox Live Valve. According to Scott, the system will cost around 2000 euros extra. The frame must already be prepared for the system and the cabling. It can therefore not be retrofitted.
Interview with Everet Ericksen (Fox Engineering Manager)
BIKE: What was the biggest challenge in developing Live Valve?
Everet Ericksen: There were various challenges. One of the biggest was probably to develop a system that independently controls the damping in such a way that it feels as natural as possible for the rider. Apart from that, it was not so easy to realise a very efficient and also very fast system that manages with a small battery.
For which bike category does Live-Valve make the most sense?
We are very neutral on this point and let the product managers of the bike companies decide. We believe that the system can bring benefits for most bikes and riders. Of course, we have a focus on professional sports (cross country and enduro) and we will offer the system to OEMs, but also to the aftermarket. I personally see the biggest benefit on bikes between 130 and 160 millimetres of travel and for average riders who don't always have the time to work on their fitness. These riders will clearly feel that they are travelling more efficiently with Live-Valve.
Why are mechanically controlled systems suddenly no longer good enough?
I wouldn't say that they are no longer good enough. For those riders who hate electronics or batteries on the bike, a mechanical system is certainly a great solution. However, Live-Valve far surpasses the function of a manual lockout, especially when the rider is tired or sitting on the bike at maximum load. Not having to think about your suspension setting is a huge advantage. You just have to ride your bike and not worry about anything else. How often do you ride down a descent with a closed fork or shock? That no longer happens with Live Valve.
A bike with Live-Valve feels faster, but is it really?
We carried out various measurements. Including with enduro pro Greg Callaghan. On the usual enduro stages in Finale Ligure, he was able to improve his times by two seconds with Live-Valve. In addition, his feedback was that he now had too much speed for some corners and had to re-select his braking points.
Electronics on the bike always increase the risk of failure. How robust is the system?
There are indeed such risks. We have tested our system according to the IPX7 standard. This means it is waterproof for 30 minutes in one metre of water. We have also passed the IPX6 standard for high-pressure cleaners and for dirt and dust, even though washing with a high-pressure cleaner should be avoided.
In principle, you could also say that the Fox Live Valve makes bikes with miserable kinematics rideable in the first place. Is it more of an instrument to eliminate weak points or to make the bike even better?
I think that Live Valve significantly improves the compromise between drivetrain efficiency and absorption capacity. In the future, bikes with Live Valve could be designed much more for downhill performance without having to accept disadvantages on the climbs.
At the moment, the components of the Live Valve system and the cabling are still very visible. What will the integration look like in a few years' time?
Of course, that depends on how the system is received on the market and how bike companies think about Live Valve-specific frame designs for mountain bikes. Until wireless technology develops further, we will definitely have to rely on cables.
2000 euros extra for a bike with Live Valve is a lot of money. Can the system become significantly cheaper in the future?
As with all electrical products, the price depends heavily on the number of units sold. If the system is well received, the price may also fall in the future. Initially, of course, we are only talking about high-end bikes at Shimano XTR level. However, our three- to five-year plan also envisages a price point for XT-level bikes.
