The Fox Float X Live Valve NEO shock uses wireless technology to switch between different damping modes depending on the terrain you’re riding.
Live Valve debuted back in 2018 and, while it showed a lot of promise, the execution didn’t win everyone, including me, over. That was largely down to the number of wires required, along with the overall packaging.
Now, seven years later, the Float X Live Valve NEO shock uses a new, wireless protocol, only two sensors and doesn’t alter the fork damping – something the old system did.
With this and the very impressive Flight Attendant system from RockShox, could bike designers improve suspension designs further if the dampers self-adjusted whenever they needed to? I think so.
Split-second switcheroo
The Fox Live Valve NEO system is comprised of the Float X shock, which carries the control module, plus an external, rechargeable battery. There are then two sensors that affix to the front and rear brake mounts.
These 'talk' to one another wirelessly, enabling the shock to fully open up or ramp up the damping levels for a firmer pedalling platform in a claimed 1/70th of a second.
According to Fox, the system is able to process terrain inputs at a rate of 400 times per second, adapting the damping needs as it sees fit and, ultimately, creating an incredibly efficient bike to ride.
The reaction time is said to be so quick that the sensor at the front brake mount can sense a bump, transmit the data to the shock and open it up so quickly that the rear wheel is free to absorb the impact rather than bump over it.
Doing the heavy lifting inside the shock is a magnetic latching solenoid, which can switch quickly between open and firm damper positions. This is apparently quicker and quieter than a motor.
By default, the Live Valve NEO system remains closed until it encounters a bump. This is in contrast to the RockShox Flight Attendant system, which stays in the open position until it senses pedal inputs or an uphill gradient.
Live Valve will default to the open mode should you kill the battery, though.
Fox has ensured you can easily tweak the open settings of the shock to your heart's content with an external low-speed compression and rebound dial.
There’s also further customisation via the Fox Bike app, where you can access the five pre-set tunes, all of which can be tweaked to your heart's content.
Why electronic suspension matters
At this point, I very much see electronically controlled shocks as a great thing for racers looking to maximise efficiency, and for those who have deep pockets and a love of all things tech.
However, I think there’s scope to improve bike design thanks to this niche and pricey technology.
Full-suspension mountain bikes all pedal so well these days, it’s rare I find myself reaching for the shock’s lever to firm up the back end of the bike when making my way uphill. Maybe on tarmac climbs, but that’s about it.
However, imagine if designers could put less emphasis on how efficiently a bike pedals and more on bump adsorption. This feels as though it would be a possibility if the shock used ensured it was always in the right mode and that the bike was as efficient as possible when it needed to be.
I can’t see it happening any time soon, but if the tech ever becomes a little more affordable, it would be cool to see how this could be explored.
Oh, and on that, it's probably worth mentioning how much the Fox Float X Live Valve NEO Factory shock costs.
Pricing starts at £1,568.99 / $999 / €1,339 / AU$1,799.
