Fox Racing Shox filed a number of patents for electronic suspension controls in 2010, and by the 2012 racing season, its iCD remote control suspension was secretly competing in World Cup XC competition. With the planned release of iCD this Winter, Fox pits its manual-remote electronic suspension against the equally impressive
Lapierre/RockShox 'e.i' computerized rear-suspension system which was released in June. With two well-engineered electronic suspension designs on the market from such big hitters, it is prudent that we take a long hard look at the concept.
Introducing Fox iCD Electronic Remote-Control SuspensionFox's iCD is a simple system that uses powerful servo-motors to operate
Fox's well-proven manual low-speed compression damping circuits. ICD features a simple ring-shaped slider-switch at the handlebar that simultaneously opens or locks down the fork and shock damping with a flick of a thumb or finger. The entire iCD system only requires three wires to operate both ends of the bike's suspension, so it looks much cleaner than a cable-actuated remote system. ICD isn't cheap - Fox sells the system (fork, shock, electronics, battery, and charger) for around $2000, and offers a fork-only system for $1500 USD. Weight is pegged at 1860-grams (4.10 pounds) total weight for the dual-suspension option, with the fork-only system coming in at 1555 grams (3.43 pounds).
iCD Back-StoryWhile Fox already offers a mechanical system that accomplishes the same function with a
series of levers and cables, the party line is that computer-controlled electronics are a much simpler method to get the job done. Perhaps more importantly, the ring switch takes up less real estate on the handlebar and also requires less attention and effort from the rider than a dual-lever mechanical device that must overcome the friction of two cables and housings. ICD's ease of operation reportedly encourages riders to use the system much more frequently in high-stakes racing situations. The useful life of the lithium-ion battery is stated at over two months and recharges are said to take only 1.5 hours. Should you run the battery to death or cut a wire, the system defaults to the open 'descend' mode. Reliability of iCD is assured by the fact that Fox partnered with Shimano to develop the electronics using the same single-wire PLC computer controls and battery system that the industry leader developed for its
Di2 derailleurs and shifting. Presently, iCD is only available for XC -racing, packaged with Fox's Kashima-coated 'Factory' 100 to 120-millimeter Fox 32 Float forks and Float shocks, but insiders say that Fox is already working on a long-travel ensemble which will be racing the European Enduro circuit next season.
Santa Cruz Tallboy Meets iCD Suspension
With a long-travel system in the works, we decided to build up a test bike with iCD to test its merits on trail, where most PB riders live. Fox agreed to set Pinkbike up with an iCD system that included a 120-millimeter fork. To take maximum advantage of the shorter-travel suspension, we chose a Santa Cruz Tallboy for the test because of its legendary handling, and the fact that larger-diameter wheels augment the suspension, which would help us to better evaluate iCD's benefits for the wilder side of the sport.
Fox iCD InstallationICD kits arrive with a battery charger; a water-bottle-mount battery holder that also integrates the computer functions; the remote ring-switch; an in-line LED indicator; and a number of wires with pre-applied waterproof connectors. Cables are available in a number of lengths to avoid unsightly loops and adhesive conduit tape is included in the kit to help keep the assembly looking professional. Instructions are minimal - route the wires so they don't interfere with moving parts and then snap the connectors firmly in place. The battery box mount has an aluminum extension that fits beneath a water-bottle cage. This requires longer screws to mount the bottle cage, which are the only items not included in the kit. We have no need for a bottle, so we opted to cut and shorten the battery mount to clean up the installation.
Our Factory Float shock already had low-friction bushings and hardware dedicated to the Tall Boy's VPP suspension, so it simply bolted up. The servo motor module is quite large, but not obtrusive. Tucked in the center of the black box is a red rebound dial. Low-speed rebound and air pressure are the only manual adjustments on both the fork and shock. The fork's servo-control is integrated into the right fork crown, where the familiar blue compression and lockout dials usually rest. The plastic cap has two sockets for the wiring and that's it. Fox said that the Factory offers 20 different tunes for iCD forks and shocks that range from full lockout to various levels of pedaling platform. Our suspension setup had an aggressive 'trail' tune, which translates to a healthy amount of pedaling platform in the closed 'Climb' position and smooth, nearly wide open compression damping in the 'Descend' position.
At the handlebar, the remote switch slips over the bar and is fixed in place with an Allen set screw. The switch has an on/off indicator on two sides, so it may be used on either the right or left side of the bar, and it measures barely ten millimeters across, so it takes up very little space. The switch has an anti-friction washer that faces against the rubber grip. The last piece is a small in-line LED indicator that is wired to a short lead that sprouts from the remote switch. The indicator turns green when the servos are in action and then shuts off. As the battery is exhausted, the LED flashes green when the charge is below 50 percent, steady red below 25 percent and then the red LED flashes to signal the battery is completely run out.
Wiring it UpThe LED indicator is zip-tied to a brake hose or gear housing near the handlebar. A short wire runs from the LED box to one of the two sockets in the fork servo. A second wire runs between the fork and the shock servo, and finally, the third section of wire spans between the shock servo and the battery. It's pretty fool proof. The wires that enter and exit the dual sockets at the fork and shock servos can be interchanged, and the the single cable that connects all the elements carries both the battery current as well as the digital signals from the computer controller. The one warning worth noting is that the waterproof connectors fit tightly and take a good deal of force to remove or install. Shimano sells a tool to remove them that was not in the Fox Kit. Be sure
not to pull the connectors out by the wire - do this only by grasping the connector body.
The last bit to do is to secure the wires to the bike. Fox provides grooved adhesive backed plastic tape that can be used to hide the wires along the frame, but that won't survive the repeated pressure washing that most race bikes endure, so we suggest pairing the three runs of wire with a nearby cable housing or brake hose and fixing them with small zip ties. The host hose/housing will help to protect the wires and your bike won't have black band-aids all over it. Because our Tall Boy chassis was bare aluminum, I ditched all the plastic zip ties on the bike and routed the housings, hoses, and iCD wires with stainless steel aircraft safety wire to continue the bare metal look from tire to tire.
Setting Up the SuspensionOnce the wires are snapped in tight and checked, install the battery and he iCD system should jump to life with a click of the remote switch. The servo motors are quite loud indoors, but less noticeable outside on the trail. Dialing in the suspension is straight forward - turn the remote to open (descend) to free up the low-speed compression circuits and add air pressure to establish 25-percent sag with you riding weight aboard (You, your gear and all the water and stuff you plan to carry.), Then take a bit of a ride to establish the proper low-speed rebound damping with the red dials beneath the right fork slider and under the servo box of the shock.
Riding Fox iCD Electronic-remote SuspensionElectronic servo motors powerful enough to reliably operate the Fox low-speed damping controls are not the silent type, so the first thing we noticed was the 'zip-zip' sound of the motors each time we tapped the iCD's remote switch. The iCD processor operates the fork first and then the shock to reduce the draw on the battery. Immediately after each use, the entire system then shuts down, so there is no on/off switch. ICD is always at the ready. Once underway, the zip-zip of the servos faded into the background noise. Functionally, the slim ring switch is spot-on, with a short throw to affect mode changes and a nub that lets the rider operate the switch with the index finger instead of the thumb. The tactile feel of the iCD switch, however is a bit cheap and plastic-like. We would have expected Fox to replicate the feel of its machined aluminum suspension clickers in this new application. Perhaps weight savings was a motivator, as iCD is targeted at the sport's most elite XC racers.
The ease of operation that Fox advertises as iCD's essential benefit is a reality. We reset our initial suspension settings much softer after we realized that we could firm up the suspension instantly, even for two or three meters on a climb if we felt the need. The iCD switch is like the 'push-to-pass button' that modern race cars feature. We could firm up the suspension, take five hard pedals out of the saddle to get by a rider, and then settle back into the saddle and spin the cranks with the suspension comfortably opened up. In fact, most of the time spent in the 'climb' option was for out-of-the-saddle pedaling efforts. Santa Cruz tuned the Tallboy's VPP suspension to pedal efficiently with the shock turned on, so when seated with the suspension locked out, any benefits that a rider may feel are perceived - not real.
Those who have experienced lever-type handlebar-remotes have confused the shift levers with the controls that operate the suspension. Regardless of how much practice, the human brain cannot reliably discriminate which lever is which in an emergency. Fox's ring switch has a completely different feel and function than the shift and brake levers, so the brain has no problem adapting the new technology to rote memory. The ease of which we learned the iCD system, though, was not as much of a surprise as the iCD's ease of operation. Call us lazy, but three minutes of push-button suspension control made us wonder why we ever thought wrestling with cables and hydraulics was a good idea.
With iCD, you only need to
ask the suspension to switch from climb to descend mode, you don't have to
make it happen. There is more to it, because with a mechanical device, after each action you must check to ensure that the levers have moved far enough and that the suspension actually did what you asked of it. With iCD electronics, you hit the button, hear the zip-zip of the servos and that's it - job over. Even in the event that you forgot which way you moved the ring-switch, all you need to do is reverse the switch and give the suspension a check bounce. ICD is about an instant and sure response from your suspension, any moment that you may ask for it.
Is iCD a Useful Tool for Trail and Gravity Riders?After spending time on the Tallboy with and without iCD, we found that the difference it less marked than expected, but that had more to do with the fact that the Tallboy's short-travel suspension pedals quite well wide open. That said, we used the Fox electronic suspension control far more than we did with say, the Scott Genius, which is a long-travel bike that lives or dies by its mechanical-remote suspension controls. The instant and sure response of iCD had us imagining how much more effective the push-button suspension control would be for a mushy-pedaling 160-millimeter-travel AM/trailbike. Arguably, the addition of electronic controls to a traditionally mechanical device like a bicycle is a questionable leap, but in its defense, many of iCD's potential anti-technology detractors have no qualms about packing an i-Phone, recording every ride with a GPS, riding a 1,200 horsepower electric uplift, or shuttling all day in a computerized, fuel-injected truck. After a very positive test with Lapierre's e.i active electronic suspension and now, an equally promising trial of the new Fox iCD manual remote electronics, we expect to see battery-powered controls on long-travel production bikes and perhaps for DH racing in the very near future. And if anyone is listening, we want a push-button electronic remote dropper post that goes up
and down.
-RC
Where's the fun in that?
But regardless, I am all for this sort of development & innovation, it's what makes mountain bike technology interesting & continuing to develop.
Also wheres the comparisons to other products that dont have this technology, trialed on riders with various skill levels...emm..MIA as usual.
Solution: X-fusion!
Also, I love how everyone is bitching about it and says they dont want it for themselves, when the article clearly states "iCD is targeted at the sport's most elite XC racers." Are all you guys the sport's most elite xc racers? No? Quitcher bitchin then!
So a difficult here to considered here, that one has to embrace idea that technology has its limitations, no matter how advanced it is. Human factor is what makes all of this exciting. We might get sub 10kg DH bikes by 2020, and so what? Fabien Barel has drawn thin unfortunate analogy in the Tipping Point movie. "DH racing is the Formula 1" of cycling. Nowhere close, I say. In every single form of cycling human body and brain performance is absolutely THE most decessive factor, any form of doping will outperform any technical solution. In every form of cycling toys give winning edge to those in the first ten. Technology in biking does not make you any more faster and fun having, than confused and willing to spend money...
Lets just ride our bikes for fun, laughs and pushing ourselves to the point of adrenaline overload.....last time I checked I didn't need a computer for that. Can't wait til the day comes when I ask a buddy to ride and he says he can't cause he forgot to plug his bike in.......
The best analogy will be the soldier and the knife and a kid with the knife. Think what each of them can do with it - I think if you are on this site, you are most probably just a kid, soldiers are in the war zones of gyms, trails, meetings, briefings. It's good that industry tries lots of different stuff, some of that will stay, some will die - what is not good if someone puts too much faith into what it can do with his riding. I went through this false logic of looking for "magic bullet", but I was also blessed with next to no money at the beginning of the sport, ridign really shitty bike and slowly progressing through better and better gear. People who jumped straight on a great bike just missed that very important lesson. For instance dropper posts,as great as they are, they rob you of important experiences if you buy them too soon, same with putting on clipless pedals, same with too much suspension, and so on
Make sure you master the knife before you pick up a bazooka. Soldiers won't survive long in the woods without a knife... Knife analogy is also good, because kid can cut himself with it. Take note, that all those super bikes, make it easier for you, with the same bag of skills you can go way faster o super bike than on an average one, but consequences of crashing at high speed are way worse. And hehe, you big boys able to afford those super bikes, you have lots of responsibilites, you can't just work well with broken right hand or collar bone (in the best situation)...
I can see the benefit in XC racing but not much else. I just want to grab my bike and ride, not fuss about with batteries etc.
It seems like such an obvious way to do it you wonder why they didnt do it like that..ahhhh V2.0 more money!
But with the fox post being whipped by the reverb you think fox would look into that. Fox make this happen (pretty please)
As far as suspension, Fox could just improve the feel of their forks (try a MZ 44/55 to see the difference !) instead of wasting our time with useless, cluttering gadgets. Gearboxes I am all for ! Then again they have have now been around for over a decade, but not catching on, probably due to their cost and micro mechanism which renders them fragile perhaps in the long run. Pinion seems on the right track, not. We are not ready to spend $3K on a german XC frame just to have their technology. Lol.
This stuff is nuts. I won't buck progress, just gonna wait and see. I just finally thought I understood my CC DB , and this is a whole new level! Less wire the better in my opinion.
But, please give to Mr.Nino Schuter, let's see how he whip this thing off and slap the other competitor
i personally don't see using this system just to replace the cable system, cost/weight/complexity all increase, but i do see this being the forefront to a fully automated suspension system, just like cadillac and corvette's magnetic ride shocks, which are fully automated because the speed to adapt is far too quick for human control.
this icd system, when fully automated, could have different tailored settings similar to the automotive applications.
lithium batteries last much longer than 2mths. they don't mention how long a charge lasts which is one of the most important aspects of this system.
and i also thought the VPP bikes don't need lockouts on the rear.
It's like getting pumped-up about a car that has heated, 6-axis, voice-activated headrests but wheels that wobble and fall off after every two drives. The very best derailleurs these days perform just *ok* IMO, and only when they're new. Don't say "oh yea well my new Saint clutch system is awesome". Yes, it's better than the old stuff, but how good is it after a season of shredding? A high-end complete drivetrain (derailleurs, chain, rings, cogset) costs $500-700ish. Can't we get something that works well and lasts for that kind of cash? If your transmission fell out of your new car after 3 months, wouldn't you feel gypped?
As I see it, the technological challenge is this: build a drivetrain component system that is retro-fittable to existing frames, at a similar cost and weight to a conventional system. Make it durable, strong and precise. Make it's service intervals fairly minimal. Make it's setup easy.
Who knows...gearbox that fits in a BB.
Or something similar to Nuvinci, but lighter.
Maybe CVT system mounted at the front ring.
I don't have the answer - I'm not the engineer. But that will be the first really worthwhile advance in modern bikes, since the disc brake and suspension fork.
I mean, it's ridiculously expensive, but it will get cheaper, and imagine it on a DH bike? Ultra soft suspension for that dam rock garden, extra stiff for that pedal-as-hell session. Everything we have is now computer aided, why not our bikes?
MTB should remain as mechanical as possible, it is precisely that interaction between the rider, bike and terrain that makes thing interesting and enjoyable, plus it really tests the rider's ability.
Outdoor sports means that you need to adapt to the environment, enjoy it for what it is, be creative when things get tough or simply endure the moment. What's the point in being aided all the time by computer or electronics, that's just another way of ruining something that is already great. (In our case MTB)
As for your "dam rock garden" and "pedal-as-hell session" I recommend setting your bike correctly and try over and over again until you reach that point where those sections are just a piece a of cake. Then look for more difficult tracks.
You say that bikes must be kept as mechanical as possible. Sorry, but many other people said that many times already, about many other subjects. One great example is your car. About 30 years ago it was unthinkable to use a computer on a car, many factories said it would destroy the concept of a car to use any kind of computing on it, for cars were mechanicals. Well, look at cars today... Why in the world would you go against a most logical improvement on bikes, in order to keep it fully mechanical?
I do agree, as a Mechanical Engineer, that fully mechanical machines are pure art, but they are no match for a computer aided system.
With regards to your car analogy, car and mountain bikes have entirely different use and purposes. Agreed, computer aided machines do improve/help people on a day to day basis but is precisely that improvement that when achieved without any sort of electronic help makes things more interesting for example setting-up the bike and making down with what we have, and I don't need to be a "Mechanical Engineer" to say/know this.
The bottom line here is that we have two different views on how to enjoy MTB so have a blast putting that system on your bike ( if you can afford to do so ), I will keep mine as it is.
But there is a line. I mean, it's CYCLING after all. Not a motorcycle, not a car, not a plane, not some high tech vehicle. It's a bicycle, which should have as little interference between rider and riding, as possible.
Whatever, maybe I am old school....
I love the "haters" who denounce technological advancement in bicycles, as if bikes somehow need to remain immune to the progress that propels every other industry forward. These naysayer neophytes are always proclaiming how pure bicycles are, that they should not be violated by the technological currents that permeate every other facet of our lives. These Luddites are always promoting the handbuilt, singlespeed, vegan-made frames that come out of a revered craftsman's garage, yet they require that you ignore the fact that they're rolling up to the trailhead in their 2013 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S's, and not in a horse-drawn carriage. "Awww man, electronics don't belong on a bike, man!" they proclaim, while they rush to the store to get the latest Blu-Ray of "Star Wars."
The second these hypocrites ditch the cell phones for cans and a string, I'll buy their old-world nostalgia. Until then, shut up and ride.
Even the simplest aluminum frames we ride are designed on computers, and hydroformed (or shaped in other ways) by CNC machines run by computers.
Every party of out bikes - with the notable exception of handmades - is designed or crafted with the aid of computers, so we can't deny the involvement of that medium in the arena we all love.
This will take the same type of burning-in that a lot of other technologies have, and we'll see what comes out in the wash.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBXQ-6uI8GY
I really dont undertand this over engineering. I once had a fork with lockout and it was reachable with out and special skills, even took the remote lockout of because it always failed, preferred manually.
Dont get it.... but hi go spend money and think you will ride better....
My comment: "OK, I may be being thick but surely what Fox have invented is:
A electrical system which turns a lever.
As opposed to a cable which turns a lever... (which is cheaper, simpler, lighter and easier to work on).
It doesnt seem like it actually does anything else? Oh well at least it's more useful than "autosag"..."
For those of you who are trying to shit on this concept, I suggest you do a little bit of research into what this system actually does.
Here are some response basics.
Using these fundamentals, dampers can be tuned to create damping curves that are good for most situations.
If this electrical system can constantly change these curves (damping properties) to be optimal for different riding conditions (taking into account things like braking, seating, speed etc.) as the diagram suggests, this is the step towards something called "automated suspension". Google this (maybe in addition with cars/formula 1) and see:
a) how incredibly awesome and amazing this system is if implemented properly.
AND
b) how messed up it turns competition. (based on who can design the best suspension algorithm rather than rider response skill. banned in formula 1)
AND
c) how great it is that the bicycle is not as complicated or as dangerous as a car so this system can be easily implemented and therefore possibly made affordable. and therefore create a new innovation in the industry. Which I think should always be the goal in industries constantly trying to improve their products every YEAR!
Awesome job RoxShox and Fox. This gets my dee hard!
but making these presets would require quite a bit of riding and tinkering, if you really want them to work good, you have to do it yourself.
I don't get why people want bikes to remain immune to progress, while everything else is surrounded by digital. If we revere the "old world" so much, why do we wear wristwatches and not sundials?
In any case if you have a bike that requires a lot of lever flipping to get it to do what you want it to do, this is a great idea. Scott,Cannondale, and other single pivot bikes come to mind. But if you own a bike with a well designed suspension it's not necessary. I look at this the same way I look at CTD. My Ellsworth Does Not Need It! Nor does that Santa Cruz Tallboy, Pivot 5.7, Ibis Mojo ect. So don't shove this shit down my throat, and not give me another option. Forcing me to go to another brand. The competition for high end suspension is starting to even out. I'm currently in the market for a new bike, and because of CTD I've been forced to look into other options.
Is this necessary to go fast. In a word No. My friends and I regularly stomp spandex clad clowns on niner hardtails into the ground on our 27-30 pound, 5"+ travel trailbikes with 2.4 tires and my bike doesn't even have a lockout on the shock.
Can't say that I have ever ridden a hardtail that climbed technical terrain as well as a full suspension bike either. Oh as I recall last week in Crested Butte the only people we saw pushing their bikes up the climbs were guys on 9er hardtails.
I know this is for the Elite racers, but there are how many of them? Not nearly as many as there are of us Trailriders. Need I remind you that we make up Over 80% of your customer base? We Pay The Bills Dammit!!!!!!!
What we really want is the Same adjustments for our Trail Bikes that you give the DH guys.
A electrical system which turns a lever.
As opposed to a cable which turns a lever... (which is cheaper, simpler, lighter and easier to work on).
It doesnt seem like it actually does anything else? Oh well at least it's more useful than "autosag"...
"Fox sells the system (fork, shock, electronics, battery, and charger) for around $2000"
"ICD features a simple ring-shaped slider-switch at the handlebar that simultaneously opens or locks down the fork and shock damping with a flick of a thumb or finger."
"Weight is pegged at 1860-grams (4.10 pounds) total weight for the dual-suspension option"
All it does is change your compression settings between open and closed, albeit on both the shock and fork at once. for $2000, and weighs 4Lb. I stand by my previous comment.
Please show me the enlightening information I apparently missed.
If this was on a motorcycle or ATV I'd be welcoming it with open arms, but we're talking about bicycles here. To me, we don't need anymore "bling" to our bikes. it's just anything to go wrong and cost almost as much it fix it as new. This falls into the same category for me as Shimano's DI2 shifting technology.
www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=140181
And have raced all season using electronic shifting
gp1.pinkbike.org/p4pb7605824/p4pb7605824.jpg
added compnents= more weight
Batteries= Shouldnt be on a bicycle, or then it should no longer be called one,
Other Lockout systems= Work just as well.
I joke I joke!!
I remember those on bikes. I'm too old!
get over yourselfs!!!!
That's what it looks to me
it's coming, man
NOooooooo !!! (They deleted my last comment because I didn't say what they wanted to hear)
just asking!
Two words....No need !
"So this is Fox's reply to the Specialized/Rockshox Brain technology?"
You Smart one!