FOX LIVE VALVE
FOX LIVE VALVE
Fox has been developing an electronically damped air suspension system that can adapt to conditions instantly and automatically since 2015. Already being used in off-road vehicles including the 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor pick-up truck and the Polaris RZR UTV, the trick suspension is now available for mountain bikes and e-MTBs.
Dubbed the Live Valve, it works via various sensors on the bike and in the fork or shock working in unison. According to Fox, “The controller automatically switches the fork and shock independently as the terrain changes. It uses ultra-fast-reacting sensors and the fastest valve ever created by Fox.” It monitors the sensors 1000 times per second and reacts in 3 milliseconds.
One incredible feature are the sensors that detect your pitch so that if you’re climbing or descending, the suspension will automatically factor that into the inputs. There’s also an external controller that allows you to program the bump threshold.
With this new—and expensive—technology, Fox claims that you no longer have to choose between compliance and efficiency, instead getting the best of both without having to worry about what’s on the trail and using lockouts or changing suspension modes.
