British Professor Invents a "Better" MTB Shock

British Professor Invents a “Better” MTB Shock

By Jeff Barber
May 19, 2009 Last Updated: August 15, 2024

8 comments

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Dr. David Batterbee, a Sheffield University boffin (look it up) will be awarded $62,000 from the Royal Academy of Engineering to develop a prototype for a new mountain bike suspension system he invented. Batterbee basically developed a rear shock that “electronically monitors the severity of the terrain and optimises the bike’s performance automatically.” No more reaching down to lock out your shock on long climbs – this shock has an electronic brain that finds the right compression setting based on real-time trail conditions. Batterbee and his supervisor are serious about bringing the system to market and we’ll be watching to see what they come out with.

This raises a question, though, about just how far power-assisted technology should be allowed to go with mountain bikes. It’s one thing to use an electronic spedometer or an electric light but what about electronic shifters or even small motors to help you get up the hill? At some point a mountain bike becomes an electric bike and I think most of us can agree that ain’t right. So where should we draw the line?

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8 Comments

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trek7k
May 20, 2009

@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 :)

0 reply

GoldenGoose Georgia // 2007
May 19, 2009

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.

Syd Patricio Ontario // 2008
May 20, 2009

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.

seenvic South Carolina // 2007
May 20, 2009

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.

Asfyxiate 2007
May 19, 2009

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.

flamdrag8 2008
May 19, 2009

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.

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Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
May 20, 2009

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.

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