[Dirt Bringer]

Check it out folks. I dunno if this has been posted before but I decided Id throw it out there just in case. Just saw it. Cannondale has showcased a new ELECTRONIC front suspension system at the consumer electronics show! Now dont tell me you didnt see this one coming along sooner or later? Here is the link, it will explain it way better than me.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/09/cannondales-mind-blowing-simon-electronic-suspension-system-han/

Video included with commentary. Interested to see where this leads.

 

[23mjm]

Didn't ProFlex have "electronic" shocks???

 

[Jayem]

The concept failed the first time around, Cannondale already expirmented with an eletrically-activated lockout. We'll see if it works.

 

[Bikesair]

That was beyond anything I have ever seen. An accelerometer to actually detect what kind of damping you require...thats a first. The only downfall I would imagine is the response time and he did a good job of explaining how all the hardware is built to meet that demand.

Pretty standard technology though, it was just bringing it all together with the right specs and correct programming that hopefully makes it effective. I wish they would have described the "downhill" mode.

 

[Adrien]

i lol'd at the fact he keep changing the subject when the battery dying came up.

 

[Speedub.Nate]

Impressive. And even though Stanley said he works on projects 5 to 10 years out, it appears that this may be close to market given the level of finish on the head unit, LCD display and G sensor.

Some of the reader comments on engadget are funny.

Good to see Cannondale slumming it in the fire exit corridor at CES. At least they got the mind-bending carpet pattern to spice up the background of their display.

 

[crisillo]

They first showed it in the past Interbike (there was some video around)

It is a really nice concept.... the issue it hasis its weight/price performance....too heavy for racers, currently too pricey for recreational users... hopefully they will find a way

 

[Speedub.Nate]

It is a really nice concept.... the issue it hasis its weight/price performance....too heavy for racers, currently too pricey for recreational users... hopefully they will find a way

I can't imagine there's any hardware in there that costs significantly more than the damping technology in existing high-end suspension forks, that it is a matter of recouping development costs and selling the forks in quantities sufficient to make back the money.

Then again, Cannondale has never been a value-oriented brand to begin with.

But excess weight... yeah, that's a serious hurdle to any high-end, pricey cycling product.

 

[crisillo]

I can't imagine there's any hardware in there that costs significantly more than the damping technology in existing high-end suspension forks, that it is a matter of recouping development costs and selling the forks in quantities sufficient to make back the money.

Then again, Cannondale has never been a value-oriented brand to begin with.

Agreed.... the cost hardware of, for example, a smartphone (iPhone, Nexus One, etc) is not all that much, but see how much they go for...both for recovering development costs + a nice chunk of profit. I'd guess that it would be a similar situation here....

Anyhow, interesting to see how it goes from here

 

[Speedub.Nate]

Agreed.... the cost hardware of, for example, a smartphone (iPhone, Nexus One, etc) is not all that much, but see how much they go for...both for recovering development costs + a nice chunk of profit.

Yeah, I was just reading the N1 cost breakdown of $173; all the excess must be going to pay for Google's wonderful end-user support. ;p

 

[jonala]

Here is a link to how it is made.
http://www.designnews.com/article/443620-Future_Shock.php

 

[Intern101]

Here is a link to how it is made.
http://www.designnews.com/article/443620-Future_Shock.php

Thank you for the link jonala!
No word yet on when Cannondale plans on launching its new fully active suspension system, but Design News (a trade pub for designers) just interviewed engineers who developed the servo valve and published more details on how it works and the design tradeoffs. We'd love to hear from the mountain bike community - have engineers made the right performance trade-offs and what would you be willing to pay?