While many of us have a good feel for what suspension settings work well for our riding style and terrain, the vast majority of riders are still learning the intricacies of suspension tuning. All those clickers, pressure settings, and volume spacers can seem overwhelming, even before we dive into how things really work on the inside of a fork or rear shock.
When Nigel Wade, a mechatronics engineer, realized that many people view the inner workings suspension as some sort of magic, he founded Dusty Dynamics and invented the ShockWiz system to help make tunings things just right much easier.
At the basic level, ShockWiz is a pressure sensor that you thread onto your fork or rear shock. It collects pressure data 100 times a second that can be downloaded to a phone application following a ride (application still in development). The application analyzes the data, and using some advanced algorithms can determine if there is any undesirable suspension movement. The app then suggests ways to improve things - three clicks of rebound here, an extra 5psi there, or perhaps an extra Bottomless Token to give the air spring some more ramp. After making the changes, you're encouraged to take another lap to verify the new settings, and we're told that within a handful of short laps you'll land in a very comfortable and more ideal zone.
Nigel has a goal of making it as simple and easy to use as possible, with only very basic suspension knowledge required. Given the high data collection rate, it's able to detect things you typically can't feel as a rider, especially if you don't have a ton of experience tuning. All it requires is an initial input of your starting pressure and the compression ratio of your fork or shock.
The system looks at various metrics including compression performance, rebound performance, air spring ramp, air spring pressure, and more. One side of the device hooks to your fork or shock, while the other nozzle can be used for inflating while testing.
One fun bonus feature within the app is the ability to tell how much hang time you get during the course of a ride, which could lead to some entertaining battles with your buddies.
When Dusty Dynamics first introduced the system, the company went to Kickstarter looking for financial backers and was met with a great response. SRAM was very intrigued, and the company was recently acquired by Quarq - SRAM's data and digital technology brand. RockShox engineers are also aiding the effort. The product will be universal, however, and able to fit many air sprung forks and shocks from other manufacturers.
Right now the goal is to fulfill the 400+ orders from Kickstarter backers, but things sound promising for future development as a retail product further down the road. We're intrigued, and plan to bring you a ride test this fall/winter as rideable samples become available.
