Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but paid users have great benefits. Paid member benefits:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2024 SX, MX, and SMX series (regularly $30).
These air shock guys might already be on closer to linear linkages?
The Shop
Stock 2021 Mc 450 = 220lbs
First, nobody outside of WP has real insight as to what is happening inside that shock. Still, we can take some guesses (obviously).
It is very likely the spring system is very (very) similar to what high end mountain bikes use. To those saying 'the load is much higher therefore its nothing like a mtb spring' you are likely wrong. That'd be like saying mountain bike coil springs are different from dirt bike's coilover spring or a trophy truck is heavier than a dirt bike thus it uses way different spring technology than the lighter two wheeled machines (not true). Simply, this is not a good logical conclusion. Proof? The AER line of forks use an air spring that is incredibly similar to a mountain bike spring from a few years back. The big difference is WP hasn't quiet figured out the negative chamber to the extent mountain bike engineers have (its really the secret sauce).
My guess is this spring has a positive chamber and a negative chamber. They self equalize. The tuner has control over the volume of both chambers. This is why its such an advantage. It lets the tuner "tune" the curve of the spring in a way you really can't do with a coil shock. I'd bet the weight loss is about 1 pound (maybe 2) so fairly minimal there.
In theory you could get a shock that has less overall harshness, more open damping on the high speed compression circuit (leading to less fade). You could do this simply because you are relying on the spring's anti-bottom out properties to do some of the work when it comes to bottom out resistance.
I know a lot of coil sprung purists are really struggling accepting this one (that was a joke). For a lot of reasons, this will likely be the future. Biggest reason why - you can change the forces curve on the spring side with a few volume spacers and a shock pump. Not requiring a customer to buy a new spring will yield more people happier with their suspension being a large number never change a damn thing when it comes to setup. (remember, vitalmx users are not the average rider).
My background: 2 decades of mtb racing; product testing for both Fox and RS over a decade; former product tester at vitalmtb.
I'm curious how sag would be adjusted with that shock, though. It looks like the air chamber is that larger tank on the bottom of the shock. Does that whole thing slide up over the top of the shock, where normally the threads for a coil spring preload adjuster would be? Or perhaps sag is set with air pressure.
Pit Row
A spring based shock will be softer (sit lower) and fade, at the same time the fork gets stiffer through air coming in. This means you have a bike that is more difficult to turn with (and/or unbalanced) at the later part of the race. Air shock will most likely be stiffer due to air volume increasing with heat during race which will take out a potential stiffer front end (from air).
My guess it is a pretty big difference all in all.
From the rulebook:
3.17 Minimum Motorcycle Weight
a. 250 Class: 194 pounds 2-stroke / 212 pounds 4-stroke
b. 450 Class: 212 pounds 2-stroke / 220 pounds 4-stroke
Post a reply to: Is Barcia racing on the air shock?