Thursday, March 28, 2024

SR Suntour TACT Auto Digital Suspension from International Cup to You: Prototype Sneak Peek!

-


Racking up wins since the final Olympics as a prototype, SR Suntour’s automatically-controlled TACT digital suspension has confirmed itself on the top-tier of cross-country racing. However now, beginning with a decisive quick observe win by means of Tom Pidcock on the opening spherical of the 2023 International Cup, SR Suntour TACT e-suspension is sort of in a position for an legit unencumber.

Take a better glance with us from the Nové Město na Moravě observe and race pits, as we dive into what makes this upcoming digital suspension regulate so distinctive…

SR Suntour TACT computerized digital XC MTB suspension

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, Pinarello Dogma XC
all pictures by means of Cory Benson, copyright Bikerumor.com

Let’s get started with a disclaimer that what is going on inside of this next-gen SR Suntour TACT e-suspension continues to be formally undefined. Whilst an identical automatically-controlled mountain motorcycle suspension methods from the likes of Fox & RockShox have a variety of visual exterior sensors, batteries, wires, and separate parts that trace at a lot in their capability… SR Suntour TACT is sort of fully self-contained. And TACT isn’t rather in a position for high time but, so SR Suntour is staying tight-lipped about the main points in the meanwhile.

However, this prototype suspension tech is being raced at the XC International Cup by means of multi-discipline INEOS racing powerhouses Tom Pidcock and now Pauline Ferrand-Prévot on their new Pinarellos. Plus, we noticed it at the Scott Spark motorcycle of German racer David Checklist of Lex Ware MTB.

And, we’ve heard attention-grabbing feedback from riders and mechanics about setup, customization & actual serve as at the path. Plus, a patent software I’ve dug up suggests some true innovation each in a brand new sensor and an all-new form of compression valve regulate!

How does it paintings?

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, Scott Spark

Like different electronically-controlled suspension, the idea that is quite easy: Through gathering sensor knowledge on motorcycle & path stipulations, an digital suspension controller can robotically open or shut the compression damping circuit of your fork and/or surprise, so that you’re all the time in top-of-the-line suspension mode for the terrain.

The SR Suntour resolution seems to be other in that a lot in their device is contained simply throughout the physique in their Axon 34 Werx TACT fork and Edge Plus TACT surprise. Certain each fork & surprise are hooked up to a unmarried cord into the body – possibly to a central energy provide and/or CPU – however there don’t seem to be another exterior sensors. And there aren’t any exterior controls.

What’s distinctive from SR Suntour?

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, Tom Pidcock INEOS racing

That loss of exterior controls is no doubt one of the noticeable options, but additionally hints at the actual capability & reliability of the program. Do you actually suppose that Tom Pidcock would race one thing he can’t override if he wasn’t assured in it when an Olympic medal or International Cup win have been at stake? Of notice, sure he received Olympic gold with this again 2021, he received the 2022 Nove Mesto XCO olympic-distance race with it, and on Friday he received the XCC quick observe right here with it, too. The device appears to be controllable and adjustable by way of a spouse app on a cell phone to make a choice a rider’s desired settings.

However then, you simply journey and it guarantees that your suspension will all the time be in the right kind mode.

Speaking to SR Suntour, they discussed that right through the process a International Cup cross-country mountain motorcycle race their TACT device will alternate modes round 1500 instances, or round 200x according to lap over what is largely a 80-90 minute race.

However is it simply open or closed on affect?

A brand new form of valve inside of!

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, angled

Speaking with a mechanic it seems that acquainted with the SR Suntour TACT device (however no longer lately a group checking out it), we have been instructed that what actually set this new device with the exception of different automatic suspension controllers, was once that it wasn’t merely ON-OFF.. Locked or Open. Digging into some patent filings, I discovered an outline of a brand new form of digital compression damping regulate valve that is helping provide an explanation for how & why this is able to paintings.

As an alternative of the usage of the traditional inline needle valve this is both closed or open, SR Suntour could also be the usage of a blind-hole valve with a rotating-body that may be configured to have a couple of ‘open’ positions from a “medium” or “partly open” putting in place to “absolutely open”. Any other good thing about this ‘ingenious’ valve design is that it calls for much less pressure to actuate and no pressure to stay closed, which means much less tension & put on, not like the needle which should face up to motion with each and every affect and will leak beneath cumulative affects.

Sensible sensors for progressed uphill suspension

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, Smart Sensor Technology

Whilst all of that sounds just right, what may actually be the defining characteristic of the brand new SR Suntour TACT suspension is hinted at by means of the Sensible Sensor Generation label at the fork and surprise. Studying into that very same patent, SR Suntour is describing a “ingenious damper regulate association” device that incorporates “upward raise detection”. That implies as a substitute of looking forward to a sensor to stumble on an affect like different automatic electronically-controlled suspension, the TACT device would be capable of robotically release the suspension when a rider pulls up at the handlebar to raise or just lighten the entrance wheel to recover from a drawback.

The theory is smoother suspension actuation whilst mountain climbing tough terrain – just like the Nove Mesto observe’s steep rooted climbs – so as to scale back rider fatigue and make allowance them to stay their weight ahead for extra environment friendly pedaling & motorcycle regulate.

This resolution may also pre-emptively release when the wheel easily drops away to be in a position for a pending affect.

The place are the entire sensors, actuators, controllers & batteries?

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, complete integrated setup

Within the fork, there appears to be a variety of house inside of the appropriate fork leg to position each the actuator and 3-axis accelerometer sensors, sharing house with the damping serve as. All the TACT-equipped Axon 34 Werx forks we’ve observed retain usual rebound damping changes at the backside of the leg (and usual air spring controls at the reverse left leg) suggesting the whole lot is within the peak of that proper leg. The carbon Werx crown isn’t open from the ground, so there may well be one thing hidden within the steerer tube?

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, Edge shock

As for the rear, an exterior field bolts onto the Edge surprise for automatic compression damping controls, whilst a guide rebound knob is angled off to the facet. This Pinarello Dogma XC makes use of a traditional mount surprise, however the Scott Spark that we additionally noticed checking out the brand new suspension makes use of a trunnion mount. Curiously, the Scott will get an air valve in a unique orientation for get right of entry to hidden throughout the body, however that regulate field at the facet of the Edge TACT surprise doesn’t if truth be told are compatible throughout the Spark, so we best noticed it with out the usual protecting duvet.

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, Spark almost-internal trunnion mount

Each fork and rear surprise are plugged right into a unmarried cord that disappears into the body – possibly for energy or centralized regulate. All over common carrier between races, we noticed INEOS mechanics unplug and disconnect the SR Suntour suspension parts, however we couldn’t see how complicated the stressed out connections have been.

OK, so when are you able to get SR Suntour TACT?

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot

Thus far, SR Suntour has been growing and checking out their new digital suspension regulate for racing beneath UCI approval as a prototype. However it sort of feels that standing is quickly to run out, and so they’ll wish to make it to be had to the general public. That implies that already this summer time in June 2023, you should get ahold of your individual SR Suntour TACT suspension setup, in very restricted numbers – suppose perhaps 100 units to be had to shoppers in 2023. However…

This can be a very customized setup that you just can’t simply bolt-on to any motorcycle. SR Suntour’s TACT e-suspension will best paintings with the few motorcycles that experience already served as take a look at beds right through its building. That comes with Pidcock’s unique BMC Fourstroke, his new Pinarello Dogma XC, and the daring Scott Spark that noticed David Checklist of Lex Ware MTB checking out.

Prototype SR Suntour TACT e-suspension, unreleased automatic electronically controlled XC MTB suspension, angled detail

Any mountain motorcycle racer with the most recent variations of those peak XC motorcycles – and a variety of more cash – may just purchase an entire SR Suntour TACT e-suspension improve package this summer time and feature their motorcycle refitted via an legit carrier middle. SR Suntour means that pricing hasn’t actually even been regarded as but, however this ultra-limited summer time unencumber shall be pricey. After they’ve put the device out on the planet to extra customers – and gauged hobby – they’ll have a look at how easiest to optimize the price of the built-in generation for the kind of riders that would get pleasure from such suspension automation.

Certain, that’s a large number of information and tech hypothesis for now. However as for legit main points from SR Suntour, we think to grasp extra following Eurobike in June.

SRSuntour.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related Stories