MTB Tech Rumors and Innovation

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jonkranked
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10/23/2025 1:31pm

pick a number of bikes to own, be a dick about it

11
ioni
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Villa De Alvarez, Col. MX
10/23/2025 1:39pm Edited Date/Time 10/23/2025 1:39pm

Well there you have it. New business idea: superboost wheel rental. No competition. Charge the full price of the wheel as rental price fee. Rent it out twice you made money lol…

11
ozzer
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Location
Temecula, CA US
10/23/2025 1:40pm
Fingers crossed they go back to 148.  Some of my favorite bikes were Evil, but I switched to other brands when they went to Superboost.  As...

Fingers crossed they go back to 148.  Some of my favorite bikes were Evil, but I switched to other brands when they went to Superboost.  As someone with multiple bikes, and having been on riding trips where people had to borrow rear wheels, Superboost is a dealbreaker for me.  My current trail bike is a 2022 model, and I haven't been interested in any new bikes.  If Evil goes back to 148, I would probably order one at release.  

Evil96 wrote:
On trips you can borrow dh wheels from someone or rent a dh wheel from a shop, not the end of the world, although back to...

On trips you can borrow dh wheels from someone or rent a dh wheel from a shop, not the end of the world, although back to 148 would be nice given that transmission offers a similar chain line they wanted to achieve tanks to superboost ( as per one of the last q&a s on instagram )

This is crazy. Who do you know that has spare 157 wheels laying around?  Shops don’t rent wheels. They barely rent bikes anymore.

If y'all have to settle keeping bikes with 157 rear hub, E13 is and has blowing out rear wheels with 157 spacing. I almost want to buy the wheel just for the carbon rim. 

https://www.ethirteen.com/products/sylvan-race-carbon-e-spec-all-mountain-wheels (in 29 and 27.5)

 

2
sweaman22
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Calgary , AB CA
10/23/2025 1:59pm

I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due to how much air A) compresses and b) heats up but interested to hear more informed opinions...

1
10/23/2025 2:16pm
sweaman22 wrote:
I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due...

I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due to how much air A) compresses and b) heats up but interested to hear more informed opinions...

The patent description is quite interesting. Seems more like a way to modify spring rate in one direction only than what we would typically call "damping," if that distinction makes sense. (Cue the semantic arguments!) Vocabulary aside I'd be interested to know what it feels like.

2
metadave
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10/23/2025 2:34pm
owl-x wrote:

six mountain bikes is too many mountain bikes dude!

ME BIKES 1

This is the best meme I have seen on this site since I joined.
 

Currently have 10 bikes and 3 project frames in the house that I'll get to at some point in the next 15 years of which 9 are mountain bikes, and two of the ones that aren't are technically mountain bikes. 

6
metadave
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10/23/2025 3:07pm
sweaman22 wrote:
I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due...

I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due to how much air A) compresses and b) heats up but interested to hear more informed opinions...

Didn't Noleen have some sort of air damper back in the K2 days? About the amount of time ago a patent might expire? I may be completely wrong on that as my understanding of suspension at that time was pretty limited. 

1
10/23/2025 5:05pm
owl-x wrote:

six mountain bikes is too many mountain bikes dude!

TEAMROBOT wrote:
I thought it was very brave of Ebruner to be vulnerable and share how many bikes he and his wife have. It can be tough to...

I thought it was very brave of Ebruner to be vulnerable and share how many bikes he and his wife have. It can be tough to come clean.  

We’re all active or recovering bikes addicts here, and this is supposed to be a supportive community for recovery. Or enabling rationalizations and fostering codependency, if that’s what you’re looking for. Both, really.

JUDGEMENT FREE SPACE

I can't be the only one thinking 6 bikes between 2 people isn't that many bikes?

1XC, 1 Enduro, 1DH, X2 people seems pretty well rounded. Maybe swap a longer travel trail bike for the Enduro. 

21
Dave_Camp
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CO US
10/23/2025 5:10pm Edited Date/Time 10/23/2025 5:25pm

Hey look what I found in the parts bin:

IMG 1027.jpg?VersionId=ZQtV4MfP

 

IMG 1028

 

This was one of the last things I worked on at RS before I left...  goal was to control big hits by weakening or slowing down the return of the air spring.  I run my setup with a lot of spring and no damping, so getting bucked on big hits is part of the deal.  

This thing 'gulps' all the air in the positive chamber on compression and lets it out with a tiny delay (since it all has to go through the tiny hole to get out).  No delay on compression- there is a shim check valve that lets air pass in those 4 big holes on the bottom.  Also nice is that it only really affects large hits- when you'd want a bit of help controlling the fork return...  Smaller hits don't fill the chamber with enough air to make a noticeable difference.  So full speed return of the fork on chop and braking bumps, but a bit softer return on g-outs and max travel events.  It rode well.  

Only bad thing is it takes up a token and a half of volume to a Zeb which already needs 0 or a "noken" extra volume thing.  

 

No clue if it's going to production or not.

 

Edit:  Official name is 'the wiffer'

 

48
slimshady
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AR
10/23/2025 5:13pm Edited Date/Time 10/23/2025 6:47pm
sweaman22 wrote:
I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due...

I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due to how much air A) compresses and b) heats up but interested to hear more informed opinions...

metadave wrote:
Didn't Noleen have some sort of air damper back in the K2 days? About the amount of time ago a patent might expire? I may be...

Didn't Noleen have some sort of air damper back in the K2 days? About the amount of time ago a patent might expire? I may be completely wrong on that as my understanding of suspension at that time was pretty limited. 

Cane Creek had the Cloud 9 shocks, no oil at all. RST had the Aerosa forks also, an all-air cartridge with adjustable rebound control. 

Spoiler alert: air heats up with successive compressions, so your damping gets temperature dependant.

We're back to the nineties baby!

6
1
sweaman22
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Calgary , AB CA
10/23/2025 5:22pm
Dave_Camp wrote:
Hey look what I found in the parts bin:   This was one of the last things I worked on at RS before I left...  goal was to...

Hey look what I found in the parts bin:

IMG 1027.jpg?VersionId=ZQtV4MfP

 

IMG 1028

 

This was one of the last things I worked on at RS before I left...  goal was to control big hits by weakening or slowing down the return of the air spring.  I run my setup with a lot of spring and no damping, so getting bucked on big hits is part of the deal.  

This thing 'gulps' all the air in the positive chamber on compression and lets it out with a tiny delay (since it all has to go through the tiny hole to get out).  No delay on compression- there is a shim check valve that lets air pass in those 4 big holes on the bottom.  Also nice is that it only really affects large hits- when you'd want a bit of help controlling the fork return...  Smaller hits don't fill the chamber with enough air to make a noticeable difference.  So full speed return of the fork on chop and braking bumps, but a bit softer return on g-outs and max travel events.  It rode well.  

Only bad thing is it takes up a token and a half of volume to a Zeb which already needs 0 or a "noken" extra volume thing.  

 

No clue if it's going to production or not.

 

Edit:  Official name is 'the wiffer'

 

And there's the informed opinion. Did it work? Beyond the volume issue?

3
Dave_Camp
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CO US
10/23/2025 5:27pm
sweaman22 wrote:

And there's the informed opinion. Did it work? Beyond the volume issue?

It works on a dyno and I thought it added a benefit to riding.  Obviously I'm super biased though.

I will say- it was a fairly large pain in the ass to get a patent pushed through the right channels at SRAM, so that effort should show we thought it was a good idea.  

13
slimshady
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AR
10/23/2025 6:16pm
sweaman22 wrote:

And there's the informed opinion. Did it work? Beyond the volume issue?

Dave_Camp wrote:
It works on a dyno and I thought it added a benefit to riding.  Obviously I'm super biased though.I will say- it was a fairly large...

It works on a dyno and I thought it added a benefit to riding.  Obviously I'm super biased though.

I will say- it was a fairly large pain in the ass to get a patent pushed through the right channels at SRAM, so that effort should show we thought it was a good idea.  

Isn't this something similar to MRP's Ramp Control? An adjustable bleeder into a secondary chamber, but more restrictive in one way than the other.

1
Glory831Guy
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Santa Cruz, CA US
10/23/2025 6:25pm

Sounds similar to the Cone Valve dampers that WP and DVO use.

"The main feature here is a cone valve that acts as a blow-off on hard impacts, without affecting the regular damping circuits. That valve can be adjusted externally via the HSC damping, with independent LSC and rebound accessible externally. This isn't necessarily a radical departure from typical fork/shock technologies, but could help keep the ride height high in the travel without sacrificing small bump and large compression performance."

Pappas717
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Port Washington, NY US
Fantasy
10/23/2025 6:57pm

I believe the Wp cone valve is for impacts/compression blow off. Not rebound changes. but either way I think almost all the moto guys (KTM) were like ahh, NO. Unsure what it's gonna do on large impacts.

3
Glory831Guy
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Santa Cruz, CA US
10/23/2025 7:42pm
Pappas717 wrote:
I believe the Wp cone valve is for impacts/compression blow off. Not rebound changes. but either way I think almost all the moto guys (KTM) were...

I believe the Wp cone valve is for impacts/compression blow off. Not rebound changes. but either way I think almost all the moto guys (KTM) were like ahh, NO. Unsure what it's gonna do on large impacts.

I think the Cone Valve forks are pretty ubiquitous and popular in the moto scene. The one that they're iffy about is the TRAX rear shock, if I'm not mistaken.

Dave_Camp
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CO US
10/23/2025 7:52pm

The wiffer is only in the air spring.  Cone valves are in the damper.  Maybe chasing the same performance or ride feel.


Yes very similar to ramp control, but used for fairly different reasons 

9
Amart1500
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Location
Halifax CA
10/24/2025 4:28am
Dave_Camp wrote:
The wiffer is only in the air spring.  Cone valves are in the damper.  Maybe chasing the same performance or ride feel.Yes very similar to ramp...

The wiffer is only in the air spring.  Cone valves are in the damper.  Maybe chasing the same performance or ride feel.


Yes very similar to ramp control, but used for fairly different reasons 

As a heavier rider who also runs high air pressure and low damping I certainly hope to see the wiffer make it into production!

2
jonkranked
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Norristown, PA US
10/24/2025 6:17am
sweaman22 wrote:
I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due...

I feel obliged to point out that pinkbike has an article about SRAM patenting an air based high speed rebound damper.... I've always been skeptical due to how much air A) compresses and b) heats up but interested to hear more informed opinions...

metadave wrote:
Didn't Noleen have some sort of air damper back in the K2 days? About the amount of time ago a patent might expire? I may be...

Didn't Noleen have some sort of air damper back in the K2 days? About the amount of time ago a patent might expire? I may be completely wrong on that as my understanding of suspension at that time was pretty limited. 

i don't recall an air damper, but that was around the time i just started getting into mtb.  i do remember reading about their smart shock, which IIRC was some kind of electronic controlled damping.  

1
bicycle019
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Denver, CO US
10/24/2025 7:47am

RE: air only - Total Air Cartridges were a thing for Judy's and the like BITD.  Air spring/damper combo to replace the elastomers and failure prone oil cartridge with a failure prone all air setup.  MRP owns the IP now I believe.  

Cart

 

6
metadave
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10/24/2025 7:58am
bicycle019 wrote:
RE: air only - Total Air Cartridges were a thing for Judy's and the like BITD.  Air spring/damper combo to replace the elastomers and failure prone...

RE: air only - Total Air Cartridges were a thing for Judy's and the like BITD.  Air spring/damper combo to replace the elastomers and failure prone oil cartridge with a failure prone all air setup.  MRP owns the IP now I believe.  

Cart

 

Yes, this reminds me of looking at adds in the back of mountain bike action in 1999 beside a picture of a discount GT lobo.

*takes back pills

10
Whattheheel
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Spearfish, SD US
10/24/2025 8:04am

Oh, how I miss the ole MBA days!  Nothing was better than nudie magazine day!  I mean new magazine day…

6
10/24/2025 8:21am Edited Date/Time 10/24/2025 8:21am

Since we are all on the suspension side, Diaz just released a "lower runt"

https://diazsuspensiondesign.com/the-lower-runt

I don't how it works, if its similar to what others said above or what, but I'd assume it works good since every Runt upper I've added has been a nice addition to the forks I've had in past (36, Pike).

 

6
HexonJuan
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Location
WI US
10/24/2025 9:26am
jasbushey wrote:
Since we are all on the suspension side, Diaz just released a "lower runt"https://diazsuspensiondesign.com/the-lower-runtI don't how it works, if its similar to what others...

Since we are all on the suspension side, Diaz just released a "lower runt"

https://diazsuspensiondesign.com/the-lower-runt

I don't how it works, if its similar to what others said above or what, but I'd assume it works good since every Runt upper I've added has been a nice addition to the forks I've had in past (36, Pike).

 

Dammit! I have a model of a similar get up ready to go once our lathe is rebuilt! Glad to see another idea I had a year plus ago makes it to market!

3
1
HexonJuan
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WI US
10/24/2025 9:29am

2nd gen Halson Inversion had pneumatic damping as well 

image 487

3
10/24/2025 11:41am
bicycle019 wrote:
RE: air only - Total Air Cartridges were a thing for Judy's and the like BITD.  Air spring/damper combo to replace the elastomers and failure prone...

RE: air only - Total Air Cartridges were a thing for Judy's and the like BITD.  Air spring/damper combo to replace the elastomers and failure prone oil cartridge with a failure prone all air setup.  MRP owns the IP now I believe.  

Cart

 

Total Air was a brand in our portfolio – those were made here in our facility. Eko Sport / Mountain Racing Products is our legal name, and we own and produce MRP, Kreitler Rollers, and Power Grips pedals. We also had/used the White Brothers, Tamer (seatposts) and Total Air brands previously, but no longer produce products with those names. We brought all of our suspension line under the MRP brand name in 2013 (discontinued White Brothers). I'm not sure when Total Air ended, but it was before I came on board (2010). 👍

22
Losifer
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Sandia Park, NM US
Fantasy
10/24/2025 12:43pm
bicycle019 wrote:
RE: air only - Total Air Cartridges were a thing for Judy's and the like BITD.  Air spring/damper combo to replace the elastomers and failure prone...

RE: air only - Total Air Cartridges were a thing for Judy's and the like BITD.  Air spring/damper combo to replace the elastomers and failure prone oil cartridge with a failure prone all air setup.  MRP owns the IP now I believe.  

Cart

 

Woof.

I put a set of those in my Manitou 2 in, '95 maybe? While better than the elastomers that came stock I realized how bad they were when I put a Marzocchi Bomber Z2 on my bike!

 

3
Whattheheel
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Location
Spearfish, SD US
10/24/2025 6:09pm

You old…




Oh wait.  So am I!!😂😜

4
10/24/2025 8:46pm

You old…




Oh wait.  So am I!!😂😜

Also in the old club...

3
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