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Fox iRD Smartphone App Sets Ups Shocks, Forks For You

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Fox iRD smartphone app for suspension fork and shock set up on your mountain bike

Well, you still have to do a bit of work, like downloading the app when it finally gets approved in iTunes’ app store or the Android Marketplace, which should be within two to four weeks. Then you need to input the ID code on your model year 2013 or newer fork or shock and follow some pretty simple onscreen instructions.

The app will use the ID code to determine what fork and/or shock you have and its compression and rebound settings and help you set it up with the proper sag.

To start, open the compression and rebound all the way, enter your body weight and it’ll tell you the recommended baseline psi setting. From there, you sit on the bike and move the sag sliders down, hop off and scan the stanchion or shock canister using your smartphone’s camera. Put the camera alongside the slider as shown above and it’ll scan the image while a cool red line Knight Riders up and down the stanchion. Once it spots the o-ring and compares it with the recommended position, it’ll adjust the recommended psi.

Fox iRD smartphone app for suspension fork and shock set up on your mountain bike

The ID code tells the app the model and what the compression and rebound tune is for that unit.

Fox iRD smartphone app for suspension fork and shock set up on your mountain bike

Instruction screens guide you through the process and you can save settings for your bikes and recheck it as often as you like.

Fox iRD smartphone app for suspension fork and shock set up on your mountain bike

Using just the video bit, there’s really no reason (that we can see) why the app can’t be expanded to simply let you input the model and/or serial number and simply use the visual gauge to determine sag. Fox’s rep kinda sort emphasized the “for now” part about it only working with 2013 and newer bits, so we’ll see.

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Yetiman
Yetiman
11 years ago

Don’t bother, get your LBS to set up your suspensions.

adam
adam
11 years ago

Yetiman – 08/29/12 – 8:04pm

Don’t bother, get your LBS to set up your suspensions.

How bout you buy a shock pump and do it yourself. How pathetic to have to rely on the lbs for something this petty.

Cjose
Cjose
11 years ago

Why not just get a metal shop and make the suspension yourself, How pathetic to rely on the manufacturer for something a real man could do

WannaBeSTi
WannaBeSTi
11 years ago

I encourage my customers to learn their suspension systems. What is “pathetic” to me is being asked “What does the red/blue knob do?”

However, I feel most riders have no idea what their suspension does. Outside of squishing up and down.

Hami
Hami
11 years ago

This app is a great idea. There are plenty of ways to purchase suspension outside of your local bike shop. Even Ebayers need correctly adjusted squishers!

plum
11 years ago

MEOW MEOW MEOW RETROGROUCH I HATE EVERYTHING I WISH MY BIKE HAD SQUARE WHEELS AND A BARBED WIRE SADDLE AND GRIPS MADE OF COBRA TEETH

Ralph
Ralph
11 years ago

“WannaBeSTi – 08/30/12 – 7:32am
However, I feel most riders have no idea what their suspension does. Outside of squishing up and down.”

100% correct. 9.5 out of 10 customers do not know nor do they care how to set up their suspension properly.

Morpheous
Morpheous
11 years ago

Ralph..your stats kind of supports Fox’s direction with simplified settings.(C-T-D) Even though those that understand suspension setup want the granularity. Guess they will be buying Ohlins/Cane creek DB. 😉

Jake
Jake
11 years ago

Just playing the advocate here…Why should I know how to set up or know the inner workings of my squishy thingy? I pay that kind of money for it , I just want to ride it and know that it is set up right and it works. Period.

As far as the ‘pathetic’, “What does the red/blue knob do?”….depends on whether or not the salesman told them what it does when they bought it. Not everyone has your knowledge of bikes. Like a few posts have said, most people just know that the squishy thing goes up and down over rough stuff and helps make it a SMOOTHER ride and know and care nothing about how it also helps with traction and control. All they care about is the smooth ride.

Not everyone wants to do this (adjust) or even wants to know how. Not everyone rides like you or me. For the guys and gals who go bombing down the mountain, yea, this stuff is important to know but for those who ride semi rough gravel or light paths, who the hell cares how it works? Doesn’t make them less of a person or rider for not wanting to or knowing how to adjust their forks just like it doesn’t make those who do know how a better biker.

YoNotSoEddy
YoNotSoEddy
11 years ago

Aside from the issue of home vs. bike shop setup, what of the line,

“Then you need to input the ID code on your model year 2013 or newer fork or shock…”

I suppose that means its of limited use to most people even after its release?

YoNotSoEddy
YoNotSoEddy
11 years ago

nevermind, I read the last paragraph. “For now…” Once they expand the app hopefully it will be faster than searching for the setup guide for a shock/fork of a specific year. I see the benefit for a situation like a bike shop where we are setting up several shocks and forks for riders of varying sizes and equipment on a fairly regular basis.

SC Man
SC Man
11 years ago

I would think it’s pretty obvious why the LBS shouldn’t set up the bike for you (and then you forget about it forever), or similarly, why the bike rider should know/understand how the suspension should be set up. Why? Because the shock/fork doesn’t just stay the way you first set it up!! Any air shock/fork is going to lose air over time, just like tires. Sure, the air seals are getting better all the time, and adjusting shocks is needed less often than in the ’90’s, but the fact remains that air will leak, and will need to be added to get the proper sag/ride quality. If you don’t pay attention, and don’t have your own pump, it’s just like not having a tire pump and just riding your bike time after time while your tires slowly deflate and you do nothing about it. Not a good plan.
Also, even if air doesn’t actually leak out, different outside temperatures make the shock/fork sag differently. So when it drops 30 degrees outside, suddenly your shock/fork sag is way off and you’ll be bottoming out your suspension on medium bumps. Not good. You need to add/remove air as the temperature changes. “I paid a lot of money for this bike, so it should just ride right, and I shouldn’t have to know anything about how it works”….yeah, that’s American attitude for you.

Jason Clifford
Jason Clifford
9 years ago

Why do my fox Id comes up unknown!!!! If anyone could help really appreciate it thanks jay!!!!

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