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Magura Shocks the World with eLECT Automatic Electronic Lock Out

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In addition to the long travel TS8 suspension fork, Magura had something else up their sleeve. Something no one was expecting. The biggest news out of the Magura press camp was that Fox and Rock Shox aren’t the only ones that have been working on recent electronic suspension bits. Joining in on the e-suspension movement, Magura is bringing 3D accelerometers into the mix to offer a system that automatically locks out when your bike is pointed uphill.

We got the details and first rides on some prototype eLECT parts direct from the source. Lock it out, next.

eLECT weight

By adding the eLECT to the line up, Magura now has 4 different compression dampers available – DLO 2 (Dynamic Lock Out 2 position), DLO3, the SL cartridge with no external compression adjustment, and the eLECT. Essentially an evolution of the Albert Select damper, the eLECT is an automatic lock out cartridge that is either on or off, with a non adjustable blow off built in for big hits. The damper itself is a fairly standard shim stack affair that uses rotating ports to cut off oil flow and lock out the fork. By using 3D accelerometers similar to what’s in a smartphone, the eLECT is able to detect tilt, and locks out the fork once a certain angle is reached. The angle of activation is able to be programmed by setting the bike on level ground, and holding the reset button to calibrate the sensors. If you want it to lock out sooner, with less of an incline you can calibrate the bike pointing down, or conversely make it lock out at a steeper angle by calibrating it with the bike pointing up. The angle at which the lock out functions is all a product of what angle the fork is calibrated at.

In order to help maintain control, and prevent damage the eLECT is equipped with a blow off, and a free fall detection mode that will detect a sizeable drop and unlock before impact. Ultimately though, the eLECT is primarily designed for XC and XC race where efficiency is the ultimate goal. During testing of the eLECT, Magura’s test rider went out on an hour loop with a manual lockout and used it 25 times. Then they went out on the same loop with the eLECT, which locked out 200 times highlighting the fact that a manual lockout just won’t be utilized as much as an auto lockout since you don’t have to take your hands from the bar.

The eLECT also detects when it is not moving, and goes to sleep with 5 minutes of inactivity to save battery life. After it detects the first impact after sleep mode, it will awake in 5 seconds. That’s not to be confused with how quickly the lockout works, which is a relatively quick 0.2 seconds.

Weight

Not only is the eLECT more advanced than their previous dampers, it’s also lighter. On our scale, the eLECT cartridge came in at 80g which is 13g lighter than claimed meaning it is up to 28g lighter than the comparable DLO2 cartridge not including the remote.

eLECT details

Battery

Power is provided to the fork unit through an internal li-ion battery that is rechargeable through a micro USB port located under the waterproof cap. There is a master on/off switch with an LED under the cap as well which is useful if you aren’t planning on riding for awhile, or if your bike will get bounced around while in storage. Run time is said to be 40 hours in automatic mode, and 60 hours in manual mode, and recharges in a few hours. If the battery dies while you are riding, the default setting for the damper is fully open so you can ride home to recharge. In order to calibrate the unit properly, it must be installed in the fork with the arrow pointing to the front of the bike, which signifies the front of the cartridge along with the small pin at the bottom. eLECT is a plug and play unit allowing for easy installation in any TS6 or TS8 fork.

While nothing is planned currently, the micro USB port provides an interesting possibility for the data hungry in the future. It may be possible to plug your fork into your laptop in the future and download metrics like the amount of travel used, number of lockouts, etc., though for now it’s simply for recharging.

The video above shows how the lockout mechanism engages, once the cartridge is tilted to a certain angle. Once the degree is reached, the cartridge is locked out in 0.2 seconds.

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Remote

Functionally, there are two methods of use for the eLECT – full auto, or manual via the optional ANT+ remote mounted to the bar or directly mounted to any Magura brake clamp. The remote pictured above is a 3D printed prototype so it will look much more finished for production, but it illustrates the potential of rapid prototyping. After all, it allowed Magura to bring functional prototypes to camp to install them on our bikes to test, even if the first run of units hasn’t been completed. Pressing the button on the top of the fork activates the automatic mode, and pressing once on the remote activates manual mode. Pressing the remote again locks out the fork, with another press unlocking it. Pressing the fork button again at any time will reengage auto mode.

Unlike the cartridge, the remote is powered through a standard watch battery, and is paired to the cartridge like other ANT+ devices so you aren’t locking out your friend’s forks.

Riding the eLECT Riding the eLECT 2

First Impressions:

After riding the past few rides on a Specialized FSR Evo 29 equipped with a standard TS8 140mm DLO3, the damper cartridge was removed and the eLECT was installed in no time. We took off to ride Slim Shady, a trail with a bit of everything that I had already ridden a few times prior. At first, the cartridge took a bit of getting used to since it was just different for it to be locking out on its own – but it worked. Start to climb, and it would lock out. Free fall mode actually seemed to work, and the blow off valve seemed to work on the really big hits while climbing. Eventually, it faded away in my head and I was able to just focus on enjoying the trail.

There were a few sections of chunky climbs that locking out the fork probably wouldn’t help, so before those sections I switched to manual mode and kept the fork open. Switching back to auto mode was easy as a simple push of the fork button and it was back to normal. Reaction time of the lock out seems like it could be a bit faster, but that is being critical. While Strava probably isn’t the best performance indicator, I was surprised to see that I set PRs for the climbs on the eLECT, especially since this was my last ride of the camp, and frankly I was pretty tired. And it was hot.

Overall, I was impressed with how functional, simple, and effective the system proved to be. As long as the cost isn’t outrageous, I can see quite a few eLECTs in XC racing’s future.

 

 

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24 Comments
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Cymacyma
10 years ago

Incredible! Looks cute and nice xD

aaron
aaron
10 years ago

I think that instead of a manual mode, it should just have an override button, the fork remains in automatic but will open on climbs where it would be locked when you push the button, and switch back to automatic once its off, makes it simpler than having to remember to between manual and automatic and locking out

dan
dan
10 years ago

looks like a very clear well thoughtout design. it reminds me of the K2 stuff from the past. its see how well it works in the long run.

dave
dave
10 years ago

So its activated by tilt angle, locking out when the trail turns upward….that seems problematic. what determines whether you want lockout on or off is whether the trail is rocky or smooth, NOT whether its going up or down.

so if you are on a smooth flat section and get out of the saddle (which is where you REALLY need the lockout), the auto lockout won’t engage.

this seems like a bad design. You need an accelerometer on the unsprung part of the fork to detect impacts.

Alex
Alex
10 years ago

@dave: just visit your nearby Specialized dealer and buy their brain technology – ht or epic. Works perfectly.

Mindless
Mindless
10 years ago

Even better solution – get decent low speed and high speed compression adjustments, and it all works without any doodads.

Steve M
Steve M
10 years ago

Great- the cycling industry is headed to the same spot currently occupied by the automotive. You have a problem with your bike- say it wont shift or the suspension is not working. You take it to the dealer to have the ‘technician’ plug it in to determine that you need a new electronic control module, a new position sensor, and a Piezo valve at aftermarket pricing.

All while charging $120 an hour.

XC Racer
XC Racer
10 years ago

Sign me up.

Avi
Avi
10 years ago

@Steve

Standard shop labor rate in the US is $70 an hour, for which the mechanic gets around $10-15 an hour. Not sure where you get your numbers from.

Nick B
Nick B
10 years ago

“Shocks the world”??…You mean by coming out iwith an electronic fork lockout 13 years AFTERCannondale already did it with their awesome ELO lefty fork w\ handlebar push button?
How about a headline that says, “What took so long to improve on ELO?”.
I’m sure it is a vast technology and functionality improvement, but c’mon, give C’Dale some credit for pioneering it…using a 9V battery that lasted the whole season.

M.C. Slammer
M.C. Slammer
10 years ago

Cannondale never gets any love or credit for their great engineering: First to use aluminum tubes, first to use thin walled/large diamiter tubes, first to use hollow forged crank arms, First to develop and then give away BB30, first to use ELO.

John
John
10 years ago

@ dave…Couldn’t have said it better. If it doesn’t automatically lock while hammering a flat section, then what is the point???

Eric
Eric
10 years ago

I have to agree with Alex, just get a brain fork, works both uphill and on the flats with no battery required.

Keith
Keith
10 years ago

Thanks Nick! Long live the Lefty!!!!

Seraph
Seraph
10 years ago

Cannondale had ELO (Electronic Lock Out) on their Lefty forks in the early 2000s. This is nothing new.

Jimmie
Jimmie
10 years ago

@M.C. Slammer, Cannondale was not the first to use aluminum tubes by a long shot. They were also not the first to use hollow crank arms or electronic lock out.

Aluminum frames date back to the late 1890s! Cannondale was successful in mass producing them but not the first.

Hollow cranks……..Bullseye, Tioga and Profile beat them to the punch by 5+ years

Electronic Lock Out…….K2 was doing it before them.

Jugi
Jugi
10 years ago

3D accelerometers and activation only by the dampers attitude? Why? How come it won’t activate the damper when going over bumps on the trail? Yes, accelerometer in the unsprung part would be more reliable, but the accelerometers used in cell phones are plenty fast and accurate to be placed in the damper, IMO.

Woof
Woof
10 years ago

You guys just put an e-damper on all of that Bike Rumor e-hype !!! :-))

Padrote
Padrote
10 years ago

@steve m, modern automotive diagnostics is pretty straightforward. they even have standards that allow the same $40 code readers to work on most all new cars. so yes, just like the automotive industry, advances in technology in the bicycle industry is always resisted crotchety old dogs who can’t be bothered to learn new tricks.

Andy
Andy
10 years ago

FWIW, I think this looks very interesting. Locking out going uphill is fine round here; most if the ups are sufficiently steep that suspension’s not an issue, and I note elsewhere that eLECT will retrofit to all TS6/8 and Durin forks.

It would be good to know how we’ll the free-fall mode works; I’m very much a wheels-on-the-ground rider but it would be comforting for the occasional air time…

patrik
patrik
10 years ago

I will tread new ground on these internets and not comment until I have actually ridden a bicycle outfitted with this product.

How ’bout that!

reiner
reiner
10 years ago

The automatic mode uses acceleration sensors for detecting the tilt angle.
If you pedal hard on flat section you will have the same acceleration values as on a climb.
And the eLECT will lock.

And yes: this is not a guess. I tried it.
And it’s amazing!

brandt
10 years ago

“Cannondale never gets any love or credit for their great engineering: First to use aluminum tubes, first to use thin walled/large diamiter tubes, first to use hollow forged crank arms, First to develop and then give away BB30, first to use ELO”

Sorry I have to say it: first to screw their venders out of $1.1 million only to “re-organize” and go on like nothing happened………darn good engineering though….

Jeffrey Barton
10 years ago

real cool about time for great riding ,fun fun fun

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