Öhlins Prototype Digital XC Suspension Raced on the MTB World Cup: Uncovered!

Final 12 months we noticed Öhlins debut all-new XC suspension on the races, and this 12 months they’re again with new electronically-controlled prototypes. The idea seems to be the identical carbon-crown RXC34 fork and TXC2 Air shock, however now mechanical lockouts are changed with digital controls. Within the pits, Titouan Carod’s BMC mechanics principally stored all the pieces neatly wrapped up. However out on the observe we acquired a more in-depth have a look at what appears just like the sensible controller added onto the rear shock…

Öhlins prototype digital XC MTB suspension

Recognizing Carod warming up for the Nové Město na Moravě quick observe over the weekend, we observed and further field protruding of the entrance of his Öhlins TXC Air rear shock, tucked in between the entrance shock mount on his BMC Fourstroke XC race bike. It seems that what we noticed appears to be a prototype electronically-controlled cross-country air shock and fork from the Swedish suspension specialists.

It’s not fairly the primary time we’ve seen prototype digital suspension from Öhlins. We’ve seen a couple of variants of Loic Bruni racing digital Öhlins DH prototypes, each on a reconfigured Specialised Demo and an all-new prototype bike that’s nonetheless in improvement.

However whereas all that prototype DH tech was well-covered below huge cowls, this BMC is fitted with a lot smaller tech that extra simply tucked into the in any other case inventory body.

Plus, it’s being left uncovered, a minimum of for racing…

Prototype digital TXC Air shock wrapped up tight within the pits, principally

For essentially the most half, the Crew BMC Racing mechanics tried to maintain the brand new Öhlins digital prototypes on Carod’s bike wrapped up inside a velcro-on neoprene sleeve. No less than once they weren’t engaged on the bike.

However the weekend’s cross-country racing began off fairly moist & muddy, so there have been loads of instances once they pulled again the covers to service the bike.

So, why may they maintain the prototypes uncovered out on the observe and for racing, but wrap it up within the pits?

My guesses could be 1 or 3 prospects. Both the electronics want airflow to get the very best operate, or the quilt may merely impede some motion? The rider or mechanics might have easy accessibility on the observe to make changes, in any other case inaccessible below the neoprene cowl? Or maybe, they simply must see the way it stands as much as the weather in a real-world racing situation.

In any case, the result’s that we acquired a fairly good sneak peek by holding our eyes open.

Digital prototype Öhlins RXC34 Carbon Air fork

OK, so we all know there’s some digital management. However what suspension are we working with?

It seems that solely Titouan Carod is racing on the prototype digital suspension. The remainder of the BMC staff will get mechanical remotes. And it appears like he’s working with the Öhlins RXC34 fork that we detailed final summer time, based mostly on these lowers. In fact, we most likely wouldn’t name it an m.1 fork anymore, as clearly he’s acquired some customized next-gen tech inside. And his identify on the fork legs.

What digital controls that exist are completely within the left leg. That’s the place the 3-position (Open, Pedal, Lock) OTX14 compression damper cartridge is on the usual Öhlins RXC34 fork. (The quantity-adjustable air spring is in the appropriate leg.)

We don’t see an apparent exterior adjustment right here. However that small gold screw is similar as discovered on the entrance of the shock management/battery field. So it would supply some adjustability extra than simply holding the cap on.

A single wire (& inline connector) exits, and heads into the body subsequent to the mechanical dropper distant cable. Presumably, the fork then connects with the system mind, on the rear shock.

Tidy Digital Distant Management

For rider mode management of the prototype digital suspension, Öhlins provides Carod a tidy little thumb-actuated twist shifter/change. Wired into the system via the Fourstroke’s inside body routing, the controller doesn’t take up a lot area in between the brake lever and grip. (Its wire enters the other of the headtube along with the rear brake.)

That mode shifter appears so much like a Zirbel Ring Change with their WE03 Ring for the thumb button. I’m not likely positive, since Zirbel’s normal Ring Change sometimes has 2 wires popping out of it. However maybe Öhlins simply labored along with Zirbel to create the distant they wanted for his or her prototype suspension controls.

Uncovered and Up Shut!

Now for the right spy pictures!

Crew BMC mechanics have been as cautious as they may very well be to maintain their Öhlins prototype digital XC suspension out of direct sight within the pits.

However as soon as racing was underway, the mechanics unwrapped the shock.

But, what they stored coated doesn’t actually reveal an excessive amount of in spite of everything.

All we are able to actually see is a slim field extending ahead from the damping controls of the TXC Air shock. In actual fact, a more in-depth have a look at the photograph we snuck from the workstand (above) suggests the shock itself is wholly unchanged. There’s only a small digital actuator bolted on high, as a substitute of the mechanical distant actuator, which in fact is smart for simplicity’s sake.

Then what you get is that this field is simply the battery and mind of the system. We see the 2 wires coming in from the fork & distant change to hook up with the field simply in entrance of the higher shock eyelet. And the wire for the rear shock energy & management exits out of the center of the field on the left/non-driveside.