Exclusive: new RockShox electronic suspension for Nino Schurter

It was rumored that RockShox might have something big in development for this season and this would be the big confirmation. At the Lenzerheide 2023 World Cup we saw for the first time Nino Schurter's SCOTT Spark with an unprecedented RockShox Flight Attendant system. It would be the first electronic and smart suspension system for XC from RockShox.

We spotted a RockShox Flight Attendant prototype for XC on Nino Schurter's Spark

For months we have been seeing several riders from official RockShox teams training and racing with prototype forks and shocks of the brand. So new models of 120mm and 35mm forks were rumored, but few expected what we just saw on the bike of 10-time World Champion Nino Schurter.

 

It is a full Flight Attendant that seems to be developed together with a new XC specific fork and shock. This system was introduced by RockShox in 2021 and was only available until now for gravity suspensions (trail, enduro, all moutnain, etc).

What we have seen on Nino's bike is very similar to the Flight Attendant that we currently know, and consists of 3 sensors located in the fork, shock and cranks that send information in real time to the control unit located in the fork (right bar) and this, through its own algorithm is responsible for locking, unlocking or adapting both the fork and the shock at every moment. When we say every moment we mean every 5 milliseconds.

For reference, a blink takes on average between 300 and 400 milliseconds, so in the time of one blink, the Flight Attendant has made about 80 decisions based on terrain and rider data.

 

 

Nino Schurter has already been training with it on the Lenzerheide circuit and it seems that he is ready to race with this new system, something that we will check tomorrow during the Short Track.

 

If so, we will be able to witness first-hand the competition premiere of a system that could change the riding style of many cyclists. Remember that with the Flight Attendant it is not necessary to lock and unlock the suspension, the system optimizes the process and in theory allows the rider to be faster in any situation.

It is also important to say that although this XC Flight Attendant is the first from RockShox, it is not the first system of this type that we see in World Cup, and Tom Pidcock has been racing and winning for a couple of seasons with something similar from SR Suntour, not officially presented yet.

If you want to know everything about the Flight Attendant system, we recommend you to take a look at the test we were able to do with it.