The electronic prototype of FOX achieves its first victory in the XCO World Cup with Charlie Aldridge and the Cannondale Scalpel

The FOX electronic shock absorber prototype that we have been seeing in competition for months achieves its first victory in an XCO World Cup with Charlie Aldridge

Aldridge won the XCO World Cup with Fox's electronic shock absorber prototype 

Charlie Aldridge made history in Mont-Sainte-Anne by achieving his first elite victory in the XCO World Cup, and with it, the first victory of the innovative FOX electronic shock absorber in the discipline. The British rider from Cannondale Factory Racing prevailed on a demanding circuit, combining power, technique, and a bike that is once again making headlines for its equipment.

This same prototype already caught attention in Les Gets, where Aldridge won the Short Track with a Cannondale Scalpel equipped with this innovative configuration. It was the first time we saw what appears to be an evolution of the Live Valve Neo adapted to XCO, a system that until then FOX only offered for Trail and All Mountain bikes. On that occasion, we could already see the two sensors located on the front and rear brakes, which send terrain information to the shock absorber control unit.

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The Live Valve Neo was introduced by FOX in 2024 as the evolution of its electronic suspension system. Its main novelty compared to the previous version is that it operates completely wirelessly, without visible cables or the need for compatible forks or transmissions, something that sets it apart from SRAM's Flight Attendant.

Its reaction speed remains its strong point: it analyzes the terrain 400 times per second and switches between open and locked modes in just 14 milliseconds, even dispensing with an intermediate mode. This ability allows it to maintain efficiency in pedaling zones without sacrificing sensitivity in technical descents, something that if successfully transferred to Aldridge's shock absorber could have been particularly relevant on such a demanding course as Mont-Sainte-Anne.

With Aldridge's triumph, this electronic Fox shock absorber has achieved its first victory in the XCO World Cup, confirming its reliability and maximum performance. Although a specific commercial version for the discipline has not yet been announced, everything indicates that FOX could present it soon.

For now, we have only seen this system on Charlie Aldridge's bike, but after this victory, it would not be surprising if other FOX-sponsored riders start testing it in the upcoming rounds or during the 2026 preseason.