RockShox have made their electronic suspension system, Flight Attendant, available aftermarket for the first time.
In case you didn't know, Flight Attendant automatically controls the fork and shock settings wirelessly, with the help of a pedal sensor, to maximise the pedalling efficiency of the bike while reacting seamlessly to bumps. You can read Mike Kazimer's review
here.
Flight Attendant has been out for over a year now but has so far only been available on complete bikes. Now they're making upgrade kits available to fit a select number of compatible bikes.
Flight Attendant Upgrade Kit details• Upgrade kits are bike specific
• Kits include fork, shock, shock hardware, pedal sensor, 2 batteries and a charger
• Shared battery with all other SRAM AXS components
• 7 compatible bikes from Canyon, Trek, Specialized & YT
• MSRP: from $2,799 / €3,030* / £2,700* *Includes VAT
• More info:
SRAM.com Here's the list of compatible models:
Canyon Spectral 2019-2022
Canyon Spectral:ON 2023
Canyon Neuron 29 2021-2022
Specialized Enduro 2020-2022 Trek Slash 2021-2022
YT Capra 29” 2022
YT Jeffsy 29” 2019-2022 The kit isn't just a box of electronics. It includes the fork, shock, shock hardware, pedal sensor, 2 batteries and a charger. For the pedal sensor to work, you'll need a SRAM DUB crank, apart from the Canyon Spectral:ON, for which there's a Shimano EP8 Pedal Sensor. There are three versions of the kit: Trail, All mountain and Enduro, which come with a Pike, Lyrik or Zeb, respectively. The prices are as follows:
Trail: $ 2,799 / € 3,030* / £ 2,700*
All Mountain: $ 2,849 / € 3,080* / £ 2,750*
Enduro: $ 2,899 / € 3,130* / £ 2,800*
*Includes VAT
Yep, that's the price of a perfectly good bike.
Each kit is unique to the specific bike model (mostly due to the shock tune & hardware requirements), so for example there is an All Mountain kit for the YT Jeffsy and a different one for the Canyon Spectral.
Who needs a fork lockout on an Enduro bike?? Hopefully this is what Fox is aiming for on their EWS RAD stuff.
A rear shock that can be programed to firm up a LOT, at certain tilt angles, is all that is needed.
Bump sensing etc. is a waste of resources.
A stiff shock is very helpful for climbing, even on very chunky terrain. The crank clearance and improved angles make all of the difference in the world.
We should have had remote cable lockouts for rear shocks 10 years ago, BT lockout buttons 5 years ago, and fully automated versions by now.
New Lyric ~ 800-1000$
New Super Deluxe ~ 500-600$
So you're paying about 1200$ for the actuators, sensors and batteries, that doesn't sounds absurd to me. Especially for a first run, you imagine it would come down.
But it’s not that expensive, it’s a fork and a shock and the bits. For premium stuff plus electronics it doesn’t seem that wild,
I agree with your points, but its even closer than the numbers you posted. These costs are retail. The new Zeb Ultimate retails for $1,159 USD. A Super Deluxe Ultimate shock retails for $599. So the analog versions of the same stuff would retail for $1,758. Just like the figures you posted for actual costs right now, those will go down as the stuff gets less 'brand new'.
Thus, the markup for the fancy tech plus extra parts (sensor, batteries, charger, etc) is about $1000.
It's expensive, but as you mentioned I don't know what everyone here expected? All those sensors and wirelessness cost money.
Based on the comments, it seems like many of the posts here are just people who didn't bother to read the article and just really wanted to regurgitate the dentist BS.
I guess you could set programming up to firm up the shock, in conjunction with when your electronic dropper is extended.
I just want a shock that locks automatically when the bike is horizontal or climbing. Don't need anything else.
But you’re only interested in the fork….
If these prices are outrageous to you, then spend your money elsewhere. Some people choose to buy expensive bike stuff because it’s the stuff we choose to spend our money on. Simple. No phd required.
"Hmmm, let me think... That is pricey but I guess I'll upgrade my flight attendant, thank you very much."
That last sentence is the perfect mission statement for all suspension programmers!
Don't think simple, think big!
Also, I spent $3200 on my bike. This is over 3/4 the cost. This is crazy.
You guys get this mad when a new Porsche comes out too?
I really dont see what this offers that a decent manual set up and a compression lock out lever does for far less.
Its just snake oil man..
If I could get a brand new high-end fork and shock for under 300$ I'd have already ordered three sets so I can swap 'em out and sell the used one every time they came up for service.
I like how its default is open/descending mode, unlike live-valve, which has to react to bumps first to open up.
Must be selling "well"!
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