Thanks to leaked photos and patents, we knew it was coming. But that doesn’t make the new Fox Transfer Neo any less surprising. Sure, it’s a wireless dropper post with a unique battery configuration, but it’s the wireless protocol that may be the most interesting (and surprising) part.
For better or for worse, wireless connections are now commonplace in cycling. That speed of that wireless connection was a major focus for Fox on the Transfer Neo, and they’ve managed to come up with a solution that is the “fastest wireless connectivity in cycling” – at least, according to Fox. They claim that their wireless protocol is over 100x faster than Bluetooth and 20x faster than their closest competitor – just 26 milliseconds from lever press to post movement. Fox doesn’t go into any more detail here, but it’s assumed that they’re using some kind of proprietary system that they intend to keep under wraps… at least for now (more on this below).
Due to this fastest wireless protocol, Fox claims there is “virtually zero latency between actuating the dropper lever and your post moving.”
Ergonomic Lever
The lever they’re referring to is the new Ergonomic Neo Lever which is designed to feel very familiar instead of just placing a button on your bar. You’ll find a rubber-coated thumb pad with a similar texture and distance from the bar, but with a (6x) shorter lever throw. According to Fox, this means you can rotate the lever further under the bar for better clearance with your knuckles, while still offering easy actuation.
Since it’s still technically a button in lever form, the lever offers haptic feedback so that you know when you’ve pressed the lever – just like your favorite video game controller.
Containing a CR2032 battery with tool-free replacement, the lever has an expected 1-year battery life. The lever also sits just 36mm below the bar, which Fox points out is 10mm less than the competition. Why does that matter? Depending on your handlebar position, that could mean the difference between the lever hitting the bike’s top tube in a crash, or gliding over it.
The lever has an unspecified amount of lateral adjustment and comes with standard 22.2mm round, Matchmaker, and I-Spec EV clamps to allow you to position it as needed.
Oh, and if your lever battery dies, you can still drop the post manually by pressing and holding the button on the post controller until the LED turns white (press again to finish actuation).
What’s up with that battery position?
One of the most obvious features of the Transfer Neo is the positioning of the battery. Instead of attaching it to the saddle clamp end of the post, the Fox Neo battery sits at the top of the post’s lower, just above the seat post clamp.
Fox positioned it here for two reasons: it helped to reduce the stack height, and allows for increased tire clearance. On a full-suspension bike at full bottom-out with your dropper post fully dropped, tire clearance comes down to millimeters. 6mm to be exact, which is the recommended ISO tire clearance.
Fox states that for their nearest competitor to have this clearance at the battery, “posts must be run as much as 18mm above full insertion. This position—combined with taller stack height—means your saddle height sits 40mm higher than Transfer Neo when fully compressed.”
The updated Fox Transfer dropper posts already had excellent stack heights, and the Fox Transfer Neo adds just 11mm to their mechanical posts’ stack height. When measured from the bottom of the controller to the center of the saddle rails, this distance is a claimed 18mm less than the RockShox Reverb AXS.
Future Fox Neo Products Incoming?
In a tease of what’s to come, Fox calls out the fact that the Transfer Neo uses a “Fox-specific battery with compatibility for future Neo Products.” Clearly, Fox must be working on something else that uses batteries. Given that the previous generation of Fox Live Valve relied on a fairly large battery, it seems safe to assume that the Neo battery may be headed in that direction (recent patents suggest big changes are coming).
That Neo battery can be removed from the seatpost, and charged using the included dock. Fox says charging time will take from 1.25-1.5 hours. A full charge is expected to deliver 30-40 hours of ride time depending on the frequency of dropper post actuations.
There’s an app too
Additionally, the app allows you to activate Bike Park Mode, and Transport Mode. If you want to drop your post and avoid accidental actuation when charging down the bike park, Bike Park Mode temporarily disables your Transfer Neo Dropper lever. To get it back, just hit the lever 4x rapidly, or open the app. Transport mode shuts down the “shake to wake” feature to prevent the battery from draining while traveling. To disable, simply bounce the rear of your bike off the ground or remove the and reinsert the battery.
The “shake to wake” feature also means there’s no need for a power button, just jump on and go.
Those who read our recent Patent Patrol article on the Fox Wireless dropper may be disappointed to see that features like voice-control, GPS-based auto drops, and stepped or infinite dropping didn’t make the cut, but remember, now that the post is electronic, it opens up the possibility of future firmware updates. There’s no guarantee we’ll ever see any of those features, but as the Fox Neo family evolves, who knows.
Travel Options, Weights, Pricing & More
You’ll find the Tranfer Neo in 30.9, 31.6, and 34.9mm diameters, with the 34.9mm option featuring specific upper and lower sections for improved performance. All diameters will be offered in 125, 150, 175, and 200mm travel options, while the 30.9 and 31.6mm versions will include a 100mm travel option.
Aftermarket posts will be offered in Factory Series models with Genuine Kashima Coat, but there will also be a Performance Elite Series that’s currently OEM only. The lightest version of the post is the 100mm travel 30.9 size which has a claimed weight of 528g. If you’re ready to buy, the full package will sell for $859, with spare batteries and chargers also available for purchase.
Transfer Neo MSRP:
- Factory Series Transfer Neo Kit: $859
- Includes: Transfer Neo Post, Lever, Battery, Charger, Cable, and clamping options.
Spare Parts:
- Neo Spare Battery: $79
- Spare Charger and Cable: $49
Euro Pricing:
- Factory Series Transfer Neo Kit – €1100 without VAT
- Spare Charger and Cable €61.25 without VAT
- Neo Spare Battery €76.75 without VAT.
