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Quarq ShockWiz available now to dial your suspension in perfectly

Written by Cory Benson
23 Comments
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We’ve been enamored by the custom and automatic air suspension tuning possibilities of the unique ShockWiz gadget since it was introduced via Kickstarter back in 2015. After getting gobbled up by SRAM and then given the further development might & rebranding under their data-focused Quarq division, ShockWiz is now ready for consumers. Available in two versions to work with a wide range of air shocks and forks, ShockWiz promises perfect suspension tunes tailored to your actual style of riding, all through an easy-to-use mobile phone app…

The way it works, you just install the small device inline with your suspension, and then go out and ride. ShockWiz automatically records and evaluates how your suspension is performing on-the-fly with it internal memory (independent of your phone), and then through its companion app offers clear instructions of what to change on your setup to get the most out of your bike for the type of suspension you have, the terrain you encounter, and your riding style.

While it obviously can have big benefits for setting up your shock and fork settings from the start, Shockwiz also can stay installed on the bike so you can continue to dial in an ideal tune over time or reoptimize your setup when you ride in new places on new trails.

ShockWiz is a small, light & durable device that is powered by a coin cell battery and in most cases gets zip-tied to your fork or shock. But don’t let its diminutive size fool you. There is some pretty advanced tech inside, and the made in the US device doesn’t come cheap. While the ShockWiz app for Android or iOS is free, the hardware is not.

The standard ShockWiz that gets strapped onto the bike will cost you $400/420€, while a direct-mount version that threads directly onto the air valve sells for $450/470€ (for inverted forks like the RS-1). That means you’ll likely use it once at a time to setup both fork & rear shock, and then keep it installed on one for longer to try to really work on specific settings. ShockWiz works with almost all air-sprung forks and shocks, as long as they have a single volume positive air chamber, that the device can then track.

The whole idea though is that it is simple & intuitive to use, and can bring pro-level suspension tuning into the grasp of everyone from a novice mountain biker with a nice ride, to a more competitive amateur racer looking to eke more performance out of their bike. The ShockWiz app makes it crystal clear how your suspension is performing and what you can change to make it work even harder for you. The approach actually serves as a good learning tool to explain core suspension tuning concepts so you can try them and see how they interact in real world riding.

Inside of that small waterproof black box is super sensitive pressure sensor, a microprocessor, and a Bluetooth LE transmitter. Connect it to the Schrader valve of your shock or fork and it logs air pressure 100 times per second as you ride. Specially developed algorithms track & analyze those pressure changes in order to identify bad characteristics – like pogo, pack-down, or bob – and the rate how bad they are. If it’s severe or doesn’t go away the app will suggest how to adjust to correct for it – either through air pressure, air spring ramp, rebound, or compression adjustments.

Both options include the ShockWiz device, plus a pair of hoses, the rubber mounting boot, and zip ties to secure it in place. The direct mount version also comes with an adapter to work with standard forks as well as rear shocks.

For now ShockWiz is available direct from Quarq’s website for US & Canada customers, and in the US, Australia & New Zealand through regular dealer networks. A few online retailers expand that international coverage to come to Europe as well, as Quarq continues to expand their international delivery options.

Quarq.com/ShockWiz
Cory Benson
4,485 articles

Cory Benson is the EU Tech Editor of Bikerumor.com.

Cory has been writing about mountain bikes, enduro, cyclocross, all-road, gravel bikes & bikepacking for over 25 years, even before the industry created some of these names. Prior to Bikerumor, Cory was a practicing Architect specializing in environmental sustainability, has designed bike shops & bike components, and worked as a bike shop mechanic.

Based in the Czech Republic for 15+ years, he is a technical mountain biker, adventurous gravel rider, and short & medium-haul bikepacker. Cory travels extensively across Europe riding bikes, meeting with key European product developers, industry experts & tastemakers for an in-depth review of what’s new, and what’s coming next.

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Isaac Hunt
Isaac Hunt
8 years ago

Looks good – would love to give one a go to see how my own experience of setting up measures against what this thing thinks.

Would be nice to see trail centres offering these to rent for the day.
As it’s a pricey luxury for a weekend warrior.

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paquo
paquo
8 years ago

now that would be perfect to rent from a shop for the day

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TheKaiser
TheKaiser
8 years ago

Yeah, that would be a great rental product. I’m sure there is a learning curve with figuring out how to interpret and apply the data, but the shop could offer it as part of a bigger package that includes helping the rider utilize the data gathered.

A few random thoughts:
-It is cool that it sounds like SRAM is supporting other brands of suspension on this device, not just the Rock Shox stuff. I assume that the app needs to know the vital stats of the shock to which it is threaded, so I wonder who supplies that info, unless the algos somehow aren’t reliant on travel and internal volume info. Without accelerometers, I don’t see how they could get away with that though.

-Maybe it is trivial, but this device will increase the internal volume of the shock, which will to some degree change its behaviour.

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Chader
Chader
8 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

There is no need for specific info. The only thing that matters is that you cycle the shock from full extension to full compression. It doesn’t even need to be at full pressure. That cycle action calibrates the sensor to know how much travel the shock has for use in it’s evaluations.

The only issue is that it must be a single air chamber so the pressure curve analysis works properly. You can’t use the Trek DRCV shocks, or similar ones.

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mtbrider
mtbrider
8 years ago
Reply to  Chader

This is kind of a big deal…”The only issue is that it must be a single air chamber so the pressure curve analysis works properly.”

Most suspension products with an air spring will have a negative air spring, and many rear shocks have dual positive air chambers.

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Mark
Mark
8 years ago
Reply to  mtbrider

Not really.

On a fork, the negative air chamber is only equalized at 0mm travel (from what I understand). So it can “reset” itself during a ride (at top-out) but is sealed off from the positive air chamber during normal usage, creating a theoretical single air chamber.

Rear shocks – there are not many at all with dual air chambers (as far as I know). Trek’s DCRV is the only one that comes to mind. Cane Creek’s double barrel refers to it’s damping technology, and still uses a single air spring.

If you know of more dual air chamber shocks, I’d love to know, as i find suspension technology fascinating.

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Chris Killer
Chris Killer
8 years ago
Reply to  Mark

My Bionicon Alva 180 has 2 air chambers, one at each end of the fork.

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Alex@Quarq
Alex@Quarq
8 years ago
Reply to  mtbrider

Hello mtbrider,

Let me clear up some confusion here. The compatibility requirement that pertains to volume is only for the positive air chamber. The negative spring is not applied here.

The positive air chamber must consist of a single volume, meaning it cannot change during compression.

Suspension products that have a two chamber positive, such as Ohlins RXF 34 and 36 features a two chamber positive air chamber are NOT compatible. This creates a variable compression ratio in the air chamber measured by ShockWiz making it incompatible.

As for rear shock models with 2 positive air chambers, there are really not that many. Trek’s DRCV is the main one that comes to mind. The others that come to mind are Equalizer found on Scott bikes and the Dyad found on Cannondale. Nearly every other offering all feature a positive air chamber of a single volume.

The ShockWiz Online Support section features a clear breakdown of requirements.

Quarq.com > Support > ShockWiz Online Help > Compatibility

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zooey
zooey
8 years ago
Reply to  mtbrider

I think they mean single stage air chambers. So that means, no MRP ramp, no Manitou IRT, no DRCV, possibly no Ohlins triple air chamber fork.

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Alex@Quarq
Alex@Quarq
8 years ago
Reply to  TheKaiser

Hello TheKaiser,

ShockWiz is compatible with any air sprung suspension from any manufacturer that meets the compatibility requirements.

As for what ShockWiz needs to know, there are very specific parameters needed. When using ShockWiz it must first be calibrated to the fork or shock it’s being used with. The calibration requires that both the compression ratio and the baseline air pressure be set. If the compression ratio is not know, which in nearly all cases it will NOT, it must be measured. The Calibration Wizard of the ShockWiz App walks the user through this process step by step.

Once calibrated, ShockWiz is then able to convert the pressure reading into a travel percentage which is how it maps your suspension’s movement.

Another important thing to know is that the user calibration values and ride data are stored within ShockWiz, not the ShockWiz App. This means you do not have to ride with your phone. The data can be accessed at any time by connecting to the device, and will not be erased until ‘Start New Session’ is selected within the app.

As for volume added, it’s trivial. The ShockWiz device itself when used with the long ShockWiz hose adds 0.5ml of volume, about as much as one M&M candy.

Be sure to check out the ShockWiz Online Help located on the Quarq website.

Quarq.com > Support > ShockWiz Online Help > Compatibility

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Dolan Halbrook
Dolan Halbrook
8 years ago

I could also see a bike team buying one to share amongst the members…. hint hint 🙂

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myke2241
myke2241
8 years ago

Price is not bad if you think about what it’s doing (saving you time). I don’t see this as great idea to rent or share. You will want to have this on for historical data collection and to check things. Renting it only gives you a preview of the tuning over a short period.

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BMW
BMW
8 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

It’s a great idea for people that ride the same trail, or similar trails, often. You collect your data, apply said data, and you are good to go for the season…assuming you don’t take trips to different regions. Which to be honest, there is a decent chunk of the mtb community that rides the same trails each year.

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mateo
mateo
8 years ago
Reply to  BMW

Even better for people who do travel. In theory it would help you dial in your suspension much faster on unfamiliar terrain. You’d get a better ride experience by spending more of your limited ride time on an optimized bike.

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Mark
Mark
8 years ago
Reply to  myke2241

It’d be awesome for a shop to have a couple, and lend them out to good customers, or rent them out for $20 a ride (or something like that). That way you can still do a historical data collection without breaking the bank, and for the shop, it’s an additional service that allows them to help their customers get the best from their bikes. Maybe roll the cost into a fitting service for a MTB.

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PFS
PFS
8 years ago

I’d be a customer at around $200 but I cant see spending around half or more of the cost of the fork or shock to help tune it. I feel like I can get pretty close without this. $400 to take me from 90-95% correct to 100% is too much.

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Chader
Chader
8 years ago
Reply to  PFS

This is not meant for the active tuner who understands suspension setup. It may help for those that “think” they know what to do, but really don’t.

But it is really meant for those with no clue about setup. They can plug in, ride, read, adjust, and reap the benefits of a decent setup with minimal knowledge.

The plan to rent one of these is great and a reasonable way to pay of with $20-$50 rental for the day.

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pfs
pfs
8 years ago
Reply to  Chader

While that may have been their intent, how many casual mountain bikers have $400 to drop on something like this. That rider would probably be better served by buying a better helmet and shoes and having their shop help get everything setup. Or putting that $400 towards a better fork and shock. The basic setup charts that come from rockshox and fox will get you pretty close to dialed without spending any money over the fork and shock.

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dougb
dougb
8 years ago

Can someone loan me one for a weekend :O)

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Mark
Mark
8 years ago

Not really.

On a fork, the negative air chamber is only equalized at 0mm travel (from what I understand). So it can “reset” itself during a ride (at top-out) but is sealed off from the positive air chamber during normal usage, creating a theoretical single air chamber.

Rear shocks – there are not many at all with dual air chambers (as far as I know). Trek’s DCRV is the only one that comes to mind. Cane Creek’s double barrel refers to it’s damping technology, and still uses a single air spring.

If you know of more dual air chamber shocks, I’d love to know, as i find suspension technology fascinating.

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JP
JP
8 years ago

I was one of the kickstarter backers and received mine during the fall. The first set up was simple and there was definitely a learning curve, small but still there. After several rides, and making small tweaks on a trail system that I primarily visit, my suspension is something I don’t even think about anymore.
Quarq/Shockwiz has taken a lot of feedback from the backers using the product out in the field and made adjustments from said feedback. Simple terminology has been made clear-er, and the app’s layout has been revised since the original release making things a bit easier.
Certainly not a device for everyone to purchase or a must have, but most certainly a device that everyone could benefit from using.

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James S
James S
8 years ago

Just bought mine, can’t wait to use it.

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bryanus
bryanus
7 years ago

If anyone is looking for shockwiz rentals, check out http://www.feeltheberm.com. We’re renting TWO units for a week for $100. Additional weeks are half price!

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