interesting shock pot sensor

[Rick Kirchner]

Some lofty claims. no cost data, but sure would be simple to set up (maybe). Not a lot of details on their site.

https://mondraker.com/my/en/mind

[924RACR]

Very cool!

[Rick Iverson]

Kirchner;

The website was quite busy, and I had no clue as to find any linear displacement potentiometers. Any help?

Some lofty claims. no cost data, but sure would be simple to set up (maybe). Not a lot of details on their site.

https://mondraker.com/my/en/mind

[J Leonard]

not visible, I think they mentioned magnetic. Maybe like the CDS magnetic sensors from ten years ago.

[Rick Kirchner]

yup, some kind of hall effect device, but no details

[romoman]

yup, some kind of hall effect device, but no details

From that page

The sensor sends information to a master unit which is hidden inside the headtube. This master unit has several roles. It doubles as the front sensor which “reads” the magnetic field of a magnet which is fixed to the back of the top of the left fork leg. The sensor measures fork travel relative to the sensor 100 times per second on the move, and up to 5000 times a second while measuring sag.The master unit is also the Bluetooth transmitter which sends the data collected from all the sensors to the myMondraker app installed on your smartphone once your ride is over.

It has a hall effect sensor in the top of the fork tube and the magnet is in the left fork leg. It's probably a linear magnet These sort of sensors exist for cars, but they are in the $1,000 range. Standard linear or noncontact linear are $325ish for the same range. Replacements to the old CDS style are still available.

The rear looks and sounds like it is a hall effect rotary. Lots of ways to do that.

[Rick Kirchner]

I was alerted to this while discussing a arduino project with a guy that wanted to make one of these sensors for a dirt bike.

The only reason to do this really, is if they can make it cheaper and more reliable than an industrial linear pot, and I'd think that cost sensitivity is even higher in the MTB world, where a couple of our standard shock pots would represent more than 10% of the cost of the bike.

[romoman]

I was alerted to this while discussing a arduino project with a guy that wanted to make one of these sensors for a dirt bike.

The only reason to do this really, is if they can make it cheaper and more reliable than an industrial linear pot, and I'd think that cost sensitivity is even higher in the MTB world, where a couple of our standard shock pots would represent more than 10% of the cost of the bike.

AiM sensors are used in a lot of bicycle applications. I have not seen any form of the Hall effect sensors that are substantially different in pricing and when linear, they are very application specific. Bike systems that are pretty complete end up in the same price range as a car system, sometimes more if they are specially made to be very small. AiM Evo4s and Evo5 are popular on bicycles.

[Lee Johnson]

I sent an inquiry about the mountain bike shock displacement sensor to Mondraker (via their website Customer Service link) as follows -

"...It is quite possible there are applications for your suspension travel instrumentation system, MIND, to race cars. The apparent simplicity of your system makes it attractive to amateur racers like me (without a full team of suspension engineers & computer gurus). Have you any thoughts about expanding to other markets than mountain bikes?..."


This AM I received the following reply --

"Hello Lee,

Thank you very much for your interest in Mondraker.

The new MIND system is currently only available for the Summum Carbon, Foxy Carbon XR, Raze Carbon RR SL and Crafty Carbon RR SL models, and is initially available in Europe.
The MIND system will not be available in the near future for any brand other than Mondraker bikes.

https://www.mondraker.com/es/en/mind

Thank you very much and best regards.
Javier Alfaro
Mondraker Customer Service"

So, for the time being, they seem to be focused on this technology being a unique feature in their high-end mountain bike market.

Lee

[chrisw52]

I was alerted to this while discussing a arduino project with a guy that wanted to make one of these sensors for a dirt bike.

The only reason to do this really, is if they can make it cheaper and more reliable than an industrial linear pot, and I'd think that cost sensitivity is even higher in the MTB world, where a couple of our standard shock pots would represent more than 10% of the cost of the bike.

I use a Sram ShockWiz to tune my fork and shock on my mountain bike. It uses changes in shock air pressure to monitor the performance. Works pretty well as long as you keep the calibration within 3% and it's a bit finicky to setup.

it would be interesting to see what would happen if you put it on one of the shocks on the car.