Variable electronic damping. It's used on the most exotic racing equipment in the world. Pit pundits claim it's an unfair advantage. Either way. its been unattainable in the bicycle industry.

Until now. The new K2 Smart Shock with a "brain." The K2 Smart Shock is the world's first bicycle shock with a "brain." The sensor in the shock reads piston speed and location, and sends the data to the smart circuit. The circuit returns a signal to the piezo valve, flexing the valve in a millisecond to increase or reduce oil flow. that's 1/1000 of a second! The end result is increased tire-to-ground contact, letting you push yourself past the edge and come back in one piece. the "brain" thinks for you, so you can concentrate on riding. Not on bracing for bumps.

A piezoelectric, or piezo, is a ceramic material that can be mamipulated with electricity. In other words, shock the valve with a bit of juice and it opens; cut off the current and it snaps shut. The result is increased tire-to-ground contact, letting you concentrate on riding. Not bracing for bumps.

Smart Shock
With conventional shocks, damping has always been a compromise: Set it up stiff, and the bike performs poorly in trail chatter. Set it up plush for rocks and roots, and you risk getting spit off on high-speed impacts. Smart Suspension maintains control in all speed and terrain extremes by compensating for any impact in the blink of an eye.
  • Standard 9V battery (20hrs of on-bike run time)
  • Sealed against the elements - designed to withstand a beating
  • One year warranty
  • Rebuildable, just like other Noleen shocks
  • Functions like a NR-2 if batteries die
  • Available exclusively on K2 and Noleen products
 

Download a Smart Shock Tech Sheet
smartshock.pdf (269kb)

ASME article on SmartShock Technology from the March 1998 issue of Mechanical Engineering

Press release from ACX, the producers of the electronics component of the Smart Shock