Neopos – A New Air Spring Tuning Approach From Formula

Formula just showed off a very innovative air spring tuning system. As opposed to using hard plastic volume reducers, the Italian brand uses softer spacers which compress under pressure, thus evening out the progression curve. It’s over our heads, but well explained in the press release below. We look forward to testing these out…

[Press Release]

Neopos is a technology that represents the next evolutionary step in air suspension, a cutting-edge innovation that will change your riding experience for the better. Neopos stands for “new positive”, a technology that improves the behavior of the fork’s positive air chamber. In R&D since 2011, Neopos will allow your air fork to reach a level of comfort, response and predictability unimaginable before this time.

Every great innovation must also be simple to use, the Neopos system has been developed with this in mind. This new evolutionary stage of air suspension is now available to all riders.

A more linear curve, using all the available travel.

Neopos is not simply a volume spacer, rather, the Neopos completely changes the concept of a volume spacer. Thanks to the fact that it can be compressed, the Neopos makes it possible to make the air fork’s progression curve more linear, thus avoiding the excessive progressivity given by the traditional volume spacers without giving up the much-needed support in the middle of the travel. With the Neopos you get all the support of a traditional volume spacer halfway through the travel, but without the abrupt ramp in the final part of the compression curve. The progression curve will always remain gradual, allowing you to use all the available travel of your fork.

A gradual and optimal increase of the air pressure level.

Thanks to its physical and mechanical characteristics, the Neopos allows for results that until today were unthinkable for air suspensions. While the fork is working, the Neopos inside the positive chamber will compress, thus allowing a gradual and optimal increase of the air pressure level. A result that can not be achieved with a traditional air suspension or with an air suspension that uses rigid volume spacers

The response of a traditional air suspension is not constant.

The Neopos is not simply a “more effective” volume spacer, in fact, the heart of Neopos technology makes it something completely new. The progression curve of an air suspension is not independent of compression speed. As the compression speed changes, the air also varies in its response. In a riding situation, where the compression speeds change continuously, the response of a traditional air suspension will, therefore, neither be constant over time or 100% predictable. Simply put, it will be perceived as being more nervous than a coil spring.

A coil spring response is always predictable.

In a coil spring, the situation is completely different. In fact, the coil spring always gives the same response to the same applied force and it is completely independent of the compression speed. This results in the overall feeling of comfort and safety that usually coil spring suspension forwards to the rider. The coil spring, being always constant in the response, makes the suspension more predictable, transferring a greater sense of control to the rider

Neopos’ expansion time is always constant over time.

The physical characteristic of the Neopos is that of a slow expansion time which is always constant, i.e. it is independent of the compression speed. No matter how fast the Neopos compress, the expansion time will always be constant over time. If the suspension is subjected to a high compression speed, the Neopos will compress quickly but will still expand slower than the compression speed. For this reason, the real advantages of the Neopos technology can be appreciated on graphs showing the entire compression/extension work cycle of a suspension.

In a coil spring, the force returned is always constant.

In a coil spring the force returned by the suspension to the rider, both in compression and in extension, is always constant because it does not depend on the frequencies to which the suspension is subjected. At the frequencies to which normally a suspension is subjected, a compression/extension cycle of a coil spring at the same load, will be the same both at high speeds and at low speeds.

With Neopos, the response of an air suspension tend to be more constant.

In an air suspension, with or without a volume spacer, the force returned to the rider, both in compression and in extension, is not constant because it depends on the frequencies to which normally a suspension is subjected. Thanks to the operation of the Neopos, the response of the suspension it will tend to be more constant. The consequence is that the Neopos tends to make the compression/extension cycle more independent of the frequencies of the suspension while working which, in a riding situation, vary continuously. The result will be a more constant, predictable and comfortable air suspension. Meaning, more like that of a coil spring suspension comfort.

Compatible with all Formula 35mm air forks.

The Neopos can be used with all Formula air forks with a stanchion diameter of 35mm (Selva, Nero R, Thirty-Five). A maximum of 3 Neopos can be used regardless of fork travel. As of May 2018, all Nero R forks will be supplied with two Neopos in the positive chamber. Since the 3Air System of the Nero R allows customizing the progression curve in the smallest detail, it will not be necessary to add or remove Neopos in this fork. In the Nero R, the Neopos has the function of making the response of the air suspension more comfortable.

Set of 3 Neopos Suggested retail price: € 29,00 | $ 36,00 Availability: IMMEDIATELY

Formula