Öhlins unveil new shock technology with TTX Flow

Swedish suspension giants Öhlins are celebrating their 40th anniversary with a new shock technology they say is a clear step forward over existing suspension units.

The TTX Flow is a motocross shock that’s been designed to increase stability in the tough environments of off-road racing. But Öhlins say the technology inside the new shock could be explored for potential benefits in other forms of motorcycling.

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The new unit uses the firm’s TTX twin-tube set-up, which allows better regulation of forces caused by the compression or rebound stroke. But the new development is a system that directs attention to the internal chamber most in need of preparation for the next direction change.

Öhlins say the key to optimum suspension performance is allowing a unit to settle as quickly as possible after a movement. The aim is to quickly get back to a shock’s static pressure value, which is the same as when the bike is sat still.

The company say their new technology does this quicker than ever, allowing the TTX Flow to settle in less than 100th of a second after a hit. It has taken two years to develop and test and it has already seen action in motocross Grands Prix.

Öhlins are being careful not to give away too much about how their system works, but it essentially relies on a device inside the shock that regulates whether to reset on the rebound or compression side, depending on the external forces it has just been subjected to.

“We have tested it with our own test riders and also some ‘neutral’ test riders, and one of the neutral riders took it and used it in a Grand Prix,” Öhlins’ off-road product specialist Christopher Nilsson told MCN.

Nilsson explained that, because the TTX Flow is able to cope with a wider range of shock travel speeds, the new technology will benefit riders of all levels of motocross. Where an existing shock may need to be set up to work for a GP rider, making it less useful to the amateur, the new technology will be better able to cope with both riding styles.

Öhlins have also worked on the user-friendliness of the new shock with developments that will certainly appeal to the road rider. They have altered the preload adjustment to make it simpler to use and the damping adjusters have indicators to easily reveal the current settings.

The new shock is available for most main adult motocross and enduro bikes and there are a wide range of springs available in differing weights to suit the rider. The shock itself costs £910 and the springs are bought separately for £78.

www.ohlins.com

 

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