AI suspension you say? Well sort of…..
RockShox recently unveiled some key additions to their stella 2025 suspension fork and shock line-ups, which was headlined by an all-new Charger 3.1 fork damper and the much anticipated arrival of the Vivid Coil rear shock. And today, in a quest to up the ante of performance and trail speed even further, RockShox are announcing that they’ve taken those all-new 2025 suspension units and supercharged each of them with the most advanced Flight Attendant systems the brand has ever put into production.
RockShox debuted ‘Flight Attendant’ back in 2021 as a revolutionary fully wireless electronically actuated suspension damping control system. Our test team spent a lot of time riding and learning the ins and outs of that original gear, which in case you missed it you can check out here.
Adaptive Ride Dynamics
Adaptive Ride DynamicsNow though, what is it that promises to make this new version of Flight Attendant perform even better than its extremely impressive predecessor? Well, this new version boasts an ‘Ai’ like feature which not only predicts the trail in front of you and adjusts the bike’s suspension compression damping to suit, it now also ‘learns’ from how the rider rides and tailors the systems settings to perfectly match their riding style. It is important to point out that RockShox does clearly state that Flight Attendant does not actually use Artificial Intelligence in their system but rather a finely tuned algorithm to make decisions based on current trail conditions and rider preferences.
RockShox have nicknamed this new feature ‘Adaptive Ride Dynamics’ and it works by enabling the Flight Attendance system’s algorithm to learn how you ride to continuously personalise your suspension.
It compiles data from your previous rides to precisely calculate your personalised Effort Zones. The algorithm continually collects fresh data and automatically updates as you ride. Or in other words, this new Flight Attendant has the ability to make any rider instantly faster out on the trail by improving the bikes handling and efficiency, and all without the rider needing to have any impute other than to enjoy the experience!
Just how much of an advantage?
An example of how effective the system works can be observed from the results of ‘real life’ field test sessions that RockShox carried out during the development process of the new gear. They found that Flight Attendant rider’s average speed was 1.8% faster when compared to those same riders using a manual system. 1.8% reads like a small gain but it suggests that in a 90-minute XC World Cup race, a rider on Flight Attendant could have a 96-second advantage. Imagine finishing a few laps of your local trails one and a half minutes ahead of your riding buddies without having to put in any extra effort? F*k yes to that!
3-Position Dampening
Flight Attendant components feature three-position compression damping that automatically switches from an efficient Lock position to a supportive Pedal position for optimal traction to an Open position for big hits and rocky, rooty descents. Flight Attendant knows exactly which setting is the ultimate setting for every inch of trail that you’ll be riding.
And remember, Flight Attendance’s crazy smart system switches between the three distinct compressions without needing any rider imput – there’s no levers to flick, buttons to constantly push, no reason to take your hands off of your grips.
How fast do the sensors open the damping? And how long does it take to lock the damper out?
How fast do the sensors open the damping? And how long does it take to lock the damper out?This will blow your mind – the system analyses terrain and rider input and makes suspension-position decisions every 5 milliseconds. For a frame of reference, the average time for a blink is between 300 and 400 milliseconds; so, in the time it takes to blink, Flight Attendant has made about 80 suspension state decisions based on input from the rider and terrain.
Say hello to the full range
RockShox will be offering the new Flight Attendant across 3 fork models: ZEB Ultimate Flight Attendant, Lyrik Ultimate Flight Attendant and Pike Ultimate Flight Attendant. It will also be offered in 3 rear shock models: Super Deluxe Ultimate Flight Attendant, Vivid Ultimate Flight Attendant and Vivid Coil Ultimate Flight Attendant.
Can you buy Flight Attendant aftermarket?
Yes (thank God), unlike the original Flight Attendant range that was only sold on complete bikes, with this new 2025 range RockShox are offering each component individually. However, be sure to note that at a minimum, the system requires a Flight Attendant-equipped fork, rear shock, and pedalling sensor to function. There is no fork-only Flight Attendant option at this time.
Stay tuned
There are so many more features and tech within the new Flight Attendant range which we haven’t touched on here, so be sure to watch this space over the coming weeks for plenty more coverage of the 2025 Flight Attendant line-up. [R]