Fox Switch Neo Overview | GearJunkie Examined

The FOX Switch Neo is the long-lasting model’s first entry into the wi-fi dropper publish market. It ups the ante with extra drop, the newest tech, and glorious efficiency — for a value.

The Neo relies on the identical design as the newest model of the cable-actuated Switch and has FOX’s signature Kashima-gold bling. With a 200mm size possibility and a shorter stack top, it additionally provides extra drop and simpler fitment than its important wi-fi competitor. 

With this dropper, FOX debuted its Neo wi-fi system, which it claims is “the quickest wi-fi protocol in biking.” At $859, it’s orders of magnitude dearer than cable-actuated posts however akin to different wi-fi choices.

Over the previous 3 months, I examined the FOX Switch Neo for 65 hours and 1,082 actuations — it retains monitor. I’ve had ample alternative to see the way it performs and if it’s definitely worth the hefty price ticket. 

In brief: FOX might have proven up late to the wi-fi sport, however it got here to win. Whereas the Switch Neo’s seems could also be polarizing, I really feel the flawless efficiency greater than makes up for it. Sure, it’s very costly, and no, you don’t want it. However in case you’ve acquired cash to burn, the Switch Neo units a brand new commonplace and is arguably the very best dropper publish cash can purchase. 

Out there for a dropper publish? You may learn concerning the newest and best choices in our complete information to the very best dropper posts.

Fox Switch Neo Overview

It’s been 6 years since SRAM/RockShox launched the Reverb AXS and kicked off the wi-fi MTB element revolution in earnest. That mannequin rapidly turned the benchmark for wi-fi droppers and has had little competitors till just lately. 

I’ve ridden with the Reverb AXS on many alternative take a look at bikes through the years and have been usually impressed by its efficiency — even when I by no means thought it was good. So, I used to be very excited to strive the newest possibility from Fox to see the way it in contrast. 

I obtained the Switch Neo in October and promptly mounted it on my on a regular basis path bike. It’s winter right here in Reno, Nev., so I’ve spent loads of hours on the coach and gravel bike. However, based on the Fox Bike app, I’ve logged 65 hours of trip time and 1,082 actuations of the publish to this point.

What’s within the Field?

The Switch Neo is available in an extended rectangular field containing the publish and a smaller field with the opposite components. The smaller field comprises the wi-fi distant, battery, battery charger, USB-C charging twine, and three distant mount choices. Quite a few scannable QR codes immediate you to obtain the FOX Bike app.

FOX additionally features a printed instruction handbook and a small tube of stanchion grease. Every part was clearly labeled and neatly packaged with just about no plastic.

Set up

Probably the most apparent advantages of wi-fi droppers is ease of set up, and the Switch Neo was as straightforward because it will get. With no cable or housing to route by means of the body, it solely took about 10 minutes. In reality, it took me longer to take away the outdated publish, cable, housing, and distant than it did to put in the Neo.

Whereas it isn’t essential to arrange or use the publish, I additionally downloaded the FOX Bike app. Downloading the app and organising an account solely took a few minutes. Then, I let the app information me by means of the pairing course of, which concerned pushing buttons on the publish and distant. Past the preliminary wi-fi pairing, I discovered the app helpful in different methods.

After pairing the distant and publish, I simply needed to slide the publish into the seat tube and fasten the distant to the handlebar. Fox contains the three hottest mounting choices with the publish, together with Shimano I-spec EV, SRAM Matchmaker, and an ordinary 22.2mm bar clamp.

For riders utilizing Shimano or SRAM brakes — which is most individuals — this ensures compatibility and a clear cockpit. It additionally means you gained’t by accident order the unsuitable one or must shell out much more money for an adapter. Even in case you swap bikes or brake manufacturers down the road, you’ll have a mount that can work.

In fact, I additionally needed to connect my saddle. With the acquainted two-bolt clamp — similar because the cable-actuated Switch — this was fast and simple. Just like the non-electric Switch, you may as well modify the air stress and return pace of the Neo. A Schrader valve beneath the saddle clamp might be adjusted between 275 and 325 psi to match your desire.

FOX Switch Neo Fitment

By way of fitment, the Switch Neo’s design and sizing choices tackle a few of the important complaints concerning the present RockShox Reverb AXS. A kind of is drop size. Whereas the Reverb tops out at 170 mm, the Switch Neo goes as much as 200 mm. This makes it one of many longest wi-fi choices available on the market and provides attraction to these with lengthy legs, like me. 

Along with the 200mm size, the Switch Neo is available in 100, 125, 150, and 175 mm of drop. All three seatpost diameters — 30.9, 31.6, and 34.9 mm — are coated, however the 100mm size solely is available in 30.9 and 31.6 mm. 

With the battery and controller built-in across the publish’s collar, Fox was capable of hold the stack top pretty low. At 47 mm, it’s 11 mm taller than the nonelectric Switch, however it’s a good bit shorter than the Reverb AXS’s 65mm stack. This could theoretically make it simpler for some riders to suit an extended publish and maximize drop size, comparatively talking.

The Switch Neo requires a bit extra seat tube actual property than most mechanical droppers. That is due partially to the place of the motor on the base of the publish, which provides 37.4 mm to the insertion depth and general size. That mentioned, the max insertion depth of 322.6 mm for my 31.6 x 200mm publish is almost similar to that of the 210mm Switch. However that publish has 10 mm of further journey. 

Not like its cable-actuated counterpart, the Switch Neo doesn’t have adjustable journey. Which means that riders can’t cut back the publish’s journey to optimize match. What you get is what you get. Whereas the stack top is affordable, the longer insertion depth may current match challenges on some frames. It’s at all times value double-checking insertion depths and doing the calculations to make sure that it would suit your bike.

The FOX Switch Neo on the Path

For $859, you’d be proper to anticipate perfection. Fortuitously, the Switch Neo’s on-trail efficiency was unbelievable. Compression and extension have been remarkably {smooth}, with a fast return and dependable operation always. The ergonomics of FOX’s wi-fi distant and the pace of actuation have been additionally highlights.

I’ve spent a good period of time using with the newest model of the non-electric Switch. In some methods, the Neo carried out so equally that I’d have a tough time telling them aside. It dropped simply beneath my weight with a barely damped really feel on the finish of its journey that resisted harsh bottoms outs. It prolonged in a short time with an audible “thunk” on the high. 

Not like earlier variations of Switch droppers, the Neo hasn’t had any side-to-side play. My take a look at publish by no means developed any sag, and it continues to work as easily after 1,000 actuations because it did the day I put it on my bike.

Considered one of my favourite elements of the Switch Neo was the distant. It has the acquainted form and place of most cable-actuated distant levers. Basically, it’s a lever-shaped button, and it solely wants to maneuver a few millimeters to actuate the publish. Urgent it took virtually zero effort. Not that pushing mechanical publish remotes is tough, however this was a lot simpler as compared. 

Considered one of FOX’s massive claims concerning the Neo system is its wi-fi transmission pace. It has been dubbed the “quickest wi-fi protocol in biking.” Supposedly, it’s 100x sooner than Bluetooth and 20x sooner than the direct competitors — presumably SRAM’s AXS. They are saying this equates to 26 milliseconds between urgent the distant and actuating the publish.

Now, I’ve at all times thought-about the Reverb AXS to be fast and simple to actuate. However that was evaluating it to cable-actuated posts. Unscientifically, I can say the Switch Neo was lightning-fast. The response was mainly instantaneous, with no discernable lag in any way. 

Was it sooner than AXS? It appeared that option to me. However with out specialised tools, it could be very arduous to quantify how a lot sooner it truly is.

With mechanical dropper posts, I’m already susceptible to adjusting my saddle top at each undulation on the path. The Switch Neo’s transmission pace — together with the form and quick throw of the lever — made it simpler than ever to make micro-adjustments to saddle top.

Battery Life

Like every wi-fi element, the Switch Neo has batteries — one for the publish and one for the distant. The wi-fi distant makes use of a reasonably commonplace CR2032 coin-cell battery. FOX says it ought to final round 8 months earlier than needing to get replaced. These batteries are cheap and simple to search out. If the distant battery dies on a trip, the publish might be manually adjusted by urgent and holding the pairing button on the publish.

The publish itself makes use of a proprietary rechargeable lithium battery. FOX claims this battery lasts for round 30 hours of trip time. That appeared correct, as I charged mine twice for the 65 hours of using logged within the FOX Bike app. Most individuals ought to be capable of go 2 to three weeks between prices.

Coloured LEDs on the controller/battery mount present a visible reference of the battery cost when the battery is inserted. In any other case, the FOX Bike app displays the battery lifetime of the first and distant batteries. I discovered it best to examine the battery standing by means of the app.

Charging the totally depleted battery took roughly 1.5 hours and was very easy utilizing the included charger and USB-C twine.

FOX Bike App

The Switch Neo pairs with the FOX Bike app. Whereas the app isn’t vital to make use of the Switch Neo, FOX says it’s extremely beneficial. The app is required to get the newest firmware updates, and it has another helpful capabilities and options. 

I discovered the FOX Bike app to be easy and well-designed. It was straightforward to navigate and intuitive to make use of. Along with the Switch seatpost, the brand new Reside Valve Neo shocks will also be paired with the app for tuning, battery monitoring, and extra.

Along with monitoring battery life, the app retains monitor of trip time and the variety of post-actuations. This made it straightforward to know once I’d reached the essential mud wiper service at 1,000 actuations. It’ll take some time, however it ought to be very apparent once I’ve reached the beneficial manufacturing facility service interval of 8,000 actuations.

The Switch Neo’s Transport and Bike Park modes are additionally accessed by means of the app. Transport mode turns off the publish controller in order that it doesn’t “shake to wake” whereas in transit. I’ve been toggling the publish into Transport mode for longer drives, and it has helped preserve battery life. One may additionally take away the battery to attain the identical outcome.

Bike Park mode sounded fairly odd to me initially. After utilizing the Switch Neo for a bit, it made extra sense. This mode disables the distant lever, so that you don’t by accident elevate the publish once you actually don’t need to. Given how delicate and responsive the distant is, even a light-weight faucet from the thumb actuated the publish. If I used to be ripping downhill laps all day, I’d be inclined to show this mode on.

Service

In comparison with most dropper posts, the Switch Neo has a fairly lengthy service interval. Most manufacturers have advised trip time intervals — like 50 or 100 hours — to loosely decide when to service your publish. The FOX Bike app’s means to depend actuations make it extra exact and simple to know when it’s time for a rebuild.

Fox recommends cleansing and lubing beneath the mud wiper each 1,000 actuations. For me, that was round 60 hours of using, however it would fluctuate relying in your dropper utilization. This process was easy sufficient to do at house, and FOX features a small tube of Slick Honey lube with the publish. 

FOX recommends a manufacturing facility service at 8,000 actuations. Primarily based on my charge of utilization, that ought to be round 480 hours of using. That’s a extremely very long time. You can even schedule your manufacturing facility service by means of the app. It even exhibits you the way a lot it would value — at the moment $115.

Look

Nearly all of destructive feedback I’ve seen concerning the Switch Neo have been associated to its look. The battery and controller are blocky and stick out a bit on the collar. The interruption of the in any other case comparatively straight line of the seatpost catches the attention, and there’s no means round it. I’ll admit that I used to be a bit delay by the distinctive seems at first.

With wi-fi dropper posts, the battery and electronics must go someplace. Till manufacturers can develop a option to home them internally, these components will find yourself on the surface of the publish. 

Whereas aesthetically polarizing, FOX’s choice to place them on the seat collar has a few advantages. It permits for a decrease stack top and gives extra tire clearance when full-suspension bikes are at most journey.

That is in comparison with the Reverb AXS, which has the motor and battery behind the publish’s head. Not solely is that publish’s stack top taller, however the battery has been identified to battle with rear tires on some frames.

I’ve grown used to it, however the Reverb AXS isn’t precisely probably the most engaging factor on this planet, both. I suppose it seems slightly extra conventional than the Switch, however the added bulk on the high of the publish is tough to disregard. See something sufficient occasions, although, and it turns into regular.

The identical goes for the Switch Neo. By the second or third take a look at trip, I finished noticing it and haven’t given it one other thought since. Yeah, it seems totally different, however it works so effectively that I couldn’t care much less. Nonetheless, I can see how people who find themselves very explicit about their bike’s look is perhaps turned off by it.

Weight

Wi-fi dropper posts are one element the place spending extra comes with a weight penalty. The Switch Neo isn’t any light-weight. I put my 31.6 x 200mm take a look at publish, distant, and the I-spec adapter on the size to confirm the load. 

The publish weighs 688 g, which is a good 3.44 g/mm journey. The lever weighs 45 g, and the I-spec adapter provides one other 16 g. The entire system weight is 749 g. 

For comparability, that’s solely 19 g heavier than the 170 mm Reverb AXS and distant, which has 30mm much less journey. So, whereas it might not massively undercut its main wi-fi competitors, it’s aggressive. In comparison with cable-actuated droppers of the identical measurement, nevertheless, the Switch Neo is a heavyweight. 

On the identical scale, the 31.6 x 200mm Wolf Tooth Resolve rev. 2 weighs 604 g (publish and distant lever). That’s 145 g lighter, and it sells for lower than half the worth. Equally, the 31.6 x 213 mm Bike Yoke Revive 3.0 weighs 665 g (publish and distant lever). That’s 84 g lighter with 13 mm extra journey and, once more, lower than half the worth. For each of those examples, you’ll want so as to add a number of grams for the cable and housing, however they’ll nonetheless be lighter than wi-fi posts.

FOX Switch Neo: How Does It Evaluate?

I’ve already drawn many comparisons to the RockShox Reverb AXS. Given its historical past and recognition, the Reverb is the benchmark wi-fi dropper. It’s additionally a product that I’ve used many occasions and am fairly aware of. I haven’t used the KS LEV Circuit, Magura Vyron, or TranzX EDP01, so I can’t touch upon their efficiency. That mentioned, I haven’t actually heard any glowing opinions of any of them, both.

So, which is healthier? It relies upon. For starters, the Switch Neo appealed extra to me just because it’s 200 mm lengthy. I additionally most well-liked the Neo’s shorter stack top, which may turn out to be useful if I used to be making an attempt to squeeze probably the most drop attainable on a body. 

I used to be additionally an enormous fan of the Switch Neo’s distant and super-quick actuation. Not that utilizing different wi-fi or mechanical droppers was difficult or too gradual, however the Neo’s responsiveness was in a league of its personal.

Insertion size was mainly a attract my eyes, as each posts are on the longer aspect. Weight is roughly even — each are heavier than a lot of the cable-actuated competitors. Price can be almost similar, with the $859 value of the Switch Neo undercutting the Reverb AXS by simply $2.

One factor the Reverb has going for it’s integration with different elements within the AXS ecosystem — like Flight Attendant suspension. On the Yeti ASR that I examined, the dropper and the suspension settings may each be managed from the identical AXS Pod.

Nonetheless, the Switch Neo’s 200mm size, distant design, super-quick actuation, and excellent efficiency made it my decide. To me, it’s the brand new benchmark for wi-fi droppers. The Reverb AXS is lengthy overdue for an replace, nevertheless, so we’ll see how lengthy that holds true.

Who’s It For?

The argument for wi-fi dropper posts is a tenuous one. Like different digital mountain bike elements, nobody wants a wi-fi dropper — not when cable-actuated fashions work rather well, are lighter, extra “normal-looking,” and considerably inexpensive. Certain, wi-fi droppers are fancy and funky, however they’re a distinct segment product and a complete splurge. 

Many individuals need wi-fi droppers, and I feel having extra choices to select from is a superb factor for these riders. Competitors additionally drives innovation, and that’s obvious with the Switch Neo. FOX’s Neo wi-fi system is extremely fast, app integration is stable, and the publish simply labored rather well.

It might be a bit heavier, longer, and fewer aesthetically pleasing than most cable-actuated choices. However the Switch Neo’s ease of actuation, responsiveness, and consistency have been actually top-notch. Past the load penalty, that is the very best dropper publish that I’ve ever used.

In fact, $859 is rather a lot to pay when extra inexpensive choices weigh much less and carry out the identical perform. Clearly, the FOX Switch Neo gained’t be for everybody. However, in case you can afford it, I doubt you’ll be upset by its efficiency, and also you’ll get used to the way in which it seems.