Linear position sensors for professional mountain bike set-up

Variohm EuroSensor VLP and ELPM used by UCI Mountain Bike World Champion

As in all areas of elite sports, teams and competitors go to great lengths to ensure their equipment set-up is optimised for the best possible performance levels. This is certainly the case for Loic Bruni, the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials Downhill World Champion. Loic and his French team have been using Variohm EuroSensor VLP and ELPM linear potentiometers to measure suspension-fork and frame shock absorber travel for more than three years. Fine tuning the set-up is critical and can make match- winning milliseconds of difference to the ‘sag’ of the bike – how it sits with the rider in real race conditions - and at the top end of the sport, dynamic measurement is essential.

The motorsports proven sensors have a pedigree for demanding harsh environment applications where long-life high reliability linear measurement is required. Available for travel lengths from 25 to 250 mm and with measurement linearity to 0.1%, the VLP and ELPM sensors feature conductive plastic resistance elements and multi-fingered precious metal wipers supported in an elastomer damped mechanism that ensures smooth and uninterrupted contact - even where the most arduous physical and environmental conditions are present. The VLP also benefits from a dual seal design that offers extended reliability.  

The 2016 UCI MTB World Championship started in Lourdes-France early in April and will visit venues as far afield as Canada. The tour includes Fort William in Scotland in June.

Variohm EuroSensor is a manufacturer, distributor and supply chain partner providing complete sales and application support across a comprehensive range of position, force, pressure, load, and temperature sensor technologies - for demanding measurement applications across industry, construction, agriculture, motorsports, research and more.