FOX Transfer Neo Factory Seatpost

The wireless dropper post market has been heating up lately, with several new entrants throwing their hats in the ring. Fox is the latest to join the party, and they’ve definitely come out swinging. By thinking outside the box, they’ve developed a dropper post that offers the fastest actuation in the industry at present, coupled with lower stack height thanks to the unusual placement of the wireless controller unit on the seat post. They’re also making the post in the three main diameters with plenty of travel options. What does all this translate to on the trail? Keep reading to find out!

Fox Transfer Neo Highlights

• Ultra-low latency wireless protocol, 26 milliseconds from lever press to post movement
• Designed for short stack height = 47mm from bottom of the controller to center of saddle rails, with same post head as the Transfer V3 non-wireless dropper
• Battery/controller placed for maximum tire clearance
• 100mm, 125mm, 150mm, 175mm and 200mm drop options in 30.9mm and 31.6mm
• 125mm, 150mm, 175mm and 200mm options in 34.9mm (with bespoke lower and upper tube sizes)
• Air pressure externally adjustable via Schraeder valve
• Remote lever ships with three clamping options; standard 22.2mm, MatchMaker, and I-Spec EV
• Shake to wake function (no power button required)
• 30-40 hrs of main battery life (1.5 hrs charge time from empty to full)
• Manual activation option on controller if lever battery should die while on a ride
• Remote lever runs on CR2032 battery (good for approx. 12 months of use)
• IPX7 waterproof rating of both post and lever (protection against immersion in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes)
• Phone app tracks hours and number of actuations, alerts when post is due for service, and gives access to Bike Park and Transport mode activation
• Factory Series Transfer Neo MSRP: $859 USD / $1149 CAD / €1100.00 EUR (excl. VAT) - price includes: Transfer Neo post, lever, battery, charger, cable, and clamping options
• Neo Spare Battery MSRP: $79 USD / $106 CAD / €76.75 EUR (excl. VAT)
• Spare Charger and Cable MSRP: $49 USD / $69 CAD / €61.25 EUR (excl. VAT)

Initial Impressions

Let’s start things off by addressing the elephant in the room, or should we say the bulge on the mast. Sure to draw the eyes when you first inspect the Transfer Neo, that square block at the top of the base is in fact the controller unit that all the other wireless dropper post makers have stashed up under the saddle (so far, at least…). Yes, it looks a bit ungainly, but also yes, it does get better with time. It’s grown on us to the point of not bothering us anymore, although it would still be a stretch to say it looks particularly good. But why did it end up there in the first place? When Fox set about developing the Transfer Neo, they were attempting to address several requests from pro riders and the general riding public alike. Lower stack height (and by extension, the ability to fit a longer travel dropper) was high on the list, and that’s what led the developers to think outside the box (somewhat ironically leading to the genesis of a box-like appendage in an unusual spot).

By using the flat square shape, oriented horizontally as opposed to vertically, Fox gained almost 2 centimeters of extra clearance up top when compared with the other dropper post players. Coupled with the very compact dimensions of their latest dropper post head (inherited from the new Transfer 3), this means that you can squeeze more travel out of your Transfer Neo than you would with a Reverb AXS, TranzX EDP01, or KS Lev Circuit – at least if the limiting factor for you and your frame is the space available between the top of your seat tube and the saddle rails (what we call the “collar to rail” number when comparing dropper posts). If the insertion depth is what’s holding you back, the Transfer Neo is still pretty long overall. The “collar to base” number is about 20 mms longer at the same travel when compared to the shortest mechanical posts available today, and even 30 mms longer than the TranzX post which is very short in that aspect (if we normalize the travel). Here’s a table comparing the Transfer Neo to a few wireless rivals as well as the top mechanical posts.

The next important requirement in the design brief was actuation speed. Fox took this challenge to heart, and in order to produce the absolute least amount of wireless lag they could, they came up with their very own wireless protocol – you won’t be all that surprised to hear that it’s called “Neo”. Will it eventually help us tear down The Matrix? Time will tell, but what you need to know for now is that it’s 100x faster than Bluetooth and 20x faster than the closest competitor, per Fox’s own claim. Looking through the documentation for the Transfer Neo we also found some references to “the Neo system”, which would lead us to believe that the same protocol will also be used to connect to potential future electronic suspension from Fox (and ultimately bring down a whole parallel universe simulation via dial-up modem, for the movie fans out there…).

Examining our test samples of the new post, we found a very well made product. The materials are the same as those found on the latest generation mechanical Transfer (which we are currently also testing with good results so far), including the shiny Kashima coat on the stanchion (there is also a non-Kashima version available, but that one is OEM only). As previously mentioned, the dimensions of the post head are very compact, and we love the fact that we get a proper two-bolt head here as opposed to the side-mounted clamps found on the other wireless droppers – the classic two-bolt design is stronger and more reliable in our experience. The main dust seal can easily be accessed with just a flathead screwdriver if you need to regrease it between service intervals. The air spring pressure can be adjusted via an external Schraeder valve, to increase or reduce the return speed.

The lever is a compact unit that was designed to sit as close to the handlebar as possible – another rider request that was part of the design brief. The lever blade itself has a tactile element to it, with a very short throw and a two-step “haptic” feel to it that is meant to ensure the rider knows exactly when the post has been activated. Fox ships the lever with three clamping options; a 22.2 mm standalone clamp, a MatchMaker perch and an I-Spec EV perch. Both the post and the lever are IPX7 rated (meaning they can withstand being submerged at 1 meter’s depth for up to 30 minutes). The coin cell battery is said to be good for up to "12 months" of riding, and is of course easily replaceable when the time comes.

Since it’s electronic to begin with, the Transfer Neo gets its own app, too, called “Fox Bike” in the App Store – and yes, it includes a prompt to connect a shock in the future as well. The app allows you to track the usage of your Neo dropper, and will tell you when it’s time for service. The post actually keeps track of how much you use your dropper, and will recommend service after 8000 actuations (note that “actuation” here means “pushing the lever” – it doesn’t know if you actually moved the post or not, we tested that aspect because we were curious). There's even a handy way to request service for your post (or shock or fork) directly via the app.

The Transfer Neo also has two additional cool features that are accessible via the app. Bike Park Mode turns the post off and disables the “Shake-to-Wake” function until you reactivate it, either by pressing the lever four times in rapid succession or by removing and reinstalling the battery. Transport Mode also turns the post off, but with a different method for waking it up again: drop the bike onto its rear wheel from at least one foot of height, letting it bounce, then press the lever within one minute. Furthermore, the controller features a “manual” activation mode (accessed by pressing and holding the controller button) which allows you to open and close the post if the lever’s battery should die on you mid-ride. Pretty useful features, several of which are not offered by other wireless posts at present.

On The Trail

We received two posts about a month ago, and we installed them on two different bikes to test them out – Johan went with the 175 mm version while Jonny opted for the 200 mm. Installing a wireless dropper is, of course, blissfully easy. No cable routing to worry about, just plop the post into the frame, install your saddle, and mount the lever to your handlebar. Job done.

With the Transfer Neo, we should point out one little quirk we stumbled upon during this phase, namely the way the lever attaches itself to the handlebar mount. The Neo ships with three different mounting options; the classic 22.2 mm standalone clamp, as well as MatchMaker and I-Spec EV mounts. There’s a little twist with the Fox MatchMaker mount here however: it takes the place of the WHOLE mount, which means you can only attach it to a SRAM brake. Many other MatchMaker compatible levers will fit straight into the MatchMaker mount itself, which opens up the door to fit to other brake brands. In our testing for example, Johan was unable to fit the Neo lever to the MatchMaker-compatible mount on his Hope brakes, and had to resort to using the standalone clamp instead. Definitely a first-world problem, but still worth taking note of if you pray at the altar of the church of ultra-clean cockpit. Once installed, the Neo lever offers side-to-side adjustability thanks to the slotted design of the interface. We were able to find a very natural place for it on both our test bikes, and we appreciate how discretely it tucks itself under the handlebar/brake lever.

Once out on the trail, we quickly got used to the new set-up. The lever has a very positive feel to it, with a little haptic half-step before the activation point, kinda like when your brakes hit the pad contact point but you haven’t really started slowing down yet. The lever throw is of course much shorter than with a mechanical post, and this is one of our favorite features of a wireless dropper. We wouldn’t go so far as to say it saves energy, but it’s very satisfying to be able to activate the dropper with such little effort. Once you engage the lever, the transmission is instantaneous and the dropper valve opens and closes very, very quickly. Ranking the Fox lever among the other wireless contenders, we’d put it right at the top. The action is a bit heavier than some others, and this translates to a very positive feeling in action. SRAM’s AXS Pod shifter requires less button travel, so you could argue it’s slightly more direct in this sense, but we really like the feel of the Fox Neo lever. As for the wireless posts from TranzX and KS, their levers are both a little less sophisticated in terms of finish and actuation, although they ultimately get the job about as well.

The return speed of the Neo post is very fast, and there’s a solid “thunk” at the end of the travel in both directions. This makes it very easy to know when your post has reached full extension (which is very soon after you press the lever). Dropping the post is relatively easy, although there’s a fair bit of resistance at the end of the travel as the internal pressure ramps up. You can lower the air pressure a bit if you want even lighter drop action and slightly slower return speed. Compared to the Reverb AXS, we’d say that the Neo requires about 20% less force to compress, while actuation and return speed are pretty similar. The TranzX post is notably slower to return, although the actuation is instant and fast. The KS has the slowest actuation/wireless transmission speed of the four wireless posts we’ve ridden so far (but fast and solid return speed).

Manipulating the Neo post to stop it somewhere in the middle of the travel is quite intuitive, thanks to the very quick open/close action of the remote and the valve. It will close fully mere fractions of a second after you release the lever, so there’s no vagueness or wait here. We will say that a good mechanical post offers the ability to modulate the return speed with the lever, which can be useful when trying to find that middle position in tricky terrain, but you’ll soon get the hang of it with the digital “on/off” version too.

We have only been testing our two samples for about a month, so it’s too early to give any kind of definitive feedback in regards to reliability. All signs are still pointing in the right direction however. The post has very minimal side-to-side play, and the air spring is completely solid so far. You can lift the bike by the saddle in any position, without any signs of the post starting to leak air or sag. The head is incredibly sturdy, and holds the saddle exactly where you want it without any unwanted creaks or slippage in any direction. The Transfer Neo gets the same internals as the mechanical Transfer V3, which we have been testing for a few months now with similarly excellent results, so we’d expect good things in terms of reliability with the Transfer Neo as well. Battery life seems good, certainly in line with the stated capacity. You can stay on top of the actual percentages via the app, but there is also a two-stage warning system which will let you know when the levels are dropping via different LED colors on the controller. Press the lever, and if the main controller unit’s battery is below 20%, it will blink yellow, below 10% and it blinks red (and keeps blinking red to draw your attention to it). The controller can also warn you with a different yellow blinking sequence if the lever’s battery is running low (the lever itself also has a LED but for some reason, it is not used to monitor the lever’s battery level).

What’s The Bottom Line?

Nobody “needs” a wireless dropper, but if you’re a fan of the de-cluttered cockpit and you like the very short, direct action of a wireless lever, you’ll be stoked to know that Fox has just added a very competitive option to consider. The Transfer Neo features lower stack height than its competitors, and it also ticks all the boxes with regards to dimension: 30.9, 31.6, and 34.9 are all covered, with travel options ranging from 100 to 200 mm. Actuation speed is top notch, thanks to Fox’s own, ultra-fast “Neo” wireless protocol, and the post itself benefits from the same smooth action and snappy return speed as its mechanical brethren. Yes, the price is pretty high indeed, but Fox really turned over every stone in search of performance from both the post and the accompanying app, and we feel that you get what you pay for here.

More information at: www.ridefox.com.

About The Reviewers

Johan Hjord - Age: 51 // Years Riding MTB: 19 // Weight: 190-pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)

Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.

Jonathon Simonetti - Age: 30 // Years Riding MTB: 21 // Weight: 230-pounds (97.5 kg) // Height: 6’4” (1.93m)

Jonny started mountain biking in 2003 after a trip to Northstar showed him how much more could be ridden on 26” wheels than on a BMX bike. He began racing downhill in 2004 and raced for 12 years until ultimately deciding having fun on a bike was more important than race results. After working as a mechanic in the industry for a few years and developing a deeper understanding of bikes inside and out, he has an aptitude for pairing his riding ability with the analysis of bikes and breaking down what makes them work well. He spends most of his time between trail rides and skatepark sessions, with occasional days on the downhill bike.

Photos by Johan Hjord and Jonny Simonetti