We Tested a $3,000 Suspension Telemetry System: Here's What Happened

James Moore · 2026-10-02

Professional data acquisition has been standard practice in the World Cup for years, helping riders shave off the last hundredths of a second from their suspension. But can amateur riders actually benefit from technology that costs around $3,000? We spent months testing the BYB Tech Telemetry V3 Pro system on real trails to find out. If you want to compete at the sharp end of today's Downhill, Enduro, or Cross Country World Cup, instinct alone won't cut it anymore. Delicate cables and small data boxes are now a common sight on race bikes, recording every movement of fork and shock with millisecond precision. Among the leaders in this field is BYB Tech, based in Italy. Founded by former Elite Masters downhill champion and automation engineer Enrico Rodella, the small team has grown from a Kickstarter campaign in 2018 into a top telemetry supplier on the World Cup circuit. Today, the company runs with three full-time employees and one part-time team member, delivering data insights once available only to a handful of professional teams. So why bother? Isn't a good feel for the bike and the classic rubber O-ring on the fork stanchion enough? BYB Tech claims their V3 Pro system turns subjective impressions into reliable data, making suspension setup both understandable and repeatable. But does this flood of data justify the hefty price tag? And more importantly, can you make sense of the analysis without a degree in aerospace engineering? ### What's Included and What It Measures For the substantial price of $2,799 (excluding VAT), you get a system with an IP65 rating, meaning it's resistant to dust and water spray. At its core is the central data acquisition unit, which processes data at frequencies up to 1,000 Hz—that's 1,000 measurements per second. - **V3 Pro data acquisition unit:** stores all measurement data and features a three-axis accelerometer and a gyroscope - **Two linear potentiometers:** measure suspension travel on the fork and shock - **Brake sensors:** detect when the brakes are applied - **External GPS receiver:** records your route and speed - **Magnetic wheel sensor:** measures wheel speed with high precision directly at the wheel - **Comprehensive mounting hardware** If you want to dive even deeper, the unit can pair via ANT+ or Bluetooth with external sensors like heart rate monitors and power meters. Action cameras can be synchronized too, allowing you to overlay telemetry data directly onto your video footage. This is a powerful feature—it lets you analyze exactly why a load spike occurred in a specific trail section, whether it was a riding mistake, poor line choice, or just an untidy landing. ### Installation: Zip Ties, Double-Sided Tape, and a Little Patience Installing the BYB Tech system for the first time calls for careful attention and some mechanical confidence. If you know what you're doing, fitting takes around 15 to 20 minutes. For first-timers, it can take considerably longer. Frame designs with the shock deep inside the down tube or routed through the seat tube require a more creative approach when mounting the shock sensor. On our test bikes, a Trek Fuel+ EX and a YT DECOY SN, installation was straightforward and trouble-free. For selected bike models, BYB provides dedicated mounting brackets as free downloadable 3D printing files, so you can print the required parts yourself. For most bikes, however, the supplied universal mounts are all you need. Everything is secured using cable ties and double-sided adhesive tape. > "We wanted to know if the data would actually help us ride faster, or if it would just be another gadget gathering dust." After months of testing, we found that the V3 Pro does deliver on its promises—but it's not for everyone. The learning curve is steep, and you need to be willing to invest time in analyzing the data. For serious racers or dedicated enthusiasts, it can be a game-changer. For casual riders, the cost and complexity might outweigh the benefits.