Get excited lovers of all things high-tech, because the Fox Transfer Neo is here! A brand new wireless dropper post, the Transfer Neo arrives as the long-awaited response to the RockShox Reverb AXS. Sure it may be five years behind its main competitor, but Fox is boasting a number of important wins including more travel, a lower stack height, greater tyre clearance and faster actuation. Of course it also comes with that blingy Kashima gold coating too.
What exactly sets it apart and what’s it like to use? We managed to get our dirty mitts on a couple of Transfer Neo droppers prior to the official launch to see why Fox is so excited about its first electronic dropper post.
An overview of the Fox Transfer Neo
The Fox Transfer Neo comes hot on the heels of the launch of the mechanical Transfer dropper post that was launched earlier this year. Structurally speaking, the two share a lot in common including the twin-bolt saddle clamp, updated IFP, adjustable air spring and metal-backed Ekanol bushings. As a result the Transfer Neo features the same super-light action and it’s designed to be easier to service than previous Transfers.
Available in 30.9, 31.6 and 34.9mm diameters, the Transfer Neo offers up to 200mm of travel. While it trumps the Reverb, it does falls short of the mechanical Transfer’s 240mm travel option. According to Fox, this was as much as it could physically fit in with the current cartridge design. Perhaps we’ll see a longer version in the future, but for the time being if you want a 240mm dropper from Fox it’ll have to be cable-activated.
Speedy wireless activation
Obviously it’s the wireless activation that represents the most intriguing aspect of the Fox Transfer Neo. Sure, electronic components aren’t every mountain biker’s cup of tea, but we’ll admit that we’re suckers for the ease of use and clean cockpit they provide. And because a wireless dropper is so easy to remove and install, it’s entirely possible to share the one post between multiple bikes, going some way to justify the higher cost over a cable-activated dropper.
The speedy action is also a key advantage of going electronic. Fox developed its own wireless protocol for the Transfer Neo, which is claimed to be 100x faster than Bluetooth. This reduces the lag between pressing the remove lever and activating the post so the saddle starts moving faster. How fast? 26 milliseconds according to Fox, or about five times faster than it takes for the average human eye to blink. Holy moley!
Rechargeable battery
Powering the tiny 7V motor is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that sits within the main control unit at the top of the post’s outer tube. The battery is Fox’s own design and is specific to the Transfer Neo. However, hidden in the press release is a line that states it also offers ‘compatibility for future Neo products’. We’ll leave you to speculate on that one…
The control unit is most definitely in the firing line of muddy spray from the rear tyre, though thick rubber seals around the terminals and underneath the battery help to provide a very snug fit when locking the battery in place. Fox states the Transfer Neo has received an IPX7 waterproof rating, which is for the entire post and not just the electronic controller.
When installing the battery a coloured LED will flash to indicate the current status. You’ll get between 30-40 hours of ride time before it needs recharging, which takes up to 90 minutes using the included charger and USB-C cable.
Helping to preserve the battery life, the Shake to Wake function sees the Transfer Neo going to sleep after five minutes of inactivity. The controller will then automatically turn back on when the bike begins moving again.
The Neo remote
Included with the Transfer Neo dropper post is the matching electronic remote lever. Housing a CR2032 coin cell battery and the necessary electronic gubbins, it’s designed to mimic the ergonomics and position of the mechanical Transfer remote. The paddle is smaller though, and the shorter throw means you can rotate it further underneath the bar to keep it tucked out of harms way.
There has clearly been a lot of attention paid to the actuator itself, which features plenty of haptic feedback thanks to a robust return spring and a defined ‘click’ that gives it a mechanical feel. Along with the textured rubber paddle, the Neo remote is an absolute pleasure to use.
Fox includes a standalone bar clamp with the remote, though as with the regular Transfer lever it can also be direct-mounted to a Shimano or SRAM brake using the relevant hardware.
Yep, there’s an app for that
Further functionality can be tapped into using the Fox Bike app. Once paired the app will display the current battery status for both the post and remote, and it can be used to download firmware updates as needed.
It also shows you how many times you’ve activated the dropper, which provides a new way to approach servicing and general maintenance. Rather than tracking riding hours, it’s now recommended to have the Transfer Neo serviced every 8,000 actuations. You’ll get a notification via the app, so riders are less likely to go beyond the service interval and cause any undue damage.
The app is also used to activate Bike Park Mode. This disables the dropper so you can’t accidentally bump the lever and extend the post while you’re flying through the air over a jump. You can turn it off by tapping the lever four times, or by using the app.
2025 Fox Transfer Neo price & specs
- Travel Options | 100mm, 125mm, 150mm, 175mm & 200mm
- Stack Height | 47mm
- Upper Tube | Black Anodised Alloy (Performance Elite), Kashima Coated Alloy (Factory Series)
- Outer Tube Diameter | 30.9mm, 31.6mm & 34.9mm
- Claimed Weight | 528g (30.9x100mm) – 800g (34.9x200mm)
- Price | $1,549 AUD (Factory Series)
Fox Transfer Neo installation
We’ve received two Fox Transfer Neo droppers to test out. Tom has a 175mm post on his Santa Cruz Megatower, and Wil has a 150mm post on his Pivot Switchblade. Both riders were ideally chasing the biggest 200mm travel post, but these were the only available options from Fox prior to the official launch.
It’s important to note that the stack height of the Transfer Neo is 11mm taller than the regular Transfer, so if you’re coming from that post you may not be able to run the same amount of travel. However, if you’re coming from a Reverb AXS then you may be able to squeeze in more travel due to the 18mm reduction in stack height.
As you’d expect, installation is ridiculously easy thanks to the wireless configuration. There’s no cable cutting or fishing around in the downtube required, and it’s super easy to pair the remote with the post. We’ve had no issues connecting both components to the Fox Bike app and have already used it to install a firmware update.
Tom has the Neo remote mounted directly to a SRAM Code brake lever, and Wil is using the standalone bar clamp. It’s a neat setup in both cases and there’s a good amount of lateral adjustability on offer.
Fox Transfer Neo weight
We were able to weigh our 150mm Fox Transfer Neo dropper, which came in at 644g for the post and 61g for the remote lever.
The total weight comes out to 705g, which is comparable with the RockShox Reverb AXS. It’s a bit lighter than the TranzX EPD01 wireless dropper, though there’s also a significant price difference.
On the trail
As we’ve already experienced with the latest cable-actuated Transfer, the action of the Transfer Neo is incredibly smooth and light. And without a cable in the way, the wireless version is even faster and more responsive. In fact, we’d say this is the slickest dropper post we’ve ever used.
There is basically no discernible lag between hitting the lever and the post beginning to move, and the sensitivity of the actuator mechanism allows you to make much smaller adjustments that can be really handy on a technical climb.
We’re big fans of the lever ergonomics with its tactile feel and defined click. The spring-backed lever means it doesn’t just feel like an on/off button, so you can give it a quick tap to make a small adjustment or a firmer push when you want a more drastic drop.
You still get that positive top-out thwack when the saddle returns to full extension, and we like that you can fine-tune the return speed by adjusting the air spring. Remove the saddle clamp to access to the main Schrader valve and use a regular shock pump to adjust pressure between 275-325psi.
Living in close proximity to the Whistler Bike Park, Tom has been using the Bike Park Mode a lot. While he’s yet to master tuck-no-handers, it’s nice to know that if you bump the lever in the air you won’t get ejected off the saddle. For those who do a lot of shuttle or lift-assisted riding, this will be a key safety feature.
Flow’s Early Verdict
It’s early days with the Fox Transfer Neo dropper post, but given the key internals are shared with the regular Transfer our expectations are high when it comes to overall durability. The way the app is able to track usage is also a great addition that will help riders stick to the proper service intervals.
As expected, the price is very high. It’s on par with the Reverb AXS, though it is literally double the price of a cable-activated Transfer. That’ll be too big of a jump for many folks, but given how popular the Reverb AXS has been we expect there’ll be plenty of riders keen to get their hands on the new Transfer Neo. In our experience it’s the fastest and smoothest dropper money can buy, and we have nothing but praise for the excellent lever ergonomics.
