Mountain Bike Rear Suspension Design: Utilizing a Magnetorheological Damper for Active Vibration Isolation and Performance

This paper presents experimental results from the development of a rear suspension system that has been designed for a mountain bike. A magnetorheological (MR) damper is used to balance the need of ride comfort with performance characteristics such as handling and pedaling efficiency by using active control. A preliminary seven degree-of-freedom mathematical model has also been developed for the suspension system. Two control algorithms have been tested in this study: on/off control and proportional control. The rear suspension system has been integrated into an existing bike frame and tested on a shaker table as well as a mountain trail. Shaker table testing demonstrates the effectiveness of the damper. Trail testing indicates that the MR damper-based shock absorber can be used to implement different control algorithms. Test results indicate that the control algorithm can be further investigated to accommodate rider preferences and desired performance characteristics.