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.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.