Mass dampers aren’t necessarily new. Well, in the world of mountain biking, yes, more so. But mass dampers have been used in buildings, bridges, and even cars and motorcycles for quite a while.
So, what is a mass damper doing? I’m certainly not an engineer, but the simplest explanation is that they help with vibration damping. My apologies for using a part of the name in the definition. Essentially, a weight is suspended between two springs, and this sprung mass (literally) absorbs vibrations.
As you can imagine, this means less vibration transferred to the rider.
What’s the rub? Well, we already have quite a few things helping to absorb vibrations. First, and likely the most obvious, is suspension, but there are also other items we don’t think of, such as the deformation of our tires. Even components like the wheels, handlebars, and frame help damp vibrations.
So, lots of dampers on our mountain bikes. And, for good reason, as these help provide traction and comfort over rough terrain.
So why not add more? Check out Da Bomb’s video of their damper in action on their Facebook page.
Da Bomb has two mass dampers to choose from, all of which fit modern 1 ⅛” steerer tubes. They have the option of a slightly smaller, lighter damper for gravel, XC, and trail riding, as well as a damper for enduro and DH.
The enduro/DH damper is 20mm taller and 25g heavier.
Unlike other mass dampers, such as Rimpact’s, which lives inside the steerer tube, Da Bomb’s mount externally. Da Bomb has a couple of bracket options, including one for a dual-crown fork and a gravel seatpost. Both dampers ship with Da Bomb’s V1 bracket for single-crown forks.
While they don’t list the price on their website, I’ve seen the price of $120 bouncing around for Da Bomb’s dampers. They also have quite a few other components, and even frames, for sale.
So, do we need mass dampers? Well, they certainly add weight, albeit less than a pound. The enduro/DH damper weighs 303g, while the gravel/XC/trail damper is 278g. Not too much of an issue, but will they make you go faster?
Honestly, we don’t know. Maybe we’ll have to get one in for some timed laps…keep an eye out for a future post.
Damper Details
Gravel/XC/Trail Damper
- Tube Material: Aluminum
- Steerer Diameter: 1-1/8”
- Height: 120mm
- Inner Diameter: 34mm
- Weight: 278g
- Included: Bracket V1 (for Single-crown forks)
- Color Options: Black
Enduro/DH Damper
- Tube Material: Aluminum
- Steerer Diameter: 1-1/8”
- Height: 140mm
- Inner Diameter: 34mm
- Weight: 303g
- Included: Bracket V1 (for Single-crown forks)
- Color Options: Black
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