Rimpact Chain Damper

  Yes fitted one to my DH bike, its a weird feeling pedaling with it at first but you adapt quickly.

I had a bit of a faff making it fit with the chain guides, the picture shows how much it touched but I spaced it with a bit of fiddling, but that could be down to the DUb Wide bb?

Where are you based?

I'm in Sheffield.

I'm only running a top guide and a regular Shimano BB so hopefully clearance wouldn't be an issue.

Does it make any difference when you're clattering through chunder?

Top Guide will be absolutely fine then, it was only the bottom guide that was snug.

For my Dissent it is a lot quieter and felt smoother it hasn't had many outings yet.

Pinkbike discussed this on a recent podcast, bottom line is that they (Dario) preferred the feel of the O-Chain vs the Rimpact, I can't recall the reasoning.

I'll have to read some reviews. Not many people running the Rimpact yet but lots of positive opinions about the Ochain.

I might just wait and see which one comes up with a discount first.

It's not an insignificant sum of money, I bet I could find something much more useful for the same price.

On a bike for park riding it would be great.
I've ridden around the park with one and I'm not sure I'd have one on my own bike, there's an odd elastic band feeling when your cranks are vertical and the device unwinds itself. I have an ochain which is very lightly sprung so essentially feels normal once you've taken up the initial play.
I've also used the STFU doodahs and noticed very little difference in terms of the chain whipping about less.

Snake oil imho but then I haven't tried one.  Simply can't see a mechanism for it having any effect - except to give annoying pedalling characteristics on initial pick up. 

Pinkbike discussed this on a recent podcast, bottom line is that they (Dario) preferred the feel of the O-Chain vs the Rimpact, I can't recall the reasoning.

It was clear that one of the testers (Mike?) did not like the Rimpact device at all, due to the pedalling feel.

They strongly recommended the Ochain by contrast.

I was listening with interest, as I'd psyched myself up into feeling I needed an Ochain, but I've since calmed down and got over it.

Posted by: Speeder

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Snake oil imho but then I haven't tried one.  Simply can't see a mechanism for it having any effect - except to give annoying pedalling characteristics on initial pick up. 

It works in my imagination. There's a long span of chain suspended freely between your chainring and cassette. While descending rough trials that chain whips up and down causing lots of noise and feedback through the pedals.

The Rimpact/Ochain is a spring loaded tensioner which absorbs these oscillations and reduces noise and feedback. Simple.

I think Ochain made a big noise about pedal kickback in their marketing jargon which I don't buy into. I'm not convinced it's a big issue on a bike with a freewheel when you're moving.

So I think it probably works but not for the exact reasons that people think it does.

There must be a reason why 90% of pro DH racers adopted them despite not being sponsored to run them.

It had a huge effect on my mondraker but my deviate doesn't have anything like as much pedal kickback so doesn't require a device like the ochain. I'd say it's particular to the kinematics of the frame, not whether someone believes it will/won't work.

Posted by: Sharkattack

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It works in my imagination. There's a long span of chain suspended freely between your chainring and cassette. While descending rough trials that chain whips up and down causing lots of noise and feedback through the pedals.

The Rimpact/Ochain is a spring loaded tensioner which absorbs these oscillations and reduces noise and feedback. Simple.

I think Ochain made a big noise about pedal kickback in their marketing jargon which I don't buy into. I'm not convinced it's a big issue on a bike with a freewheel when you're moving.

So I think it probably works but not for the exact reasons that people think it does.

There must be a reason why 90% of pro DH racers adopted them despite not being sponsored to run them.

 

I agree about the chain effect, there's probably something in that but the "pedal kickback" bit has clearly been debunked by all but the hard of thinking.  

I think all the World Cuppers using them is down to FOMO more than anything.  It's a small thing that adds weight where you want it and it might just do something, so why not? The rest is down to confirmation bias.  It's not like you can do a blind test on this. 

I'd rather fit STFUs and they're ugly!

Posted by: goodgrief

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It had a huge effect on my mondraker but my deviate doesn't have anything like as much pedal kickback so doesn't require a device like the ochain. I'd say it's particular to the kinematics of the frame, not whether someone believes it will/won't work.

Well my trail bike is a Druid V2 so similar set up. It's an almost totally silent bike but I think it's because the upper stretch of chain is held under tension by the idler and can't flap around at all.

I was wondering if the spring loaded chainring concept would be a good substitute.

It's a different subject altogether but the way that bike goes through rough terrain with only 130mm of travel is magic. I've never ridden anything like it.

There's always secret option number three; magnets!