Patent ID: 7900947

Claim:
A bicycle suspension system comprising: a first tubular element including a first end and a second end; a piston slidably disposed in the first tubular element; a piston rod having a first end coupled to the piston and a second end extending outwardly of the second end of the first tubular element; a first sealing member disposed in the first tubular element adjacent the first end of the first tubular element such that a first air chamber is formed between the piston and the first sealing member; and a switching valve coupled to the first sealing member, with the switching valve being movable between a closed position and an opened position, with the switching valve opening a communication passageway between the first air chamber and a second air chamber to connect the first and second air chambers when in the opened position, and closing the communication passageway between the first air chamber and the second air chamber to separate the first and second air chambers when in the closed position, the first sealing member including a portion of the communication passageway and a pair of seals with the seals being disposed on axially opposite sides of the portion of the communication passageway, one of the seals separating the first air chamber and the portion of the communication passageway when the switching valve is in the closed position and connecting the first air chamber and the portion of the communication passageway when the switching valve is in the opened position.