Patent ID: 7766135

Claim:
A bicycle suspension assembly, comprising: an upper tube configured for coupling to a bicycle frame; a lower tube configured for coupling to a bicycle front wheel, the lower tube in telescoping engagement with the upper tube; and a damping assembly including: a damping tube coupled to the lower tube; a piston rod coupled to: a) the upper tube; and b) a piston in sealed, sliding engagement with the damping tube; the piston and the damping tube defining a compression fluid chamber and a rebound fluid chamber, wherein a damping fluid moves between the compression chamber and the rebound chamber during compression movement of the suspension assembly as at least portions of the upper and lower tubes telescope towards each other; an opening communicating with the compression chamber; an inertia valve comprising an inertia mass, the inertia valve having an open position wherein the inertia mass does not block at least a portion of the opening and a flow of damping fluid is permitted through at least a portion of the opening, the inertia valve normally biased to a closed position wherein the inertia mass is positioned to block more of the opening such that the flow of damping fluid through the opening is reduced relative to the open position of the inertia valve, wherein the opening communicating with the compression chamber is located in a valve shaft, the valve shaft located in the damper tube and having a outer surface, and wherein the inertia valve moves between its open and closed positions by the inertia mass moving along the outer surface of the valve shaft; and a spring, the spring configured to apply a force to the suspension assembly tending to extend the piston rod relative to the damping tube; wherein the inertia valve is configured such the inertia mass remains in the closed position in response to rider induced forces and wherein the inertia valve is configured such that the inertia mass moves towards the open position in response to a terrain-induced force above a predetermined threshold applied to the front wheel.