Patent ID: 8075009

Claim:
A bicycle derailleur mounting apparatus for use with a suspension bicycle, the suspension bicycle including a front triangle and a rear triangle coupled to allow a limited relative pivotal movement or travel between the front and rear triangles during operation and a drive chain mounted between a drive sprocket on the front triangle and a rear wheel mounted on the rear triangle, the drive chain moving vertically during relative pivotal movement or travel between the front triangle and the rear triangle, the apparatus comprising: a derailleur link having a derailleur mounted thereon; a mounting structure mounting the derailleur link relative to one of the front triangle and the rear triangle to move independently of the front triangle and the rear triangle during travel, an independent movement being driven as a function of a travel position of the front triangle and the rear triangle; and the mounting structure being designed to pivot the derailleur link so as to maintain the derailleur substantially at a uniform orientation relative to the drive chain wherein the derailleur is positioned to maintain shifting performance at desired points along the travel.