Patent ID: 7694987

Claim:
A bicycle, comprising: a frame; a pedal crank assembly configured to be driven by rider-induced pedaling forces; a wheel; and a suspension assembly interposed between said frame and said wheel, said suspension assembly comprising: a damper, said damper comprising a damper tube and a piston rod supporting a piston in sliding engagement with said tube, said piston and said damper tube at least partially defining a compression chamber of said damper, said damper additionally comprising a reservoir chamber, wherein a volume of fluid moves between said compression chamber and said reservoir chamber, through a passage, in response to relative movement between said piston rod and said damper tube, said damper further comprising an inertia valve comprising an inertia mass that is separate from said piston, said inertia mass normally biased to a closed position wherein a portion of said inertia mass is adjacent to a first opening that permits fluid communication between said passage and said reservoir chamber such that fluid flow from said compression chamber to said reservoir chamber through said first opening is inhibited, and said inertia mass movable to an open position wherein said portion of said inertia mass is not adjacent said first opening such that fluid flow from said compression chamber to said reservoir chamber through said first opening is not inhibited, all fluid displaced from said compression chamber being displaced into said passage, said damper defining a second opening that permits fluid communication from said reservoir chamber to said passage when said inertia mass is in said closed position, and a valve element that is normally biased to a closed position and is movable to an open position to permit fluid flow from said reservoir chamber through said second opening, through said passage and into said compression chamber; and a spring configured to apply a force to said suspension assembly tending to extend said suspension assembly; wherein said inertia valve is configured such that said inertia mass remains in said closed position in response to said rider-induced pedaling forces applied to said frame and wherein said inertia valve is configured such that said inertia mass moves toward said open position in response to a terrain-induced force above a predetermined threshold applied to said wheel.