Patent ID: 7703788

Claim:
A mountain bike frame, comprising: (a) a force channeling tube comprising front and rear portions joined together at a first intersection, the front and rear portions having front and rear longitudinal axes associated therewith, the rear longitudinal axis being configured at a steeper vertical angle than the front longitudinal axis; (b) a seat tube comprising top and bottom portions, the bottom portion being joined to the rear portion of the force channeling tube at a second intersection, the top and bottom portions being joined at a third intersection; (c) a rear triangle comprising upper and lower arms; (d) a shock absorber comprising forward and rearward portions, the forward portion being connected to at least one shock mount fixedly attached to the front portion of the force channeling tube, the shook absorber being configured to compress along a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to the front longitudinal axis of the force channelling tube; (e) a torque conversion device pivotally connected to the upper arms, the rearward portion of the shock absorber, and to the force channeling tube at or near the first intersection; wherein at least portions of the forces generated by movement of the rear triangle with respect to the force channeling tube and the seat tube are transmitted through the torque conversion device to the shock absorber, the at least one shock mount, and the force channeling tube.