Patent ID: 8733774

Claim:
A bicycle comprising: a. a bicycle frame; b. a rear wheel suspension system attached to the frame, wherein the rear wheel suspension system comprises: i. a rear wheel swingarm comprising a chain stay, a seat stay, and a front stay, wherein the seat stay and the chain stay are attached together by the front stay, and further wherein the swingarm is attached to the frame at a single pivot axis; ii. a substantially horizontal connecting link coupled to the rear wheel swingarm; iii. a vertical swing link; and iv. a shock absorber pivotally coupled at a first end to the vertical link and pivotally coupled at a second end to the bicycle frame, wherein the engagement of the shock absorber controls a motion of a rear wheel (VWT) of the bicycle, wherein the shock absorber has a length (SL) between the first end and the second end, wherein a change in the vertical wheel travel (ΔVWT) of the rear wheel is related to a change in the length of the shock absorber (ΔSL) to provide a shock rate (SR) according to the relationship: SR=Δ SL /ΔVWT and wherein the shock rate (SR) changes throughout the vertical wheel travel of the rear wheel, such that the change in the shock rate dSR/dVWT has a change in sign as the rear wheel travels through the vertical wheel travel.