Patent ID: 7673726

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, wherein compressive force from said piston rod causes compression movement of said piston to displace fluid from said compression chamber through an opening that is remote from said piston, said damper additionally comprising an inertia valve including an inertia mass that is separate from said piston and said piston rod, said inertia mass normally biased to a closed position wherein a portion of said inertia mass is adjacent said opening such that fluid flow through said opening during compression movement of said piston is inhibited, and said inertia mass movable to an open position wherein said portion of said inertia mass is not adjacent said opening such that fluid flow through said opening during compression movement of said piston is not inhibited; 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 tending to cause compression of said suspension assembly and wherein said inertia valve is configured such that said inertia mass moves toward said open position in response to a terrain-induced force tending to cause compression of said suspension assembly above a threshold applied to said wheel.