A rear wheel suspension system pivotably attached to a bicycle. The suspension system has an upper link attached to a main frame at a first pivot point, and a rear stay member attached to the upper link at a second pivot point. A lower link is attached to the main frame at a third pivot point, and is pivotably attached to the rear stay member at a fourth pivot point. A shock absorber is pivotably connected to the upper link and to the main frame. An instantaneous center of rotation (ICR) is defined where an upper axis extending through the first and second pivots intersects a lower axis extending through the third and fourth pivots. The ICR displaces along a trajectory from behind the bottom bracket, through an inflection point at which the upper axis and the lower axis are parallel, to in front of the bottom bracket, as the shock absorber compresses.

A rear suspension system for bicycles, such as freeride, downhill and trail-style mountain bikes. The suspension system includes a rear suspension for coupling the rear wheel of the bicycle to the bicycle frame, a rear shock absorber disposed entirely in front of the seat tube of the frame and a linkage for operatively coupling the rear suspension to the rear shock absorber. The linkage intersects the longitudinal axis of the seat tube for transmitting rear suspension forces around the seat tube to the rear shock absorber. The seat tube is preferably continuous and is disposed so that the bicycle seat is adjustable over a full range of seat positions. Additionally, the seat tube and rear suspension system are configured so that the rear wheel and rear suspension will not contact the seat tube, seat, or bicycle rider even when the rear suspension system is in a fully compressed, forward position.

A rear suspension system for bicycles, such as freeride, downhill and trail-style mountain bikes. The suspension system includes a rear suspension for coupling the rear wheel of the bicycle to the bicycle frame, a rear shock absorber disposed entirely in front of the seat tube of the frame and a linkage for operatively coupling the rear suspension to the rear shock absorber. The linkage intersects the longitudinal axis of the seat tube for transmitting rear suspension forces around the seat tube to the rear shock absorber. The seat tube is preferably continuous and is disposed so that the bicycle seat is adjustable over a full range of seat positions. Additionally, the seat tube and rear suspension system are configured so that the rear wheel and rear suspension will not contact the seat tube, seat, or bicycle rider even when the rear suspension system is in a fully compressed, forward position.

A rear wheel suspension device includes: a swing arm swingably supported with respect to a vehicle body frame, the swing arm rotatably supporting a rear wheel; a rear cushion configured to be extended and contracted in accordance with swing of the swing arm; a cushion lever coupled to a lower end portion of the rear cushion; a cushion rod coupling the cushion lever and the swing arm; and an accumulator storing a working fluid that extends and contracts the cushion rod. A vehicle height is adjusted by displacement of the swing arm in accordance with extension and contraction of the cushion rod. The accumulator is positioned on a lower side of a swing shaft of the swing arm.

A rear wheel suspension device includes: a swing arm swingably supported with respect to a vehicle body frame, the swing arm rotatably supporting a rear wheel; a rear cushion configured to be extended and contracted in accordance with swing of the swing arm; a cushion lever coupled to a lower end portion of the rear cushion; a cushion rod coupling the cushion lever and the swing arm; and an accumulator storing a working fluid that extends and contracts the cushion rod. A vehicle height is adjusted by displacement of the swing arm in accordance with extension and contraction of the cushion rod. The accumulator is positioned on a lower side of a swing shaft of the swing arm.

A bracket apparatus for mounting a derailleur to a frame of a human-powered vehicle comprises a bracket body. The bracket body includes a frame attachment portion configured to be attached to the frame of the human-powered vehicle, a derailleur attachment portion to which the derailleur is to be attached, and a cable groove in which a cable is to be at least partly provided.

Disclosed herein is a two-wheel vehicle suspension linkage. The suspension linkage includes a suspended body-1, a seatstay body-2, a link body-3, a chainstay body-4, a link body-5, and a link body-6 operatively coupled with one another. The link body-3 includes jointed connections with the suspended body-1 defining an IVC[1][3], the chainstay body-4 defining an IVC[3][4], and the link body-6 defining an IVC[3][6]. The chainstay body-4 includes an additional jointed connection with the seatstay body-2 defining an IVC[2][4]. The link body-5 includes additional jointed connections with suspended body-1 defining an IVC[1][5], seatstay body-2 defining an IVC[2][5], and the link body-6 defining an IVC[5][6]. A lower base line is defined by IVC[1][3] and IVC[3][4]. An upper base line is defined by IVC[1][5] and IVC[2][5]. The IVC[5][6] is located outside the upper and lower base lines. The suspension linkage includes a damper unit configured to resist movement between two or more of the suspended body-1, seatstay body-2, link body-3, chainstay body-4, link body-5, or link body-6.

A rear wheel linkage system for connecting a rear wheel of a chain wheeled vehicle to a frame of the chained wheel vehicle, the chained wheeled vehicle having a front side, a rear side, and lateral sides, and comprises a pair of upper links, a pair of lower links, and a coupler link. The upper links are configured to be hingedly joined to first locations of the frame, at a rear of the frame above or near a top of the rear wheel. The lower links are configured to be hingedly joined to second locations of the frame, ahead of the rear wheel. The coupler link is configured to be hingedly joined to both sides of an axle of the rear wheel, the coupler link has an upper side, a lower side, and a front side and to be hingedly joined to upper links, the lower links, and the frame.

A rear wheel linkage system for connecting a rear wheel of a chain wheeled vehicle to a frame of the chained wheel vehicle, the chained wheeled vehicle having a front side, a rear side, and lateral sides, and comprises a pair of upper links, a pair of lower links, and a coupler link. The upper links are configured to be hingedly joined to first locations of the frame, at a rear of the frame above or near a top of the rear wheel. The lower links are configured to be hingedly joined to second locations of the frame, ahead of the rear wheel. The coupler link is configured to be hingedly joined to both sides of an axle of the rear wheel, the coupler link has an upper side, a lower side, and a front side and to be hingedly joined to upper links, the lower links, and the frame.

A bicycle comprises a front wheel; a rear wheel; a frame comprising a main frame portion and an articulating frame portion, the articulating frame portion comprising: a lower arm pivotally supported at a first axis by the main frame portion; an upper frame link pivotally supported at a second axis by the main frame portion; an upper arm pivotally coupled to the upper frame link at a third axis; an upper shock link pivotally coupled to the upper frame link and the upper arm at the third axis; and a lower shock link pivotally coupled to the main frame portion and the lower arm at the first axis; and a shock absorber having a first end pivotally supported at a fourth axis by the main frame portion, and a second end pivotally supported at a fifth axis by the upper shock link and the lower shock link.