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.

Disclosed herein are examples of motive power sources suitable to power a two-wheeled vehicle. The vehicle may include a suspension linkage and a suspended body. In some examples, the motive power source may include a housing with a boss extending therefrom. The boss may include a first securement structure. The securement structure may include an instantaneous velocity center of the suspension linkage when coupled to the two wheeled vehicle. In some examples, a second securement structure is formed in the suspended body, a bottom link forms a portion of the suspension linkage, the bottom link includes a third securement structure, and an axle is coupled to the first, second, and third apertures. In some examples, the first, second, and third apertures are concentric with the axle.

Disclosed herein are examples of motive power sources suitable to power a two-wheeled vehicle. The vehicle may include a suspension linkage and a suspended body. In some examples, the motive power source may include a housing with a boss extending therefrom. The boss may include a first securement structure. The securement structure may include an instantaneous velocity center of the suspension linkage when coupled to the two wheeled vehicle. In some examples, a second securement structure is formed in the suspended body, a bottom link forms a portion of the suspension linkage, the bottom link includes a third securement structure, and an axle is coupled to the first, second, and third apertures. In some examples, the first, second, and third apertures are concentric with the axle.

An arrangement for a bicycle frame including two rear frame members, each rear frame member including at least one first connection point at the front of each rear frame member, and one other connection point at the back of the rear frame member for a wheel, the at least one first connection point including a component for facilitating connection of the rear frame members via an axle, and the axle interlocking the rear frame members in a fixed position to each other. A bicycle frame and a corresponding method of manufacture and method of assembly are also presented.

An arrangement for a bicycle frame including two rear frame members, each rear frame member including at least one first connection point at the front of each rear frame member, and one other connection point at the back of the rear frame member for a wheel, the at least one first connection point including a component for facilitating connection of the rear frame members via an axle, and the axle interlocking the rear frame members in a fixed position to each other. A bicycle frame and a corresponding method of manufacture and method of assembly are also presented.

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 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 vehicle includes a first suspension between a body and a front wheel, and a second suspension between the body and a rear wheel. An angle θ1 represents a ramp brake-over angle, and angles θ2, θ3, and θ4 respectively represent angles corresponding to the ramp brake-over angle when the first and the second suspension are fully stretched, fully compressed and fully stretched respectively, and fully stretched and fully compressed respectively. When a wheelbase is not smaller than about 1340 mm, the angle θ1 is not smaller than about 55 degrees, a value θ2/θ1 is not smaller than about 1.25, a value θ3/θ1 is not smaller than about 0.9, and a value θ4/θ1 is not smaller than about 0.8. When the wheelbase is not smaller than about 1340 mm and not greater than about 2000 mm, a wheel travel on the rear wheel side is not smaller than about 360 mm, a ratio of a stretch-side value to a compression-side value (stretch-side/compression-side) of the wheel travel on the rear wheel side is not smaller than about 0.5, and a value θ2/θ1 is not smaller than about 1.25.

A bicycle may include a front triangle and a rear suspension system that couples the front triangle to a rear wheel and is dampened by at least one shock absorber. The rear suspension system includes a six-bar linkage having two ternary links separated from each other by one or more binary links, such that the two ternary links do not share a common joint. One of the ternary links may comprise a chain stay. In some examples, the other ternary link may comprise the front triangle. In some examples, the other ternary link may comprise a rocker arm coupling a seat stay link to the shock absorber.