Trek Bicycle Corporation

Gregory Buhl

Jose L Gonzalez

James E Colegrove

Jose L Gonzales

A shock absorber, which is particularly applicable to bicycles, includes a secondary chamber whose volume selectively contributes to a volume associated with a primary chamber of the shock. A piston is supported by a compression rod and cooperates with a shock tube to define the primary chamber. The secondary chamber is fluidly isolated from the primary chamber by a valve arrangement positioned proximate the piston. A plunger extends along a longitudinal length of the shock and forms or interacts with the valve arrangement such that the secondary chamber is selectively fluidly connected to the primary chamber so the primary and secondary chambers of the shock assembly contribute to the performance of the shock for a selected portion of shock travel.

Bicycle shock assemblies with plunger operated valve arrangement

A shock absorber, which is particularly applicable to bicycles, includes a mount body, a first cap portion, a second cap portion, and a fluid cylinder. The fluid cylinder cooperates with a valve assembly that is offset from the mount body. The first and second cap portions enclose a gas cavity or gas chamber. One of the first and second cap portions is interchangeable with other caps so as to alter the performance of the shock absorber by altering the size of the gas chamber. The replaceable cap cooperates with the mount body such that it can be replaced without removing the shock absorber from a bicycle.

Bicycle shock assemblies

A bicycle air shock absorber assembly that includes a hollow piston rod that is telescopically associated with a hollow compression rod. The piston rod and compression rod are positioned within the casing of the shock assembly. A piston is supported by the piston rod and divides the volume of the compression rod to form a negative air spring chamber and a positive air spring chamber that includes the volume of the piston rod. An optional coil spring is positioned within the casing and contributes in parallel with the positive air spring chamber to resist compression of the shock assembly.

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Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Gregory Buhl