Hayes Bicycle Group Inc.

Thomas D Schmidt

Edward Charles Kwaterski

A suspension assembly for a bicycle is disclosed. The suspension assembly may be configured to use a volume of fluid in a fluid circuit for damping and may comprise a damping mechanism; the suspension assembly may comprise a lockout mechanism independent of the damping mechanism configured to prevent damping by the damping mechanism and an actuator for the lockout mechanism. The lockout setting may be independent of the damping setting. A suspension system may comprise a fluid circuit for a fluid configured to provide damping for a bicycle; the suspension system may comprise a damping mechanism configured to provide a damping setting for damping and a lockout mechanism configured to provide a lockout setting and comprising (a) a flow control element (such as an adjuster shaft) configured in the lockout setting to prevent flow of the fluid through the damping mechanism and (b) a flow control element (such as a blow-off valve) configured to allow flow to a reservoir chamber of the fluid circuit if the pressure of the fluid is greater than a threshold value; an actuator for the lockout mechanism configured to actuate the flow control element configured to prevent flow through the damping mechanism; the lockout mechanism may configured to provide the lockout setting when on and to permit damping at the damping setting by the damping mechanism when off.

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Thiensville, WI, United States of America

Thomas D Schmidt