Rear suspension for a bicycle

Abstract

A rear suspension bicycle having a rear wheel with an axle, a frame including a seat tube and a down tube having a top and bottom ends, a pair of drop link members, one for either side of the rear wheel, each having a top attachment point and a bottom attachment point, and an axle attachment point for receiving the axle. A seat stay assembly including a front end and a rear end, and having a front pivot point adjacent the front end for pivotal attachment to the down tube defining a first pivot point, and a pair of rear pivot points, each for pivotal attachment to the top attachment point of one of said drop link members, forming together the second pivot point. A chain stay assembly having a front end and a rear end, and defining a front pivot point at the front end, and a pair of rear pivot points at the rear end, the front pivot point for pivotal attachment adjacent to the bottom end of the seat tube forming the third pivot point, and a pair of rear pivot points, each for pivotal attachment to the bottom attachment point of one of the drop link members, forming together the fourth pivot point. A shock-absorbing element is mounted between the seat stay assembly and the frame. When the rear wheel is moved upwardly with respect to the frame, the axle traces a complex curvilinear axle path generally upwardly, moving first rearwardly to a rearwardmost position, then forwardly along the upward axle path. The rear suspension transmits the pedal force generated by the rider efficiently into forward moving force without compressing the suspension appreciably.