Bicycle damper

Abstract

A damper for a bicycle having a primary unit and a remote unit that, in some arrangements, is substantially entirely outside of the primary unit. The primary unit includes a damper tube, a spring chamber, and a piston rod that supports a main piston. The main piston is movable within the damper chamber of the primary unit. The main piston and the damper tube at least partially define a compression chamber. The remote unit comprises a remote fluid chamber and, in some arrangements, an inertial valve within the remote unit. The inertial valve is preferably responsive to terrain-induced forces and preferably not responsive to rider-induced forces when the shock absorber is assembled to the bicycle.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A bicycle rear shock absorber, comprising:
 a damper tube that defines a first diameter;   a piston rod that defines a second diameter, wherein said piston rod carries a piston, said piston and said piston rod capable of telescopic movement with respect to said damper tube, wherein said piston cooperates with said damper tube to at least partially define a variable volume compression chamber and at least partially define a variable volume rebound chamber;   a reservoir tube that is separate and remote from said damper tube, wherein said reservoir tube defines a reservoir chamber of said shock absorber, wherein fluid is displaced to said reservoir chamber from said compression chamber during compression movement of said shock absorber, and wherein fluid returns to said compression chamber from said reservoir chamber during rebound movement of said shock absorber;   wherein at least 30% of the damping fluid within said damping tube is displaced to said reservoir chamber during a complete compression stroke; and   wherein approximately 50% or more of compression damping during said compression movement of said shock absorber is accomplished by a compression damping circuit located in said reservoir tube.   
     
     
         15 . The shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein at least about 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80 or 90% of the damping fluid within said damping tube is displaced to said reservoir chamber during a complete compression stroke. 
     
     
         16 . The shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein at about 46% of the damping fluid within said damping tube is displaced to said reservoir chamber during a complete compression stroke. 
     
     
         17 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein approximately 70, 80 or 90% or more of said compression damping is accomplished by said compression damping circuit located in said reservoir tube. 
     
     
         20 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 19 , wherein approximately 50, 60, 70, 80 or 90% or more of said rebound damping is accomplished by a rebound damping circuit located in said damper tube. 
     
     
         21 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein approximately 50, 60, 70, 80 or 90% or more of said rebound damping is accomplished by a rebound damping circuit located in said damper tube. 
     
     
         22 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein the first diameter is between about 8-35 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 22 , wherein the second diameter is between about 6-20 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein the first diameter is about 17.7 mm. 
     
     
         25 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 24 , wherein the second diameter is about 12 mm. 
     
     
         26 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein the second diameter is between about 6-20 mm. 
     
     
         27 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein the second diameter is about 12 mm. 
     
     
         28 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 14 , wherein a difference between the first diameter and the second diameter is between about 1.5 mm and about 9.5 mm. 
     
     
         29 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 28 , wherein said difference is between about 1.5 mm and about 8 mm. 
     
     
         30 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 28 , wherein said difference is about one of the following differences: 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm and 9 mm. 
     
     
         31 . The bicycle rear shock absorber of  claim 28 , wherein said difference is about 1.5 mm.