Bicycle rear suspension linkage

A bicycle rear suspension system, comprising:

• a first linkage member configured to make a pivotal connection with a bicycle front triangle and also to make a pivotal connection with a bicycle rear wheel swingarm;
• a second linkage member configured to make a pivotal connection with the front triangle and also to make a pivotal connection with the rear wheel swingarm;
• and
• a shock absorber operatively connected to the front triangle and the rear wheel swingarm and configured to control movement of the rear wheel swingarm relative to the front triangle;
• wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, (i) rotation of the linkage members about the pivotal connections causes a rate of change of chainstay length as a function of vertical wheel travel initially to increase at least until the suspension system reaches its statically loaded sag point and subsequently to decrease, and (ii) the first linkage member changes its direction of rotation.

A rear suspension bicycle frame, comprising:

• a front frame portion;
• a rear frame portion configured to receive a rear wheel and joined to the front frame portion by a pair of linkage members;
• a shock absorber operatively connected to the front frame portion and the rear frame portion;
• wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, rotation of the linkage members causes (i) a shock rate of the bicycle frame initially to decrease, subsequently to increase, and then again to decrease, and (ii) movement of the rear wheel in a non-arc travel path relative to the front frame portion.

A rear suspension bicycle, comprising:

• a front wheel;
• a front frame portion configured to receive the front wheel;
• a rear wheel;
• a rear frame portion joined to the front frame portion by a pair of linkage members and configured to receive the rear wheel;
• and
• a shock absorber operatively connected to the front frame portion and the rear frame portion;
• wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, rotation of the linkage members causes a shock rate of the bicycle frame initially to decrease, subsequently to increase, and then again to decrease;
• and
• wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, rotation of the linkage members causes the rear wheel to move in a non-arc travel path relative to the front wheel.

A rear suspension bicycle frame, comprising:

• a front frame portion;
• a rear frame portion configured to receive a rear wheel and joined to the front frame portion by first and second linkage members;
• and
• a shock absorber operatively connected to the front frame portion and the rear frame portion;
• wherein the first linkage member has a length, defined by a distance between pivotal connections to the front and rear frame portions, respectively, of less than 20 millimeters;
• and
• wherein as the shock absorber is compressed from a fully uncompressed state toward a fully compressed state, rotation of the linkage members causes the rear wheel to move in a non-arc travel path relative to the front frame portion.