Bicycle front suspension system

For use in a bicycle having a front wheel and axle and a head tube, a front suspension comprising:

• an upper strut support coupled to said head tube and having upper strut attachment means;
• a lower strut support coupled to said head tube beneath and spaced from said upper strut support, said lower strut support having lower strut attachment means;
• a pair of suspension struts each having upper and lower telescoping portions movable between compressed and extended positions, said upper portions being secured to said upper and lower strut attachment means and said lower portions having axle securing ends for securing a front wheel axle and each of said suspension struts including oil dampening means for resisting telescoping motion of said upper and lower telescoping portions and valve means for independently controlling the resistance to telescoping motion produced by said oil dampening means in the compressing and extending directions, said valve means including:
• a valve body having upper and lower surfaces and a side surface;
• a first plurality of oil passages each extending into said valve body from said lower surface and exiting said valve body at said side surface proximate said upper surface;
• a second plurality of oil passages each extending into said valve body from said upper surface and exiting said valve body at said side surface proximate said lower surface;
• and
• a seal ring slidable upon said side surface of said valve body for closing said first plurality of oil passages during compressing motion of said telescoping portions and closing said second plurality of oil passages during extending motion thereof.