Damping apparatus for bicycle forks

A damping apparatus for use in a bicycle fork, the apparatus comprising:

• a first leg having a first end, a second end, and a side wall extending between the ends and defining a cavity therebetween;
• a second leg having a first end, a second end, and a side wall extending between the ends and defining a cavity therebetween;
• fluid situated within the cavity of the first leg;
• a first piston unit positioned within the cavity of the first leg, the unit including a first coupler having a fluid flow opening therethrough, a first piston connected to the first coupler and having at least one opening therethrough, a shim contacting the first piston, and a blow-off valve for selectively permitting fluid flow through the opening in the first piston;
• a second piston unit positioned within the cavity of the first leg, the unit including a shaft having a first end coupled to the second end of the second leg and a second end situated within the cavity of the first leg, a second coupler connected to the second end of the shaft, a second piston connected to the second coupler and having at least one opening therethrough, a shim contacting the second piston, and a blow-off valve for selectively permitting fluid flow through the opening in the second piston;
• a compression adjustment mechanism;
• and
• a rebound adjustment mechanism.

A damping apparatus for use in a bicycle fork, the apparatus comprising

• a lower leg including a top end having a rim thereon, a bottom end, and a side wall extending between the ends and defining a chamber therebetween,
• an upper leg having an outer end, an inner end, and a center portion extending between the ends and defining a cavity therebetween, the inner end being sized for extension through the rim and into the chamber of the lower leg,
• fluid situated within the upper leg,
• a compression piston unit positioned within the cavity of the upper leg, the unit being formed to include a compression coupler formed to include a fluid flow aperture therethrough, a compression piston mounted on the coupler and engaging the center portion of the upper leg, the piston being formed to include apertures therethrough, a shim engaging the piston, and blow-off valve means for selectively permitting fluid flow through the apertures in the piston,
• a rebound piston unit positioned within the cavity of the upper leg, the unit being formed to include a hollow rebound shaft having a first end coupled to the bottom end of the lower leg and an opposite end situated within the cavity, a rebound coupler mounted on the opposite end of the shaft, a rebound piston mounted on the coupler and formed to include slots therethrough, a shim engaging the piston, and blow-off valve means for selectively permitting fluid flow through the slots,
• a compression adjustment mechanism selectively coupled to the compression piston unit, the adjustment mechanism being formed to include means for adjusting the diameter of the fluid flow aperture through the coupler of the compression piston unit, and
• a rebound adjustment mechanism selectively coupled to the rebound piston unit, the rebound mechanism being formed to include means for adjusting the diameter of the fluid flow aperture through the coupler of the rebound piston unit.