Abstract: A shock absorber having a valve controlling the flow rate of fluid between a compression chamber and a rebound chamber in a housing and separated by a piston. The valve has an orifice component and a blocker component, one of which has a permanent magnet, and the other of which has a magnetically permeable material. Upon the application of sufficient fluid pressure, the blocker component is forced away from the orifice component, despite the magnetic bias that tends to attract the two structures. Because the magnetic force decreases as the two components are spaced farther apart, the shock absorber has excellent performance characteristics. Alternatively, a mechanical spring urges the blocker closed, and magnetic attraction between the blocker and a spaced opener mitigates the increased force of the compressed spring tending to close the valve.

Abstract: An axle assembly (310) has a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, the axle assembly configured for rotatably mounting a wheel and hub assembly on an axle portion of the axle assembly, the axle portion located between the first and second ends, the axle assembly configured for affixing to first and second structural members (301, 302), at least one of the structural members (302) comprising a substantially closed bore orifice (306) wheel mounting point or dropout, said dropout having a first side configured for the axle portion to extend therefrom when said axle assembly (310) is fixed to said point and a second side, the axle assembly (310) comprising a first fixing means (309) at the first end for releasably fixing the axle assembly (310) to the first structural member (302) and a second fixing means (311) at the second end for releasably fixing the axle assembly (310) to the second structural member (301).