Abstract: A shock absorbing fork for a bicycle having an air damping feature to rapidly and effectively diminish the cyclical motion of the struts of the fork resulting from the compression and expansion of the resilient shock absorbing pads provided in the struts of the fork when an obstacle is encounter by the front wheel of the bicycle. The struts have an inner cylinder slidably mounted in an outer cylinder with the pads captively mounted between the bottom of the inner cylinder and a member of the outer cylinder. An air chamber within the outer cylinder is contracted by movement of the inner cylinder into the outer cylinder and is expanded by movement of the inner cylinder out of the outer cylinder. The pads, as the inner cylinder is moved into the outer cylinder are compressed to absorb the shock and the air in the chamber is compressed. The compressibility of the air allows the fork to immediately respond to the impact force.

Abstract: A steering fork for a bicycle that incorporates interchangeable steerer tubes to facilitate fitting the fork to bicycles having different steering head configurations. A crown of the fork has a hub with an internal taper that is arranged to receive a tapered end of a steerer tube. The mating tapers are press fit together by a tensioning bolt to fixedly secure the steerer tube to the crown of the fork. The portion of steerer tube extending from the tapered end is configured to fit the steering head of a bicycle to which the steering fork is to be mounted.

Abstract: A shock absorbing fork for a bicycle having an air damping feature to rapidly and effectively diminish the cyclical motion of the struts of the fork resulting from the compression and expansion of the resilient shock absorbing pads provided in the struts of the fork when an obstacle is encounter by the front wheel of the bicycle. The struts have an inner cylinder slidably mounted in an outer cylinder with the pads captively mounted between the bottom of the inner cylinder and a member of the outer cylinder. An air chamber within the outer cylinder is contracted by movement of the inner cylinder into the outer cylinder and is expanded by movement of the inner cylinder out of the outer cylinder. The pads, as the inner cylinder is moved into the outer cylinder are compressed to absorb the shock and the air in the chamber is compressed. The compressibility of the air allows the fork to immediately respond to the impact force.

Abstract: A front wheel shock absorbing system for a bicycle wherein the legs of the front wheel fork include struts slidable in tubes. A cross brace bridges the front wheel and interconnects the struts to insure parallel movement of the struts. Elastomer pads between the tube ends and struts provide spring action. A cap in the tube ends provides access to the pads. A strut protruded from the cap down through a center bore in the pads maintains the pads in alignment. The strut end is flanged and removal of the cap, withdraws the strut and pads which are held onto the strut by the flange end. The flange is configured to permit the elastomer pads to be forced over the flange for replacement of the pads.