Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus for attaching to an open ended handlebar of a vehicle, the handlebar having a longitudinal axis. The hydraulic brake control apparatus includes a brake housing that is attachable to the handlebar, the brake housing including a first section residing outside the handlebar, and a second section sized and shaped to be received inside the handlebar.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus for attaching to an open ended handlebar of a vehicle, the handlebar having a longitudinal axis. The hydraulic brake control apparatus includes a brake housing that is attachable to the handlebar, the brake housing including a first section residing outside the handlebar, and a second section sized and shaped to be received inside the handlebar.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus for attaching to an open ended handlebar of a vehicle, the handlebar having a longitudinal axis. A brake housing is attachable to the handlebar, the brake housing including a first section residing outside the handlebar and abutting the open end of the handlebar, and a second section sized and shaped to be received inside the handlebar. A master cylinder is disposed within the first section, the master cylinder having a bore with a bore axis that is oriented transverse to said axis of the handlebar and a master cylinder actuator is in operative association with the master cylinder. A micro-adjust mechanism, a macro-adjust mechanism, and a clamp mechanism is also provided.

Abstract: A rim brake with a synchronous link mechanism for synchronizing the movement of a pair of brake arms. The rim brake may be a hydraulic rim brake. The hydraulic rim brake may include a slave cylinder formed in one of the pair of brake arms including a piston, wherein the piston contacts the other of the pair of brake arms to impart movement thereto.

Abstract: A rim brake with a synchronous link mechanism for synchronizing the movement of a pair of brake arms. The rim brake may be a hydraulic rim brake. The hydraulic rim brake may include a slave cylinder formed in one of the pair of brake arms including a piston, wherein the piston contacts the other of the pair of brake arms to impart movement thereto.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus for attaching to an open ended handlebar of a vehicle, the handlebar having a longitudinal axis. A brake housing is attachable to the handlebar, the brake housing including a first section residing outside the handlebar and abutting the open end of the handlebar, and a second section sized and shaped to be received inside the handlebar. A master cylinder is disposed within the first section, the master cylinder having a bore with a bore axis that is oriented transverse to said axis of the handlebar and a master cylinder actuator is in operative association with the master cylinder. A micro-adjust mechanism, a macro-adjust mechanism, and a clamp mechanism is also provided.

Abstract: A gas spring suspension system that maximizes the travel of the suspension system. The suspension system includes an outer tube and an inner tube slidable within the outer tube. A piston assembly is slidably mounted in the inner tube to sealingly separate a positive spring and a negative gas chamber. A floating piston is slidably mounted in the inner tube to separate a gas chamber from the negative gas chamber. The positive spring biases the inner and outer tubes apart from each other and the negative gas chamber biases the inner and outer tubes toward each other. The floating piston is configured to slidably displace within the inner tube in response to pressure differentials between the negative gas chamber and the gas chamber.

Abstract: A gas spring suspension system that maximizes the travel of the suspension system. The suspension system includes a first tube and a second tube slidable within the first tube. A piston assembly is slidably mounted in the second tube for changing the pressure in the second tube. A floating piston is slidably mounted in the second tube. A first gas chamber biases the first and second tubes apart from each other while a second gas chamber biases the first and second tubes toward each other. A third gas chamber exists between the floating piston and an end of the first tube. The floating piston has a configuration such that when a pressure in the third gas chamber is greater than a pressure in the second gas chamber, the floating piston displaces within the second tube to decrease the pressure in the third gas chamber.

Abstract: A gas spring suspension system that adjusts the spring rate as the travel is adjusted. The suspension system includes a frame, a pressure chamber, a compression piston assembly, an adjustment assembly, a piston tube, and a shaft. The piston tube is operatively connected to the adjustment assembly and the compression piston assembly, and the compression piston assembly is configured to slidably displace along the piston tube to change the pressure in the pressure chamber. The adjustment assembly is associated with the frame and is operable to axially position the piston tube and, in turn the compression piston assembly, relative to the frame to adjust the travel of the suspension system. The shaft is configured to be variably positionable within the pressure chamber in response to axial displacement of the piston tube and the compression piston assembly by the adjustment assembly, the variable positioning of the shaft within the pressure chamber changing the pressure therein.

Abstract: A suspension system that includes a simplified lockout mechanism and an adjustable blow-off mechanism. The system includes a valve mechanism and a valve actuating assembly, a valve mechanism housing and a resilient member disposed between the valve mechanism and the valve mechanism housing. The valve mechanism is slidably mounted along the valve mechanism housing and it separates a first chamber from a second chamber. The valve actuating assembly operates the valve mechanism between open and closed positions. The resilient member is configured to be deformable by the valve mechanism as the valve mechanism is slidably displaced by an increasing pressure in the first fluid chamber. The sliding valve mechanism is configured to collide against the valve actuating assembly when a blow-off pressure is reached in the first fluid chamber switching the valve mechanism from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: An automatic bicycle shifting system for automatically controlling the shifting of a bicycle transmission based upon a plurality of wheel speeds selected by rider. The system includes a controller that operates a shifting mechanism such as an internal gear hub system. The system operates in three modes: a setting mode, an automatic mode, and a manual mode. The rider selects the plurality of wheel speeds by manually shifting the bicycle at desired bicycle speeds during the setting mode. The controller stores a bicycle speed each time the rider manually shifts the bicycle during the setting mode in its memory. The stored bicycle speeds are then used by the controller to shift the bicycle during the automatic mode.

Abstract: A rotatable handgrip twistshifter (10) mountable coaxially about a bicycle handlebar (20) that abruptly or discontinuously increases the mechanical advantage when shifting a front derailleur from a smaller to a larger chainring. A control cable (86) is slidably connected to the handgrip (12) such that during rotation of the handgrip (12) to effect gear shifts from the middle to larger chainrings of a triple chainring crankshaft (40, 41, 42), the cable (86) is abruptly dropped toward the handgrip axis of rotation thereby increasing the mechanical advantage or leverage of the shifter (10). Alternatively, the control cable (86) is slidably connected to the pivot arm (114) of a front derailleur such that during rotation of the handgrip (12) the cable (86) is deflected away from the derailleur pivot axis (207), likewise, increasing the mechanical advantage of the derailleur.

Abstract: A brake or clutch operating device having a hand lever pivotally attached to a mounting bracket secured to a handlebar, the hand lever rotatable about a rotation axis that is offset from the pivot axis, and a transmission mechanism for converting a rotational force applied to the hand lever into a rectilinear force drawing the hand lever toward the handlebar. The transmission mechanism and hand lever configured to force rotation about the rotation axis in response to rotation of the hand lever about the pivot axis, the resulting compound motion of the hand lever following the natural arched motion of the rider's fingers during lever actuation.

Abstract: A parallel-push brake assembly for bicycles that provides substantially translational motion of the brake pad using a mechanism that is relatively free of tolerance build-up or slop.

Abstract: A brake operating device having a brake lever pivotally attached to a mounting bracket secured to a handlebar, the brake lever rotatable about a rotation axis that is offset from the pivot axis, and a transmission mechanism for converting a rotational force applied to the brake lever into a rectilinear force drawing the brake lever toward the handlebar. The transmission mechanism and brake lever configured to force rotation about the rotation axis in response to rotation of the brake lever about the pivot axis, the resulting compound motion of the brake lever following the natural arched motion of the rider's fingers during lever actuation.

Abstract: A parallelogram link mechanism of a bicycle derailleur has a coil spring tensioned from a first axis of the parallelogram to another axis thereof that is diametrically opposed to the first axis. The coil spring exerts a primary spring force against the rider-supplied derailleur actuation force throughout the actuation range of the derailleur. A secondary member exerts a secondary force throughout a portion of the actuation range of the derailleur, producing a substantially constant resultant actuation force experienced by the rider. The secondary member can take various forms, including an abutment member which selectively abuts the coil spring at an angle to the spring axis; a second spring internal to the first; a member which is attached to spaced-apart coils of the coil spring to limit their linear expansion; and an internal member which limits constriction of a segment of the coil spring inwardly toward the spring axis.

Abstract: An improved two piece control cable adjustment device for offsetting a change of relative length between the outer sheath and control wire of a control cable operatively linking a control mechanism such as a bicycle shifter or brake lever to an operating mechanism such as a derailleur or brake. The adjustment device includes an adjuster nut having a threaded bore cooperating with a mounting member threaded shaft and an indexing mechanism achieved by the relative elastic deformation of rotatably engaging protrusions and/or detents circumferentially formed on the cooperating adjuster nut and mounting member thereby enabling riders to sense each increment of stepped adjustment.