Over the past several years, the number of materials routinely employed for the fabrication of major bicycle components (e.g., frame, fork, and handlebar) has increased from one (steel) to at least five (steel, aluminum, titanium, fiber-reinforced polymers, and magnesium). Historically the primary driving force for implementation of new materials in bicycle manufacture has been the almost fanatical desire to reduce the weight of the bicycle. Although weight reduction of the bicycle will continue to be important, an old design paradigm—driven mostly by the recent popularity of bicycles designed to be ridden off-road (mountain bikes)—has re-emerged: the design of bicycles that minimize the amount of road/trail shock transmitted to the rider.