I was very bored this afternoon while trying to avoid revising, and ended up making a cardboard model using a photo of the Santa Cruz V10 rear linkage...

Sad, I know, but I'm very curious about the whole VPP system thing.

The end axle path does have a very subtle s-bend in it, but only really compared to the arc that the rear axle would follow on a swingarm, so it's more of a flat spot on the curve.

The really interesting bit is that the negative travel actually actuates the shock like a negative spring - it's not just sag.

Any ideas how this works? It appears that the riders weight should cause the suspension to sit below the anti-bob point of the axle path...

You have to run it with 4"+ of sag, still giving you 6" travel.

3" of sag actually so the bike sits at the middle of the bottom curve on the S.
This means chain tension keeps the thing from bobbing whilst peddling (along with the amazing 5th element shock)but still moves when bumps hit.
There is loads of other shite I could tell you but I can't be arsed