A tensile element connection, comprising first and second bracing elements and a tensile element having a first portion connected to the first bracing element and a second portion opposed to the first portion and connected to the second bracing element, and an applied tensile load along the tensile element. The tensile element includes a preformed rod that is comprised of reinforcement fibers in a matrix. At a temporarily elevated temperature greater than the service temperature, a localized region of the matrix is in a softened state of increased deformability such that a localized region of the rod is deformed under pressure to include a laterally outwardly projecting engagement surface. The tensile element is comprised of said rod with the engagement surface formed therein and is connected to one of the first and second bracing elements by means of an overlie engagement at the engagement surface to restrain the tension load.

A wheel with flexible spokes, including a rim and hub, and spokes between the rim and hub made of fibrous material that causes the spokes to be both lighter in weight and stronger than comparable steel spokes. The spokes are also flexible and resilient such that they can bend while retaining their integrity and strength.

A method and a device are provided for manufacturing spokes from a wire material, in particular for at least partially muscle-powered two-wheeled vehicles. The spokes include a spoke shaft having at least two shaft sections. The shaft sections differ in at least one cross-section. For shaping the cross-sections, the wire material is reshaped at least in sections by means of a shaping tool. The relative position of the wire material relative to the shaping tool is varied in the axial direction during reshaping. For shaping the cross-sections in the two shaft sections the relative position of the wire material relative to the shaping tool is varied by way of different positioning movements.

A spoke including a metallic core covered, at least in its central portion, with a sheath of composite material comprised of an assembly of fibers embedded in a matrix, the core including an end portion adapted to be attached to the rim or the hub of a wheel, and a main body whose cross-sectional surface area is between 30% and 50% or, in a particular embodiment, between 35% and 45%, of the cross-sectional surface area of the aforementioned end portion. Furthermore, in the area of the main body, the sheath has a cross section between 150% and 500% or, in a particular embodiment, between 150% and 350%, of the cross section of the metallic core in the same area. The metal core includes two mechanical anchoring zones, positioned in the vicinity of its ends, on both sides of the main body.

A method of manufacturing a spoke, including: reshaping a wire material to obtain a spoke blank by a forging device; wherein the spoke blank includes pre-stages of the central section and the end portions and the transition sections; and wherein the pre-stages of the central section and the end portions are forged cylindrically; the pre-stages of the transition sections are forged conically, so that they show a diameter decreasing in the direction of the central section; wherein the pre-stages of the transition sections are each manufactured in a length which differs by a maximum of one fourth from the pertaining length of the transition section; reshaping the spoke blank by a shaping tool, which reproduces a negative shape of the spoke body, so that the spoke body is generated; wherein at least the transition sections and the central section are each provided with a cross-sectional geometry different from their pre-stages.