A method of manufacturing a lightweight wheel with high strength flexible spokes of the present invention, includes providing a rim and hub, and a plurality of lightweight, flexible and resilient 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 wheel includes a nipple within the rim that receives the high strength spoke and allows for flexibility in adapting the spoke to wheels having differing shapes and sizes.

A wheel with high strength flexible spokes of the present invention, 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. The wheel includes a nipple within the rim that receives the high strength spoke and allows for flexibility in adapting the spoke to wheels having differing shapes and sizes.

A wheel with high strength flexible spokes of the present invention, 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. The wheel includes a nipple within the rim that receives the high strength spoke and allows for flexibility in adapting the spoke to wheels having differing shapes and sizes.

A bicycle wheel rim, comprising a wall made of composite material having a plurality of perforated spoke-attachment seats, wherein each perforated seat is delimited by at least one first area comprising an amassment of continuous structural fibers and at least one second area circumferentially spaced apart from said first area and comprising cut structural fibers. A process for manufacturing the aforementioned rim is also disclosed.

A wheel with high strength flexible spokes of the present invention, 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. The wheel includes a nipple within the rim that receives the high strength spoke and allows for flexibility in adapting the spoke to wheels having differing shapes and sizes.

A method for making the composite material wheel rim includes the steps of: configuring a plurality of inner lining chunks individually to the desired position where the spokes are to be mounted to allow the inner lining chunks to be integrated with an inner annular portion of the wheel rim, next, integrating the formed inner annular portion with an outer annular portion of the wheel rim to form a semi-finished wheel rim, and then, creating the requested threaded holes for connecting the spokes in the inner lining chunks of the inner surface of the semi-finished wheel rim subject to the requested amount and angles of the spokes. By the present method, the semi-finished wheel rim allows drilled, threaded holes subject to needs to fit different types of wheel hub units to increase the yield rate and reduce the inventory of the wheel rims.

A composite bicycle rim, and a process for manufacturing the rim, having a plurality of perforated spoke-attachment seats having spaced apart first and second areas of cut structural fibers. The second area has both end portions of cut structural fibers having a longitudinal dimension greater than the first area's cut structural fibers and continuous structural fibers. At least some of the end portions of the second area's cut structural fibers are mutually juxtaposed or interposed with respect to the second area's continuous structural fibers.

A wheel with high strength flexible spokes of the present invention, 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. The wheel includes a nipple within the rim that receives the high strength spoke and allows for flexibility in adapting the spoke to wheels having differing shapes and sizes.

A vehicle wheel spoke connection, including: a rim; a hub; a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub with a first portion connected to the rim, a second portion opposed to said first portion and connected to the hub, a span portion between the rim and the hub, and an applied tensile load along the span portion; a bracing element including the rim and/or hub. The spoke has a longitudinal axis and is composed of reinforcement fibers in a matrix. The external surface of the spoke includes a pre-formed configured surface comprising a multiplicity of laterally outwardly projecting engagement surfaces that are longitudinally spaced. The spoke is connected to the bracing element by a longitudinal engagement comprising a multiplicity of longitudinally spaced overlie engagements associated with the spoke engagement surfaces. The longitudinal engagement supports the tensile load.

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.