A process for manufacturing a light-alloy hybrid wheel implements the following separate operation phases: making a flange with an internal profile capable of constituting a tire bead seat; making a rim with, on one side, an outer profile capable of constituting a tire bead seat and, on the other side, a circular flank for assembly with a part of the flange; assembling the flange with the rim, at the seat of said flange and the circular flank of the rim. The rim is made according to the following consecutive operations: an operation of manufacturing a circular flank; then an operation of expanding said circular flank to the size of the final rim in a single step; then an operation of cold or hot flospinning of said circular flank so as to obtain the rim in the final shape and profile thereof, comprising a shoulder only on the side that will not be welded to the flange.

Water drain holes, located through the sidewalls of hollow rims for vehicle wheels not sealed from water ingress, is described herein to provide an egress for accumulated water. The water drain holes in a wheel rim can be for any type of vehicle utilizing a hollow rim design for wheels when not sealed from water ingress. Without drain holes, accumulated water inside a hollow rim adds significant weight, which produces undesirable effects, such as resistance to the vehicle driver input to accelerate, steer, and otherwise control the vehicle, such as but not limited to a bicycle. Also, accumulated water inside a hollow rim enables increased galvanic current conductivity, producing corrosion.

Axle shaft assemblies for use with a vehicle include a shaft formed from a first material having a first modulus of elasticity for providing the shaft with a flexibility adapted to withstand side impacts and resist deformation. A first end member can be engaged with a first end of the shaft, and a second end member can be engaged with the second end of the shaft. The end members can be formed from a second material having a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first, such that the end members are adapted to withstand a rotational force. The end members can include splined connectors, hub flanges, and other similar components. The resulting axle shaft assembly can thereby include modular combinations of materials having low and high moduli of elasticity.

A bicycle wheel rim design with high safety margin and optimized strength-to-weight is described. The rim provides a tire bead supporting platform which defines a circumferential bead seat with minimum bead seat diameter equal to the standard tire bead diameter defined for a particular size of tire. Each tire bead seat defined along the rim circumference is comprised by a pair of circumferential ridges. The circumferential ridges comprise the external sidewalls of the rim and do not include tire bead hook features, and are of optimized sidewall thickness to add load strength and lateral stiffness, and resist crushing from impact. The interior ridges are increased diameter towards the medial plane of the rim to a value greater than the specified tire bead diameter. Given this geometry, the left lateral and right lateral of each tire bead is safely constrained within the defined bead seats under a wide variety of uses.

Axle shaft assemblies for use with a vehicle include a shaft formed from a first material having a first modulus of elasticity for providing the shaft with a flexibility adapted to withstand side impacts and resist deformation. A first end member can be engaged with a first end of the shaft, and a second end member can be engaged with the second end of the shaft. The end members can be formed from a second material having a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first, such that the end members are adapted to withstand a rotational force. The end members can include splined connectors, hub flanges, and other similar components. The resulting axle shaft assembly can thereby include modular combinations of materials having low and high moduli of elasticity.

A wheel disc includes a hub located centrally within the wheel disc and defining a wheel axis. The wheel disc further includes an outer circumferential edge and a transition portion radially extending between the hub and the outer circumferential edge. The transition portion has a front surface and a rear surface such that the front surface has a relatively smooth profile and the rear surface has a plurality of concentric ring-shaped curvatures formed therein, thereby providing the transition portion with a variable thickness between the front and rear surfaces.

A bicycle drive assembly may include an axle, a hub shell rotatably mounted on the axle by a first bearing, a free hub rotatably mounted on the axle by a second bearing, and a ratchet mechanism releasably coupling the free hub to the hub shell to transmit torque from the free hub to the hub. The ratchet mechanism may include a first ratchet ring having an inner surface joined to the hub shell for rotation with the hub shell and a second ratchet ring having an inner surface joined to the free hub for rotation with the free hub. The first ratchet ring and the second ratchet ring encircle and radially overlap the first bearing and the second bearing, respectively. At least one spring resiliently biases the first ratchet face and the second ratchet face into engagement to transmit torque from the free hub to the hub shell.

A wheel is provided that combines the principles of a beadlock wheel and a liner wheel for improved performance in motor racing, in particular drag racing. The wheel has beadlock rings that fasten to inner and outer rims of the wheel to secure an outer tire, and the wheel has knurls interior to the inner and outer rims to secure an inner tire. Projections from the inner and outer rims are arranged to accommodate the various functions of the combination of the beadlock rings and the inner tire. The projections counterintuitively add weight to the wheel, yet the combination of beadlock rings and an inner tire results in improved stability and safety as well as faster times on the racetrack.