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.

Disclosed herein are systems and techniques for producing complex components using a reinforced thermoplastic material. The complex components can include contoured or curved outer surfaces, and in some cases define a cavity. In certain examples, one or more thermoplastic materials are arranged to form a wheel component, such as that adapted to define a rim of the bicycle. Thermal bonding can be used to join multiple reinforced thermoplastic materials to one another in order to form a cavity of the wheel component or other complex shape. In certain examples, a portion of a tooling assembly can be pressurized to maintain a shape of the cavity during thermal bonding and cooling. This can remove the need for a sacrificial bladder or other structure that would maintain the shape of the cavity, allowing for a seamless final component, optionally absent indicia of bladder exit or other seams.

A spoke wheel for a straddle-type vehicle includes a rim having an outer peripheral surface on which a tire is mounted and an annular shape, a hub supported by an axle on an inner side of the rim and having a tubular shape, and a plurality of wire spokes connecting the rim to the hub. The rim is formed with a plurality of spoke holes through which the plurality of wire spokes pass and support surfaces receiving head portions of the plurality of wire spokes on one end sides of the plurality of spoke holes. Each of the support surfaces has a groove shape extending in a wheel rotation direction.

A resilient wheel and a method for traversing an obstruction therewith are disclosed. The wheel comprises a hub assembly, a flexible rim, and a spoke band assembly extending from the hub assembly to the flexible rim to form spokes. Each spoke has a spoke length defined to be a distance along the spoke from a point of contact of the spoke on the flexible rim to a point of origin of the spoke at the hub assembly. The spoke band assembly is configured such that contact of the flexible rim with an object as the wheel moves forward causes the spoke length of a number of the spokes to shorten and the spoke length of an equal number of the spokes to lengthen.

The present disclosure provides an integrally formed carbon fiber spoke and a manufacturing method thereof. The method includes manufacturing a carbon fiber core body and a first metal part and a second metal part at two ends; winding or wrapping the carbon fiber core body and the metal parts at the two ends with carbon fiber prepregs to form a semi-finished product; and putting the wound or wrapped semi-finished product into a forming mold for heat forming. In the present disclosure, the metal parts are wound or wrapped with the carbon fiber prepregs, such that sandwich structures are formed between the metal parts and carbon fiber materials to expand a bonding force of bonding interfaces.

A nipple assembly for a spoke wheel according to the present disclosure is coupled to at least one end of a spoke provided on a spoke wheel and includes a main body including a nipple head, and a column portion having a smaller diameter than the nipple head and elongated from the nipple head toward one side, a nipple base having a first through-hole and fitted with the column portion through the first through-hole, and a vibration attenuation member having a second through-hole and positioned between the nipple head and the nipple base by being fitted with the column portion through the second through-hole.