A connecting system for a tensile element including a longitudinal tensile element and a connector. The connector has an external connector surface and an internal cavity with an internal surface with a pre-formed lateral connector surface extending generally laterally inwardly. The internal cavity sleevably overlaps at the tensile element in an overlap region. The connector is crimped to create a crimped joinder between the connector and tensile element where a portion of the external connector surface is pressed to plastically deform the connecting element and displace the internal surface laterally inwardly to deboss the external surface in the overlap region. The connector includes a laterally outwardly projecting overlie surface to provide an external overlie engagement for connection with a bracing element and to support tensile load.

A bicycle rim comprising a circumferential outer portion adapted to receive a tire and a spoke bed. The spoke bed may comprise a pattern of spoke attachment segments at varying tilt angles and spaced by intermediate segments. Each spoke attachment segment may comprise an inner surface, an outer surface and a spoke opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface. The spoke opening may be sized to accommodate a spoke nipple. The spoke opening may have a central axis angled at a complex angle that is a combination of a respective camber angle and a respective crossing angle. The complex angle may be selected to achieve a respective spoke angle. The outer surface of the spoke attachment segment adjacent to the spoke opening may extend perpendicular to the central axis of the spoke opening.

A vehicle wheel having a rim, a hub, a plurality of spokes extending between said rim and said hub, rim and/or hub includes a spoke bed wall with an outboard bed surface, an inboard bed surface, and a spoke hole therethrough having a longitudinally inboard entrance. The spoke includes: a first spoke portion and a second spoke portion longitudinally inboard of the first spoke portion and laterally outboard of the first spoke portion, including a transition surface therebetween. The spoke extends through the spoke hole and at least a portion of the transition surface is longitudinally outboard of the inboard entrance and the spoke is connected to the rim and/or hub at the first spoke portion.

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 of making a wheel assembly using hybrid spokes that combines a synthetic fiber cable with an outer rod segment connected to a rim and an inner rod segment connected to a hub. An anchor is used to connect each end of the fiber cable to a length of conventional rod, preferably through the use of a swaging operation. Each rod segment includes a standard end feature on its free endsuch as a threaded shaft or J-bend. The hybrid assembly can preferably be retrofitted to applications that now use a conventional rod or wire. This allows synthetic fiber cableswith their unique mechanical propertiesto be incorporated in existing designs.