Abstract: A vehicle wheel axle assembly having: an axle sleeve with first and second end faces and an axial opening having a radially inwardly projecting first engagement surface; and a control shaft with a radially outwardly projecting second engagement surface. The control shaft is axially retained to the axle sleeve by an overlie engagement at an engagement interface between the first and second engagement surfaces to limit the axial displacement of the control shaft in a retracting direction relative to the axle sleeve. At least one of: the first engagement surface is in an engagement element discreet from and axially retained to the axle sleeve such that the engagement element may be installed and/or removed to/from the axle sleeve; and the second engagement surface is in an engagement element discreet from and axially retained to the control shaft such that the engagement element may be installed and/or removed to/from the control shaft.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An axle assembly, including: an axle sleeve with first and second end faces, an opening, and a first engagement surface; a control shaft with an engagement end, a control end, and a second engagement surface. The control shaft overlaps the opening and is axially displaceable in extending and retracting directions. The control shaft is rotatable relative to the axle sleeve between: (i) a first orientation where the control shaft is retained to the axle sleeve by an overlie engagement between the first and second engagement surfaces to restrict the axial displacement of the control shaft in the retracting direction at a first axial position; and (ii) a second orientation circumferentially offset from the first orientation such that the first and second engagement surfaces are not overlying and the control shaft may be axially displaced in the retracting direction relative to the first axial position.

Abstract: A rim sealing strip comprising: a circumferentially elongated rim strip having a radially outwardly facing outboard surface, a radially inwardly facing inboard surface, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge laterally spaced from the first lateral edge; where the rim strip includes an overall lateral width between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge and a radial thickness between the outboard surface and the inboard surface; and where the radial thickness is variable across the lateral width to include a first lateral region having a first radial thickness and a second lateral region having a second radial thickness, where the first radial thickness is thicker than the second radial thickness.

Abstract: A seatpost assembly, including a first seatpost portion, a second seatpost portion axially displaceable relative to the first seatpost portion along an axial axis, and an engagement element with a circumferential coil portion having a first termination and a second termination. The engagement element may be elastically deflected in a relaxing direction toward an engaged orientation to provide restraint of the axial displacement at a restraining interface with one of the first and second seatpost portions; and in a deflecting direction toward a released orientation for reduced restraint. The engagement element has an axially maintained engagement with the other one of the first seatpost portion. Where one of: (i) the released orientation corresponds to a radially outwardly expanded orientation of the engagement element relative to the deflected position; and (ii) the released orientation corresponds to a radially inwardly contracted orientation of the engagement element relative to the deflected position.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel axle assembly including: an axle extending along an axial axis having a first end and a second end axially opposed to the first end; a hub shell rotatable about the axle and about the axial axis; a frame element having a dropout for connection with the axle. The axle is a cantilevered axle with a first end removably connected to the dropout. The first end includes an axially outwardly facing first end face. The dropout includes an axially inward facing inboard face and an open slot to receive the axle adjacent the first end, with the open slot including an open entrance portion, a closed terminus region, slot sidewalls extending between the entrance portion and the terminus region. The axle is generally radially inwardly assembled to the open slot through the open entrance.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel hub assembly including: an axle assembly that is rotationally stationary about an axial axis; a hub shell rotatable about the axle assembly and about the axial axis; and a frame member to interface with the hub assembly. The axle assembly is secured to the frame member by means of a multi-lead threadable engagement. This threadable engagement may be manipulated between a threadably engaged arrangement to provide a retaining means to retain the hub shell to the frame member and a threadably released arrangement serving to remove the retaining means.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel, including a rim, a hub, and a plurality of spokes, a first anchor to connect one of the spokes to one of the rim and hub at a connection interface. One of the spokes is pre-tensioned by a pre-tensioning means. The first anchor may be manipulated between: (i) a released orientation where the connection interface is longitudinally released from the spoke to permit independent longitudinal displacement therebetween; and (ii) an engaged orientation where the connection interface is longitudinally connected to said spoke to limit independent longitudinal displacement between the two and to maintain the pre-tension of said spoke. The pre-tensioning means is discreet from the first anchor.

Abstract: A seatpost assembly, including a first seatpost portion, a second seatpost portion axially displaceable relative to the first seatpost portion along an axial axis, and an engagement element with a circumferential coil portion having a first termination and a second termination. The engagement element may be elastically deflected in a relaxing direction toward an engaged orientation to provide restraint of the axial displacement at a restraining interface with one of the first and second seatpost portions; and in a deflecting direction toward a released orientation for reduced restraint. The engagement element has an axially maintained engagement with the other one of the first seatpost portion. Where one of: (i) the released orientation corresponds to a radially outwardly expanded orientation of the engagement element relative to the deflected position; and (ii) the released orientation corresponds to a radially inwardly contracted orientation of the engagement element relative to the deflected position.

Abstract: An axle assembly including: an axle sleeve having first and second end faces, an axially extending through opening, and a radially extending first engagement surface; and a control shaft extending within the opening and having a radially extending second engagement surface. The control shaft is axially displaceable relative to the axle sleeve and is axially retained to the axle sleeve by means of an overlie engagement between the first and second engagement surfaces. At least one of the first and second engagement surfaces is radially displaceable between an engaged orientation corresponding to the overlie engagement and a released orientation corresponding to a release of the overlie engagement. The overlie engagement serves to axially retain the control shaft to the axle sleeve and the released orientation serves to remove the overlie engagement and permit the control shaft to be axially withdrawn and separated from the axle sleeve in the retracting direction.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel including a rim, a hub, and a plurality of spokes extending with a span portion between the rim hub. The rim and/or hub constitutes a bracing element. A connecting element is connected to the bracing element and includes an external surface, an internal cavity. A spoke has a longitudinal axis and an external spoke surface that that overlaps the internal cavity in an overlap region, and a pre-formed lateral spoke surface. The connecting element is crimped to create a crimped joinder with the spoke such that the connector surface is pressed and plastically deformed to displace the internal cavity toward the spoke surface in the overlap region to cause a lateral connector surface to laterally overlap the lateral spoke surface to create an overlie engagement and/or to increase a lateral overlap between a lateral connector surface and the lateral spoke surface in an overlie engagement. The overlie engagement supports spoke tensile load.

Abstract: A hub assembly, including: an axle with an axial opening; a hub shell; a frame, including first and second frame members with respective first and second retaining surfaces; and a control shaft within the axial opening. The control shaft includes: an engagement end; a clamping end with an enlarged head portion with an inwardly facing grip face; a shank extending between the engagement and clamping ends; first and second engagement surfaces proximal the engagement and clamping ends respectively. The second frame member includes an open slot to receive the control shaft. The control shaft is axially displaceable between: a retracted position radially disengaged from both first and second frame members; and a pre-engaged position, where the first and second engagement surfaces are overlapping the first and second retaining surfaces in respective first and second radial engagements to radially retain the hub assembly with the first and second frame members.

Abstract: An axle connector adapter assembly, including: a frame element with a first frame member; an axle extending along an axial axis and including an engagement end with a first threadable portion; and an adapter with a second threaded portion for threadable engagement with the first threadable portion. The first frame member includes an open slot with an open entrance portion, a closed terminus region, slot sidewalls extending between the open entrance portion and the closed terminus region, a slot axis, an axially outward facing first outboard face, and an axially inward facing first inboard face. The adapter is assembled to the first frame member to include a rotationally keyed engagement between the adapter and the first frame member to limit rotation of the threaded portion relative to the first frame member about the axial axis. The adapter is preferably axially retained to the first frame member.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel hub assembly including an axle extending along an axial axis, a hub shell with a hub flange that is rotatable about the axle, a bearing and at least one spoke assembled and connected to the hub flange at the opening. The hub flange includes an opening to receive the spoke. The axle includes an aperture that serves to provide assembly clearance to reduce or eliminate deformation of the spoke during the assembly of the spoke with the opening.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A quick release skewer assembly including a skewer shaft with a first end portion and a second end portion axially spaced from the first end portion, a first clamping element connected to the first end portion with a first grip face, a clamping assembly adjacent the second end portion including an anchor element, and a second clamping element with a second grip face. The first grip face is axially separated from the second grip face by a grip distance. The first clamping element is axially and rotationally engaged to the skewer. The anchor element is threadably connected to the skewer shaft such that the grip distance may be selectively threadably adjusted. The clamping assembly is operative to selectively displace the second grip face in a generally linear and axial direction between: (i) an open orientation where the grip distance is axially expanded and distal; and (ii) a closed orientation where the grip distance is axially contracted and proximal relative to the open orientation.

Abstract: A handlebar and grip system comprising: a handlebar, the handlebar comprising: a center portion; a right handle attached to a first end of the center portion, the right handle comprising: a right handle outboard end; a right handle engaging geometry located on the right handle outboard end a left handle attached to the second end of the center portion, the left handle comprising: a left handle outboard end; a left handle engaging geometry located on the left handle outboard end; a right grip configured to slide onto the outboard end of the right handle, the right grip comprising: a right grip central opening; a right grip engaging geometry located in the right grip central opening; a left grip configured to slide onto the outboard end of the left handle; a left grip central opening; a left grip engaging geometry located in the left grip central opening; where the right grip engaging geometry is configured to engage with the right handle engaging geometry such that the right grip will generally be prevented fr

Abstract: A vehicle wheel axle assembly comprises an axle element with a first outer face and a second outer face and a clamping assembly including a clamping element and a gripping element. The gripping element includes an axially inwardly facing grip face and an axially outwardly facing pressure face. The clamping element includes a helical threaded portion and an axially inwardly facing clamping face. The clamping assembly includes an elastically resilient element to axially bias said grip face to be axially inward and distal from said clamp face. The pressure face is axially inboard of the clamping face. The gripping element is rotatable relative to said clamping element. The clamping element is rotationally coupled to the gripping element by a coupling means at a coupling interface.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel hub assembly comprising an axle element that is rotationally stationary about an axial axis, and a hub shell element rotatable about the axle element, including a first end portion and a second end portion axially spaced from said first end portion. The axle element includes a control shaft that is axially displaceable relative to the hub shell element between an axially extended position and an axially retracted position. The control shaft includes an engagement end and a control end. In the extended position, the engagement end is axially distal from the second end portion and, in the retracted position, the engagement end is axially proximal to the second end portion relative to said extended orientation. Including a releasable axial retaining means to control the axial movement of the control shaft relative to the hub shell.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel axle assembly comprises an axle element with a first outer face and a second outer face and a clamping assembly including a clamping element and a gripping element. The gripping element includes an axially inwardly facing grip face and an axially outwardly facing pressure face. The clamping element includes a helical threaded portion and an axially inwardly facing clamping face. The clamping assembly includes an elastically resilient element to axially bias said grip face to be axially inward and distal from said clamp face. The pressure face is axially inboard of the clamping face. The gripping element is rotatable relative to said clamping element. The clamping element is rotationally coupled to the gripping element by a coupling means at a coupling interface.