Abstract: A quick release apparatus for a bicycle includes a first clamp (6) mounted on one end of a drawbar (5) for acting on a bicycle frame (10), and a second clamp (9) mounted on the other end of the drawbar (5) for cooperating with the first clamp (6) to hold the frame (10) tightly therebetween. The second clamp (9) has a rotary cam (7) for moving the first clamp (6) and second clamp (9) relative to each other, and a rocking lever (8) for controlling the rotary cam (7). The rotary cam (7) is lockable to a tightening position by a locking element (14) which is switchable between a lock position and an unlock position. The locking element (14) is remains in the unlock position when a tightening force produced by the first clamp (6) and second clamp (9) approaching each other is less than a predetermined value. The locking element (14) is automatically switched to the lock position when the tightening force reaches the predetermined value.

Abstract: A bicycle front derailleur has a guide assembly for shifting a chain among a plurality of sprockets of different sizes. The guide assembly comprises an outer guide plate, an inner guide plate extending substantially parallel to the outer guide plate, and bridge members interconnecting the outer and inner guide plates in a spaced relationship. The inner guide plate includes an upper plate portion, and a lower plate portion extending from the upper plate portion. The lower plate portion includes a first plate portion and a second plate portion, the second plate portion being elastically deformable relative to the first plate portion axially of the sprockets.

Abstract: A crank axle unit mounted in a bottom bracket assembled to a bicycle frame, which crank axle unit has a tubular element surrounding and rotatably supporting a crank axle, the tubular element being surrounded by the bottom bracket, and a first screw ring and a second screw ring screwed into opposite ends of the bottom bracket for positioning and fixing the tubular element in the bottom bracket. The first screw ring is fitted on an outside wall in one end region of the tubular element, and includes a threaded portion for screwing to an inside wall in one end region of the bottom bracket, and tool engaging teeth provided on an inside wall at an outward end of the first screw ring. The second screw ring is fitted on an outside wall in the other end region of the tubular element, and includes a threaded portion for screwing to an inside wall in the other end region of the bottom bracket, and tool engaging teeth provided on an inside wall at an outer end of the second screw ring.

Abstract: A control device attachable to the handlebar of a bicycle for controlling a brake mechanism and change speed mechanism. The control device comprises a bracket fixed to the handlebar and a brake lever pivotable crosswise relative to the bracket. The brake mechanism is controlled by fore and aft pivotal movement of the brake lever, while the change speed mechanism is controlled by sideways pivotal movement of the brake lever.

Abstract: A change-speed lever apparatus for use on a bicycle, comprises: a fixed member; a winding member pivotably supported to the fixed member and urged toward a cable-winding direction, the winding member winding a change-speed cable; a control lever operable to pivot the winding member only in the cable-winding direction via a one-way mechanism with an operation thereof in a forward direction against the urging force. A position-maintaining mechanism having an engaging member and a plurality of engaging portions operable to stepwisely and elastically engage with the engaging member, the mechanism maintaining a position of the winding member; and a release mechanism for releasing the position-maintaining condition of the winding member by the position-maintaining mechanism by releasing the engagement between the engaging member and the one engaging portion and for effecting a change-speed operation by causing the winding member to pivot in the cable-rewinding direction with the cable-rewinding urging force.

Abstract: A gear crank apparatus for a bicycle for supporting a plurality of chainwheels. This apparatus includes a boss secured to an end of a crank axle, a chainwheel supporting member extending radially outwardly from the boss for supporting the chainwheels axially spaced apart from one another, and a crank.The crank includes a first crank portion extending radially outwardly from the boss and inclined axially outwardly away from a side face of an adjacent chainwheel supported by the chainwheel supporting member to a position adjacent an outer periphery of the adjacent chainwheel, and a second crank portion extending from the first crank portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis.The chainwheel supporting member extends from the boss as inclined axially inwardly away from the crank and includes chainwheel mounting surfaces formed in peripheral regions thereof and extending perpendicular to the axis for attaching the chainwheels.

Abstract: A crank shaft unit for rotatably mounting bicycle crank arms in a bottom bracket includes, and adapters for maintaining the crank shaft unit in position relative to the bottom bracket. The crank shaft unit includes a crank shaft having connecting projections formed at opposite ends thereof for engaging inside walls of bosses of the crank arms, a cylindrical member surrounding the crank shaft, and bearings for rotatably supporting the crank shaft in inside walls of the cylindrical member. The adapters are mounted between an inside wall of the bottom bracket and the crank shaft unit. At least part of the bosses of the crank arms extend into annular spaces formed between inside walls of the adapter means and the crank shaft. Annular stepped spaces extend from the ambient to surfaces of the crank shaft through the adapters and bosses.

Abstract: A speed control apparatus for a bicycle includes a support shaft fixed to a bracket mounted on a handlebar; a first control lever pivotable about the support shaft and retainable in position after pulling a change speed wire to effect a change speed operation, the first control lever being returned to a pull starting position after the change speed operation; and a second control lever pivotable about the support shaft for releasing the change speed wire to effect a change speed operation, the second control lever being returned to a release starting position after the change speed operation. For improved operability of the apparatus, the first and second control levers are operable in opposite directions, with respective control portions of the levers movable close to each other when the levers are operated.

Abstract: A roller intake mechanism having an operating force amplifying device includes a cam (7) rotatable about an axis of an axle a plurality of rollers (8) displaceable with rotation of the cam, a roller case (9) for displaceably retaining the rollers, a brake drum (5) extending from a wheel hub (2), and a brake shoe (10) disposed between the rollers and brake drum for contacting the brake drum with displacement of the rollers. The amplifying device is formed as a clamping ring (18) having one end thereof operatively connected to a brake lever (100) through an interlocking wire (150), and the other end operatively connected to the cam. An intermediate portion of the ring is wound around a peripheral surface of the brake drum. Based on a primary operating force applied from the brake lever, the clamping ring clamps the brake drum, which produces a frictional force for allowing the clamping ring to take power from the brake drum, i.e. the wheel hub.

Abstract: A bicycle pedal (2) pivotally supported and having a first cleat coupling device (100) and a second cleat coupling device (200) disposed on opposite surfaces of the pedal. Each of the cleat coupling devices includes a front hook assembly for engaging a front section of the cleat, a rear hook assembly for engaging a rear section of the cleat, a cleat supporting surface defined between the front hook assembly and rear hook assembly. The front hook assembly, rear hook assembly and cleat supporting surface cooperate to produce a cleat fixing position. In the two cleat fixing positions, the cyclist's foot is fixed to the pedal in different postures. Further, each cleat coupling device has a camming function performed between each hook assembly and cleat for converting a displacement of the cleat to move the hook assembly in a releasing direction. The first and second cleat coupling devices are different in the displacement of the cleat converted by the camming function.

Abstract: A multistep sprocket wheel unit having a plurality of sprocket wheels in ring form; a boss having an axis, a front end face and a rear end face; and a plurality of support arms extending radially outwardly from outer peripheries of the boss and inclined toward the rear end face with respect to the axis. The support arms are arranged around the boss, and each defines a plurality of stepped surfaces formed on an inclined portion thereof opposed to the front end face. The stepped surfaces include vertical surfaces perpendicular to the axis and horizontal surfaces parallel to the axis. Adjacent ones of the vertical surfaces are formed with a predetermined pitch for use as sprocket wheel positioning surfaces. Where the vertical surfaces are formed with a pitch corresponding to a mounting pitch of the sprocket wheels, the sprocket wheels may simply be placed with side surfaces thereof contacting and fixed to the positioning surfaces to obtain an accurate mounting pitch.

Abstract: A multi-stage sprocket assembly for a bicycle is disclosed. In the assembly, a concave portion is provided in a small-sprocket-side face of a large sprocket for avoiding interference with a drive chain disengaged from a height-reduced tooth of the large sprocket, such that a link-connecting portion of the chain is received at a dedendum or a stepped portion of the large sprocket. Teeth of the small sprocket is phase-arranged with the receiving portion of the large sprocket such that a portion of the chain extending substantially straight rearwardly in a drive rotation direction of the sprocket assembly from the link-connecting portion of the chain received by the receiving portion of the large sprocket is engageable with a tooth of the small sprocket. The stepped portion receives the link-connecting portion at a position lower than the dedendum.

Abstract: A multi-stage sprocket assembly for a bicycle has a small sprocket, a large sprocket disposed coaxially with the small sprocket and a shift assist projection provided to the large sprocket for assisting a shifting movement of a chain from the small sprocket to the large sprocket. The assembly includes a guide face for guiding an outer side face of link plate of the chain. The guide face is formed in a side face of a second tooth of the large sprocket facing the small sprocket, the second tooth being forwardly adjacent, relative to a moving direction of the chain, a first tooth of the large sprocket which comes into engagement with a leading portion of the shifting chain.

Abstract: A front derailleur is provided with a first pressing portion having an arc substantially coaxial with the front gears and including a first pressing point where a pressing operation of the chain engaging the small gear is started and a second pressing point where the shifting operation of the chain mounting the intermediate gear is completed when the chain is shifted from the small gear to the intermediate gear. The derailleur is further provided with a second pressing portion positioned radially outwardly of the front gears relative to the first pressing portion for pressing the chain when shifting from the intermediate gear to the large gear.

Abstract: An adjusting jig for a cantilever type brake apparatus for use in a bicycle, comprising a main body, and a pair of distance limiting portions for contacting right and left lever arms.The distance limiting portions is mounted on the main body such that a distance between the lever arms is set to a predetermined value with the distance limiting portions contacting the lever arms.

Abstract: A cycling shoe having a cleat-attaching hole in its sole. The shoe has a pair of attaching holes for attaching a cleat to a sole of the shoe, the attaching holes being formed in the sole. The attaching holes are a pair of elongated slots formed substantially along a longitudinal direction of the shoe and are disposed substantially in parallel with each other along a lateral direction of the shoe. Each of the elongated slots can be alternately formed of a series of small holes aligned along the longitudinal direction of the shoe. A distance between the centers of the pair of elongated slots relative to the width of the shoe is limited at not greater than 19 mm so as to obtain a sufficient and necessary amount of cleat attachment angle range.

Abstract: A multistage sprocket assembly having at least two sprockets having different diameters and disposed adjacent to each other. The smaller sprocket has a tooth engageable with a portion of a drive chain to be displaced from the larger sprocket. The small sprocket tooth has a greater pressure angle at a position thereof rearwardly relative to a sprocket assembly drive rotation direction than that of the other teeth of the smaller sprocket.

Abstract: A bicycle pedal comprising a pedal body rotatably supported by a pedal shaft, and clamp assemblies mounted on the pedal body and arranged forwardly and rearwardly of a rotational axis of the pedal body for clamping a cleat of a shoe. Each of the clamp assemblies is movable between a clamping position and releasing position. Springs are provided for urging the clamp assemblies toward the respective clamping positions.

Abstract: A bicycle speed control apparatus according to this invention comprises a wind-up control device including a take-up element for winding a speed control cable, and a position maintaining mechanism for maintaining the take-up element in position. The control device is operable to effect change speed by rotating the take-up element for winding the cable.The present invention is characterized in that the position maintaining mechanism is operable to maintain the take-up element in a plurality of change speed positions and in overshift positions displaced from the change speed positions in a cable winding direction, respectively.

Abstract: A multi-stage sprocket assembly for a bicycle having a larger and a smaller sprockets attached adjacent to each other. The smaller sprocket has a concave portion defined in a side face thereof opposite to the larger sprocket. The concave portion is disposed at a position of the smaller sprocket which last interfers with a plate portion of a shifting chain segment extending between and engaging both the smaller and larger sprockets when the drive chain is shifted from the smaller sprocket to the larger sprocket.