Abstract: A hydraulic gear shift mechanism for a bicycle having a positioning mechanism for controlling the motion of the piston of a master cylinder assembly is disclosed, wherein the master cylinder assembly is in communication with a slave cylinder for operation of a derailleur. The positioning mechanism preferably includes a pivot shaft spaced apart from the handlebar, a rotating member rotatable about the pivot shaft, a push mechanism for rotating the rotating member in a first direction and a return mechanism for rotating the rotating member in a second direction. The push mechanism preferably includes a first latch segment which engages a corresponding push pawl to rotate the rotating member. The return mechanism preferably comprises a second latch segment and a return pawl, the return pawl having a first claw and a second claw which alternately engage the second latch segment.

Abstract: A bicycle front derailleur is provided with a mounting fixture that is configured to maintain an angular orientation of the front derailleur about a mounting axis parallel to a center axis of a frame tube in a stable manner. The mounting fixture has a bicycle frame fastening part, a front derailleur mounting part and a front derailleur contact part. The bicycle frame fastening part is configured to be fastened to the seat tube. The front derailleur mounting part is disposed on the bicycle frame fastening part and configured to be fastened to the front derailleur so that fine adjustment is possible about the mounting axis disposed at a distance from the seat tube. The front derailleur contact part selectively contacts a side surface of the front derailleur on the side facing the seat tube in a position that is different from that of the front derailleur mounting part.

Abstract: A shift control device is described. The shift control device is attachable to the handlebar of a bicycle for controlling the piston of a hydraulic shift mechanism and includes a bracket attachable to the handlebar, a pivot shaft, a rotating member, and a control lever. The pivot shaft is spaced apart from the handlebar and fixedly secured to the bracket. The rotating member is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction about the pivot shaft. The control lever is operatively connected with the rotating member and biased in a neutral position.

Abstract: A shift control apparatus is provided for a bicycle having a plurality of front sprockets and a plurality of rear sprockets, wherein a front derailleur shifts a chain among the plurality of front sprockets and a rear derailleur shifts the chain among the plurality of rear sprockets. The apparatus comprises a shift unit that provides signals for shifting the front derailleur and the rear derailleur; and a prohibiting unit operatively coupled to the shift unit and providing signals so that the chain is prohibited from engaging at least one of i) a laterally innermost front sprocket in combination with a laterally outermost rear sprocket, and ii) a laterally outermost front sprocket in combination with a laterally innermost rear sprocket.

Abstract: A hydraulic gear shift mechanism for a bicycle having a positioning mechanism for controlling the motion of the piston of a master cylinder assembly is disclosed, wherein the master cylinder assembly is in communication with a slave cylinder for operation of a derailleur. The positioning mechanism preferably includes a pivot shaft spaced apart from the handlebar, a rotating member rotatable about the pivot shaft, a push mechanism for rotating the rotating member in a first direction and a return mechanism for rotating the rotating member in a second direction. In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, an adjuster piston is threadingly engaged with the master cylinder assembly for adjusting the initial position of the slave cylinder.

Abstract: A bicycle gear shifting control apparatus has a manually operated shift device, a first gear shifting operation executing component, and a second gear shifting operation executing component. The manually operated shift device operates a front derailleur to shift gears. In response to operation of the manually operated shift device, the first gear shifting operation executing component executes a first gear shifting operation to move the front derailleur from a first shift position of a first sprocket to a second shift position of second sprocket. The second gear shifting operation executing component executes a second gear shifting operation to move the front derailleur a very small amount from the second shift position to a post shift position upon determining that the shifting operation should proceed.

Abstract: A bicycle front derailleur motor unit assembly is provided that includes a motorized front derailleur mounting member and a motor unit. The front derailleur mounting member is configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame. The front derailleur mounting member includes a front derailleur mounting portion configured to be coupled to a linkage of a front derailleur and a motor unit mounting portion. The motor unit includes a motor unit housing configured to be removably coupled to the motor unit mounting portion and an output shaft configured to rotate about a rotation axis relative to the motor unit housing in first and second opposite rotational directions. The motor unit mounting portion and the motor unit housing include first and second fastener-less mating structures configured to resist rotational movement of the motor unit housing relative to the front derailleur mounting member due to a torque produced by the output shaft.

Abstract: A motorized bicycle front derailleur assembly is provided that includes a motor unit, a front derailleur and a motor linkage. The motor unit is configured to rotate an output shaft in first and second opposite rotational directions. The front derailleur includes a fixing body configured to be mounted to a bicycle frame, inner and outer links pivotally coupled to the fixing body at first and second pivot points, and a chain guide pivotally coupled to the inner and outer links to move between an inner shift position and an outer shift position. The first pivot point is located laterally closer to a center plane of the bicycle frame than the second pivot point. The motor linkage is operatively coupled to the output shaft of the motor unit and the inner link to move the chain guide between the inner and outer shift positions upon rotation of the output shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting rotation of a bicycle part comprises a casing member comprising a generally annular body structured to be mounted to the bicycle part so that the annular body is incapable of rotating relative to the bicycle part as the bicycle part rotates in opposite directions around a rotational axis. The annular body includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed exposed magnet mounting portions that are concentric with respect to the rotational axis, and a cover member is detachably mounted to the annular body for blocking the plurality of magnet mounting portions.

Abstract: A hydraulic shift gear mechanism for a bicycle having a positioning mechanism for controlling the motion of the piston of a master cylinder assembly is described. The master cylinder assembly is in communication with a slave cylinder for operation of a derailleur. The positioning mechanism preferably includes a pivot shaft spaced apart from the handlebar, a rotating member rotatable about the pivot shaft, a push mechanism for rotating the rotating member in a first direction and a return mechanism for rotating the rotating member in a second direction. In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, an adjuster piston is threadingly engaged with the master cylinder assembly for adjusting the initial position of the slave cylinder.

Abstract: An assisting apparatus for using power from a moving member to assist the operation of a bicycle transmission comprises a power transfer mechanism, a drive coupling mechanism, and a position maintaining mechanism. The power transfer mechanism moves in one of a first direction and a second direction to upshift the bicycle transmission, and the power transfer mechanism moves in the other one of the first direction and the second direction to downshift the bicycle transmission. The drive coupling mechanism couples the power transfer mechanism to the moving member to move the power transfer mechanism in one of the first direction and the second direction, and the position maintaining mechanism prevents the power transfer mechanism from moving in the other one of the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: A front derailleur basically comprises a base member, a chain guide, inner and outer links, a first arm portion, and a coil spring. The chain guide is freely swingably coupled to the base member to guide a chain in a direction of shifting gears. Each of the outer link and the inner link has first and second sections freely rotatably coupled to the base member and the chain guide, respectively. The outer link and the inner link are disposed substantially parallel to each other. The first arm portion extends in a direction away from the base member. The coil spring has first and second ends connected to the base member and a free end of the first arm portion such that a biasing force is applied on the chain guide in a direction toward a frame of the bicycle when the base member is installed on the frame.

Abstract: A motorized bicycle derailleur assembly is provided with a motor unit, a derailleur, and a motor linkage. The motor unit rotates an output shaft in first and second rotational directions to shift the derailleur. The derailleur includes a fixing body, a chain guide and a derailleur linkage operatively coupled between the fixing body and the chain guide to move between a first shift position and a second shift position. The motor linkage is operatively coupled to the output shaft of the motor unit and the derailleur linkage to move the chain guide from the first shift position to the second shift position upon rotation of the output shaft in the first rotational direction and move the chain guide from the second shift position to the first shift position upon rotation of the output shaft in the second rotational direction.

Abstract: A front variable speed drive device is configured and arranged to electrically operate driving of a front derailleur by a shift cable. The front variable speed drive device comprises a case member, a motor drive mechanism, and a cable linking portion. The case member is mounted on a hanger portion of a bicycle frame. The motor drive mechanism is mounted on the case member, and has a revolving shaft. The cable linking portion has a retaining portion configured and arranged to retain a first end of the shift cable. The cable linking portion is rotatably mounted on the revolving shaft, and has a hypothetical arm line extending in the direction perpendicular to the shift cable from the center of rotation with a length of the hypothetical arm line changing depending on the rotation phase. Thus, motor torque required for shifting gears is reduced with a simple structure.

Abstract: A bicycle lamp protection apparatus protects bicycle lamps from overvoltage that are illuminated by electric power from a dynamo. The bicycle lamp protection apparatus includes a casing and an overvoltage protection circuit. The casing houses the overvoltage protection circuit and has a mounting part that can be mounted to the bicycle. The overvoltage protection circuit is housed in the casing and prevents the overvoltage from being supplied to the bicycle lamp.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a gear shift device comprises a gear shift controller that operates the gear shift device from a first gear position to a second gear position during a gear shift operation, a movement sensor that detects movement of the gear shift device, a timer, and a gear shift stopping unit that provides a signal to the gear shift controller to stop the gear shift operation when the timer measures a first time interval during which the movement sensor does not sense movement of the gear shift device.

Abstract: An electronic shift control apparatus is provided for a bicycle having a transmission with a plurality of speed stages. The apparatus comprises a shift unit that provides signals for shifting the transmission, a restriction selecting unit operated by a user to select a restricted speed stage, and a restricting unit operatively coupled to the shift unit and to the restriction selecting unit. The restricting unit prevents the shift unit from providing signals to shift the transmission to the restricted speed stage.

Abstract: An electric derailleur has a motor unit having a derailleur motor with an output shaft, a position control mechanism and a controller. The output shaft is rotated through a moveable range including a first derailleur shift position and a second derailleur shift position. The position control mechanism is configured and arranged to provide a position signal indicative of an angular position of the output shaft. The controller detects a predetermined lockup position of the derailleur motor occurring at one of the first and second derailleur shift positions. The controller also sets a predetermined stop position for the derailleur motor that is calculated distance prior to the lockup position based on the position signal of the position control mechanism. Thus, the derailleur motor can be calibrated such that a new stop position is set that prevents an overcurrent from occurring in the motor.

Abstract: A bicycle transmission control apparatus comprises a control unit that provides a first signal to operate a first derailleur a gear shift distance from a first origin sprocket to a first destination sprocket. The control unit receives a condition signal that indicates a condition resulting from at least one of the first derailleur and a second derailleur; and an adjustment controller moves the first derailleur an adjustment distance less than the gear shift distance in response to the condition signal.

Abstract: A bicycle disc brake is provided in which a support member movably couples the brake caliper to the frame of the bicycle. The bicycle disc brake caliper has a caliper housing with a single piston unit. The piston unit is movably coupled to the housing between a release position, in which the piston unit is spaced from a disc brake mounted to a wheel of a bicycle, and a braking position, in which the piston unit engages the disc brake of the bicycle wheel. The piston unit has a first friction member movably coupled between a release position and a braking position and a second friction member arranged substantially parallel to the first friction member to form a disc brake receiving space between the first and second friction members. In one embodiment, the caliper housing is movably coupled to the support member by a pivot pin. In another embodiment, the caliper housing is movably coupled to the support member by a linkage assembly.