Abstract: To provide a steering wheel which is lightweight, and which has adequate strength and shock resistance, a carbon fiber prepreg 13 is wound on a mandrel 11 or a lightweight foam core 40 so as to obtain a preformer 14. By heating this preformer 14 in a mold 18, a steering wheel is obtained wherein the rim is formed from a fiber-reinforced synthetic resin joined to a metal skeleton 23.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel basically has a hub, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the hub and an annular rim coupled to the outer ends of the spokes for supporting a tire. The annular rim has a spoke attachment portion with a plurality of openings for receiving the outer ends of the spokes therein. The openings of the annular rim have reinforcement members or washers located between the spokes and annular rim. The outer ends of the spokes have bent sections located within the spoke holes of the reinforcement members or washers and head section that engage the inner surface of the reinforcement members or washers. The rim is provided with a reinforcing rib or bend above each of the spoke holes. The reinforcing rib or bend can be continuous or discontinuous. The spoke attachment portions of the rim are divided into an outer circumferential section, a middle circumferential section with the spoke openings formed therein and an inner circumferential section.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel basically has a hub, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the hub and an annular rim coupled to the outer ends of the spokes for supporting a tire. The annular rim has a spoke attachment portion with a plurality of openings for receiving the outer ends of the spokes therein. The outer ends of the spokes are bent such that first sections of the spokes are offset from sections of the spokes. These bends are positioned in the openings of the rims to retain the outer ends of the spokes in the openings of the rim. Optionally, an adhesive may be used to more securely retain the outer ends of the spokes in the openings of the rim. In certain embodiments, the spoke attachment portion of the rim can be constructed of individually spaced elements which can be either fastened to the rim or unitary part of the rim.

Abstract: A magnetic assembly is provided for a bicycle monitoring device. The magnetic assembly includes a magnetic device that mounts on a special spoke of a wheel. This magnetic device has a housing with a magnet secured thereto. The housing has a spoke-receiving recess that receives the spoke. The housing can be secured to the spoke within the spoke-receiving recess via a snap-fit or an elastic fit. In one embodiment, the spoke-receiving recess of the housing has a projection that engages a concavity form in the connecting portion of the spoke. In another embodiment, the spoke-receiving recess of the housing has a concavity that engages a projection form on the connecting portion of the spoke. The magnetic device communicates with a sensing device, which is coupled to a portion of the bicycle that is adjacent to a wheel of the bicycle. A display unit that is mounted on handlebars of the bicycle displays the speed information obtained from the sensing device.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel basically has a hub, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the hub and an annular rim coupled to the outer ends of the spokes for supporting a tire. The annular rim has a spoke attachment portion with a plurality of openings for receiving the outer ends of the spokes therein. The outer ends of the spokes are bent such that first sections of the spokes are offset from sections of the spokes. These bends are positioned in the openings of the rims to retain the outer ends of the spokes in the openings of the rim. In selected embodiments, a fastener or an adhesive may be used to more securely retain the outer ends of the spokes in the openings of the rim. In certain other embodiments, the spoke attachment portion of the rim can be constructed of individually spaced elements which can be either fastened to the rim or unitary part of the rim.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel basically has a hub, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the hub and an annular rim coupled to the outer ends of the spokes for supporting a tire. The annular rim has a spoke attachment portion with a plurality of openings for receiving the outer ends of the spokes therein. The openings of the annular rim have reinforcement members or washers located between the spokes and annular rim. The outer ends of the spokes have bent sections located within the spoke holes of the reinforcement members or washers and head section that engage the inner surface of the reinforcement members or washers.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel basically has a hub, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the hub and an annular rim coupled to the outer ends of the spokes for supporting a tire. The annular rim has a spoke attachment portion with a plurality of openings for receiving the outer ends of the spokes therein. The outer ends of the spokes are bent such that first sections of the spokes are offset from sections of the spokes. These bends are positioned in the openings of the rims to retain the outer ends of the spokes in the openings of the rim. Optionally, an adhesive may be used to more securely retain the outer ends of the spokes in the openings of the rim. In certain embodiments, the spoke attachment portion of the rim can be constructed of individually spaced elements which can be either fastened to the rim or unitary part of the rim.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel basically has a hub, a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the hub and an annular rim coupled to the outer ends of the spokes for supporting a tire. The annular rim has a spoke attachment portion with a plurality of openings and radially extending recesses for receiving the outer end portions of the spokes therein. The outer end portions of the spokes are at least partially recessed within the radially extending recesses to provide an aerodynamic design. The outer end portions of the spokes are preferably bent such that first sections of the spokes are offset from sections of the spokes. These bends are positioned in the openings of the rims to retain the outer ends of the spokes in the openings of the rim. In selected embodiments, the offset section between the first and second sections is either thicker or corrugated.

Abstract: A reinforced booster for a bicycle brake is substantially U-shaped and attached to the pivot points of the bicycle brake to increase its braking power. The reinforced booster has a substantially U-shaped member with inner and outer peripheral edges which have high strength strands of fiber attached thereto for increasing the strength of the U-shaped member. The strands of fibers extend longitudinally along the peripheral edges of the U-shaped member. Preferably, the U-shaped member is constructed of a plurality of sheets of a non-metallic material. For example, a plurality of carbon sheets can be used to form the U-shaped member. The strands of fibers attached to the peripheral edges of the U-shaped member can be, for example, carbon fibers, polyamide fibers, glass fibers or other reinforced plastic fibers. The free ends of the booster has mounting holes which are preferably formed by strands of fibers.

Abstract: To provide a steering wheel which is lightweight, and which has adequate strength and shock resistance, a carbon fiber prepreg 13 is wound on a mandrel 11 or a lightweight foam core 40 so as to obtain a preformer 14. By heating this preformer 14 in a mold 18, a steering wheel is obtained wherein the rim is formed from a fiber-reinforced synthetic resin joined to a metal skeleton 23.

Abstract: A bicycle brake shoe holder includes a support component for supporting a brake shoe, wherein the brake shoe has a rim-contacting surface facing laterally inward. A tire guide component having a tire guide portion extends laterally outward, wherein the tire guide portion includes a tire guide surface formed at an inclined angle relative to the rim-contacting surface. A protrusion member is disposed on the tire guide component and faces laterally inward. The protrusion member preferably is formed from a material that is softer than the material forming the wheel rim.

Abstract: An air bag cover holding structure comprises: a plate-shaped bag holder for fixing an air bag cover to a steering wheel, the plate-shaped bag holder having engaging claws which are respectively engaged with hook-shaped grooves formed on an inner peripheral wall at an open-side end of the air bag cover; a reinforcing plate fixed in a state of overlapping with the plate-shaped bag holder and having engaging portions, the engaging portions being respectively inserted in plate inserting holes which are formed at the open-side end of the air bag cover in directions crossing the hook-shaped grooves so as to hold the air bag cover together with the engaging claws; and a pull-out prevention reinforcing member provided in at least one of the engaging claws and the engaging portions to prevent the air bag cover from being pulled out from the plate-shaped bag holder and the reinforcing plate.

Abstract: A sandal comprises a sole and a strap connected to the sole for securing the sandal to the foot The sole includes a cleat attachment hole for fixing a cleat on a bottom surface thereof. The sole includes a middle sole and a covering sole disposed on a lower surface of the middle sole. The coveting sole includes a window for exposing a portion of the middle sole, and at least two cleat attachment holes are disposed in the window for fixing a cleat to a bottom surface of the sole so that the cleat does not extend below the lowermost surface of the sole.

Abstract: A bicycling shoe having a shoe main body, a first tension-binding belt, a second tension-binding belt, a free ring, and a tensioning implement. The first tension-binding belt has at least one end connected to the shoe main body and has a first turnover portion. The second tension-binding belt has at least one end connected to the shoe main body and has a second turnover portion adjacent to the first turnover portion. The first and second turnover portions are inserted through the free ring such that the first and second belts link. Herein, since the belts having the turnover portions are linked by the free ring, fine adjustment can be made by means of the belts, responding to the shape of the foot of an individual wearer. Further, since a construction is made in which the first tension-binding belt is fixed to the shoe main body under tension by the tensioning implement, the shoes can be put on and taken off easily.

Abstract: A hair setting agent composition is disclosed, which comprises: (A) 0.01 to 10% by weight of a water-dispersible polyester resin; (B) 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one silicone derivative; and (C) 0.1 to 40% by weight of a C.sub.8-40 hydrocarbon oil. The hair setting agent composition according to the present invention exhibits excellent hair setting properties and set retaining properties and provides hairs with a nonsticky smooth finish touch and a natural gloss.

Abstract: A dye concentrate for dyeing keratin fibers which comprises the following components (A), (B) and (C):(A) 10% by weight or more, based on the total weight of the composition, of an oxidation dye having two or more amino groups per molecule in the non-salt form or salt free;(B) 0.5% by weight or more, based on the total weight of the composition, of an inorganic or organic reducing agent; and(C) water or an organic solvent;and a dye composition for dyeing keratin fibers containing the same are disclosed. The dye concentrate of the present invention remains stable even when stored for a long time and can be easily formulated into a dye composition at use.

Abstract: A hair treatment composition is disclosed. The composition comprises: (A) a branched-type quaternary ammonium salt, (B) one or more agents selected from the group consisting of oxidizing agents, reducing agents, and dyeing agents, and (C) a higher alcohol having a branched ratio of 1-50%. The composition is directed to hair perming, hair dyeing, and the like, and exhibits excellent hair protecting and hair conditioning effects even under severe conditions. It features good handling performance, e.g. the capability of preventing running of the liquid and of providing superior spreadability. The excellent conditioning effect lasts for a long period of time even after repeated washing.

Abstract: An air bag apparatus is disclosed having a locking device which is adapted to prevent the inflation of a bag accommodated in an air bag body before the air bag body is mounted on a chassis, the bag being adapted to be inflated in front of a seat occupant when a predetermined acceleration has acted on the air bag body. This locking device is arranged such that an actuating member is driven by an operator's operation after mounting the air bag body on the chassis to release the locking device, thereby canceling a locked state and making the air bag body operable.