Method of molding composite bicycle frames

A method of making a generally hollow bicycle frame component connecting at least two of a steering support means for supporting a fork assembly, a seat support means for supporting a seat assembly, a pedal support means for supporting a pedal assembly, and a wheel support means for supporting a wheel assembly, said method comprising:

• forming a tube section comprising at least one elongated strip of fibrous material impregnated with a synthetic resin and two junction sections each comprising at least one patch of fibrous material impregnated with a synthetic resin, said junction patches and said tube strip each being separate pieces of said resin impregnated fibrous material such that said sections are separate from each other;
• placing at least a portion of a corresponding one of two of said support means in each of said junction sections;
• placing said separate sections adjacent to each other with one of said junction sections adjacent to each end of said tube section, said junction sections each having a connection part and said tube section having an end part at each end thereof arranged to be overlapped with the connection part of a corresponding one of said junction sections when said junction sections are adjacent to each end of said tube section;
• transversely overlapping each end part of said tube section with the connection part of said corresponding junction section to form a generally hollow shell extending longitudinally between said two corresponding support means and having two pairs of overlapped parts one pair between said tube section and each of said junction sections, the synthetic resin of at least one part of each of said pairs being substantially uncured and said generally hollow shell having an interior cavity for receiving a pressing means for causing compression of said uncured parts of said shell against a molding means;
• placing said pressing means in said interior cavity of said shell and said uncured parts of said shell adjacent to a molding means;
• activating said pressing means to compress said overlapped parts together and said uncured parts of said shell against said molding means;
• and,
• curing said uncured parts of said shell while under said compression to cause said two pairs of overlapped parts to form two corresponding pressure molded junctures integrally uniting said elongated tube strip and said junction patches to provide a unitary wall of substantially continuous resin impregnated fibrous material, said unitary wall forming a generally hollow bicycle frame component which alone structurally connects said two corresponding support means and has a generally hollow tubular portion corresponding to said tube section integrally connected to a pair of generally hollow junctions corresponding to said junction sections.