Bicycle speed control apparatus

A speed control apparatus for a bicycle comprising:

• support means;
• a takeup reel rotatably supported on said support means for rotating in a wire winding direction to wind a change speed wire, said takeup reel being spring-loaded in a wire unwinding direction;
• position retaining means disposed between said support means and said takeup reel to be switchable between an operative state for retaining said takeup reel in stepwise rotational positions around said support means, and an inoperative state for allowing free rotation of said takeup reel, said position retaining means being spring-loaded to said operative state;
• retention canceling means for acting on said position retaining means, said retention canceling means being switchable between a first position for maintaining said position retaining means in said operative state, and a second position for switching said position retaining means to said inoperative state;
• a first control member including a first control portion and operatively connected to said takeup reel through one-way transmission means for rotating said takeup reel in the wire winding direction, said first control member being returned to a home position after a change speed operation;
• and
• a second control member including a second control portion for operating said retention canceling means to said second position, said second control member being returned to a home position to place said retention canceling means in said first position;
• wherein said second control member is pivotable in said wire unwinding direction to move said retention canceling means from said first position to said second position, said first control portion and said second control portion being movable close to each other circumferentially of said support means.

A speed control apparatus for controlling a change speed device of a bicycle through a change speed wire, comprising:

• support means;
• a first control member pivotably supported on said support means;
• a takeup reel connected to said change speed wire and supported on said support means to be rotatable in a wire winding direction to wind said change speed wire and in a wire unwinding direction to unwind said change speed wire, said takeup reel being spring-loaded in the wire unwinding direction;
• one-way transmission means for transmitting pivotal movement of said first control member only for rotating said takeup reel in said wire winding direction;
• first position retaining teeth and second positon retaining teeth rotatable with said takeup reel;
• a first position retaining pawl pivotably supported by said support means for engaging said first position retaining teeth, said first position retaining pawl and said position retaining teeth are shaped to perform a one-way transmission function to allow free rotation in said wire winding direction of said first position retaining teeth;
• a second position retaining pawl pivotably supported by said support means for engaging said second position retaining teeth;
• a second control member pivotably supported on said support means and including a first cam and a second cam;
• a first cam follower attached to said first position retaining pawl for engaging said first cam, said first cam follower being operable through said first cam to disengage said first position retaining pawl from said first position retaining teeth with pivotal movement in said wire unwinding direction of said second control member;
• and
• a second cam follower attached to said second position retaining pawl for engaging said second cam, said second cam follower being operable through said second cam to disengage said second position retaining pawl from said second position retaining teeth with pivotal movement in said wire unwinding direction of said second control member;
• said second control member being movable close to said first control member when pivoting in said wire winding direction.