Wheel for bicycles and method of producing

A wheel comprising:

• a hub having an axial bore:
• an inner rim connected to said hub by spokes;
• an outer rim connected to said inner rim, said outer rim for receiving a tire, said outer rim having an outside diameter;
• and,
• a bearing block fastened to said axial bore of said hub and adaptable for receiving a bearing subassembly with an axle,
• the number of said spokes being at least three, said spokes having a leading edge, a trailing edge and an aerodynamic shape, said leading edge having a radius of curvature which is at least as large as the radius of curvature of said trailing edge, the spokes having a major dimension in a direction parallel to the tangent of said inner rim at a point radially through said spoke, said spokes having a minor dimension in a direction parallel to the axis of said wheel, the ratio of said major dimension of said spoke to the minor dimension of said spoke being at least about two, and, said spokes being symmetrical about a plane perpendicular to the axis of said wheel and through said leading and trailing edges of said spoke,
• said hub, said spokes and said inner rim being made of a plurality of laminated lightweight, high strength materials selected from the group consisting of plastic-containing substances which contains fibers and mixtures thereof, such that said wheel has a weight no greater than about 0.12 lbs per inch of said outside diameter of said outer rim, wherein said weight is determined without a tire and without a bearing subassembly and axle, wherein said plurality of laminated lightweight, high strength materials and the orientation of said fibers in said wheel are effective for causing said wheel to have a lateral stiffness of at least about 200 lbs per inch, and a radical stiffness midway between said spokes of at least about 8000 lbs per inch, wherein said stiffness is determined without a tire and without a bearing subassembly and axle.

A wheel comprising a hub having an axial bore;

• an inner rim connected to said hub by spokes;
• and,
• a bearing block fastened to said axial bore of said hub and adaptable for receiving a bearing subassembly with an axle,
• the number of said spokes being at least three and said spokes having an aerodynamic shape,
• said hub, said spokes and said inner rim being a lightweight, high strength material selected from the group consisting of plastic-containing substances and mixtures thereof,
• wherein said inner rim, said spokes and said hub are hollow,
• wherein said spokes have a leading edge and a trailing edge,
• wherein said inner rim has a trailing edge facing said hub,
• wherein said lightweight, high strength material of said inner rim, said spokes and said hub comprise one or more layers of plastic fibers, one or more layers of carbon fibers, and one or more layers of glass fibers,
• wherein said plastic fibers and said glass fibers in said leading edge and trailing edge of said spoke and in said trailing edge of said inner rim lay at an oblique angle to said edges, and
• wherein said carbon fibers lay in about a radial direction in said spokes and in about a parallel direction to said trailing edge in said inner rim.

A wheel comprising a hub having an axial bore;

• an inner rim connected to said hub by spokes;
• and,
• a bearing block fastened to said axial bore of said hub and adaptable for receiving a bearing subassembly with an axle,
• the number of said spokes being at least three and said spokes having an aerodynamic shape,
• said hub, said spokes and said inner rim being a lightweight, high strength material selected from the group consisting of plastic-containing substances and mixtures thereof,
• wherein said inner rim comprises a U-shaped member and a composite closeout member, wherein said composite closeout member is an annular unitary composite structure having no bonded joints internally within said composite closeout member, and wherein said composite closeout member is bonded to said U-shaped member,
• wherein said lightweight, high strength material of said composite closeout member comprises one or more layers of glass fibers and one or more layers of carbon fibers, and
• wherein some of the fibers of said layers of glass fibers and some of the fibers of said layers of carbon fibers lay in a circumferential direction in and around said composite closeout member.

A wheel comprising a hub having an axial bore;

• an inner rim connected to said hub by spokes;
• and,
• a bearing block fastened to said axial bore of said hub and adaptable for receiving a bearing subassembly with an axle,
• the number of said spokes being at least three and said spokes having an aerodynamic shape,
• said hub, said spokes and said inner rim being a lightweight, high strength material selected from the group consisting of plastic-containing substances and mixtures thereof,
• wherein said inner rim, said spokes and said hub are hollow,
• wherein said spokes have a leading edge and a trailing edge,
• wherein said inner rim has a trailing edge facing said hub,
• wherein said lightweight, high strength material of said inner rim, said spokes and said hub comprise one or more layers of plastic fibers, one or more layers of carbon fibers, and one or more layers of glass fibers,
• wherein said lightweight, high strength material of said inner rim, said spokes and said hub comprise a first layer of woven aromatic polyamide fibers, followed by a first layer of unidirectional carbon fibers, followed by a second layer of unidirectional carbon fibers, followed by a second layer of woven aromatic polyamide fibers, followed by a third layer of woven aromatic fibers, followed by a layer of glass fibers,
• wherein said fibers of said layers of woven aromatic polyamide fibers and said layer of glass fibers in said leading edge and trailing edge of said spoke and in said trailing edge of said inner rim lay at an oblique angle to said edges, and
• wherein said unidirectional carbon fibers lay in about a radial direction in said spokes and in about a parallel direction to said trailing edge in said inner rim.