Bicycle wheel with unitary side construction

A bicycle wheel having a longitudinal plane normal to an axis of rotation, comprising:

• a rim with first and second side surfaces on opposite sides of the longitudinal plane;
• a hub having first and second end portions on opposite sides of the longitudinal plane and being axially aligned and concentrically disposed relative to the rim;
• a pair of unitary side elements disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal plane and being coupled to the rim and to the hub, and each of the side elements having an annular sidewall, a flange portion, a plurality of spokes integrally interconnecting the annular sidewall and the flange portion with continuous first fibers spanning between the annular sidewall and the spokes, and with continuous second fibers spanning between the spokes and the flange portion, and
• wherein the side elements include first and second side elements, the annular sidewall of the first side element is fixed to the first side of the rim, and the flange portion of the first side element is fixed to the first end portion of the hub, and the annular sidewall of the second side element is fixed to the second side of the rim, and the flange portion of the second side element is fixed to the second end portion of the hub, the plurality of spokes of the first and second side elements are in tension between the sidewall and the flange of the respective first and second side elements.

A method of making a fiber-based wheel for a bicycle, comprising:

• forming unitary fiber-based first and second side elements each having an annular sidewall, a central flange portion radially inward of the sidewall, and a plurality of spokes extending between the sidewall and the central flange, wherein each side element is formed by laying up a plurality of layers of fiber-based material shaped to form the sidewall, the central flange and the spokes with at least first continuous fibers extending between the sidewall and the spokes and at least second continuous fibers extending between the spokes and the central flange, and curing the entire side element with heat and pressure in one curing process to form a cured side element with the spokes integrally connected to the sidewall and the flange;
• positioning the first and second side elements adjacent to a rim and with the spokes in alignment with each other;
• affixing the sidewalls of the first and second side elements to opposing side surfaces of a rim;
• positioning the central flanges of the first and second side elements on a hub and positioning the first and second side elements so the spokes are in tension;
• and
• fixing the flanges of the first and second side elements to the hub.