Bicycle front fork assembly

• US 20080073870A1
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC (Chartreuse et Mont Blanc SAS)
• Original Assignee: Felt Racing, LLC (Chartreuse et Mont Blanc SAS)
• Inventors: Lane, Timothy Saul
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/280
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/16 the material being wholly or mainly of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/02 Front wheel forks or equivalent, e.g. single tine
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/06 Bearings specially adapted for steering heads bearings in general F16C
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/18 Connections between forks and handlebars or handlebar stems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20822 Attachments and accessories

Abstract

A bicycle front end assembly is provided which is configured to reduce aerodynamic drag. In particular, an axis shaft of a fork may be mounted to a head tube of a bicycle frame. A fork head may be disposed in front of the head tube for providing a front end assembly which is aerodynamically configured while providing an increased moment of inertia compared with traditional designs to reduce drag of the bicycle and increase steering stiffness. Also, the handlebar may be attached to the fork head such that when the bicycle is steered to the left, the fork head is rotated toward the left and when the bicycle is steered to the right, the fork head is rotated toward the right. In this manner, the fork head is alignable to the travel direction of the bicycle.

Claims

1. A bicycle comprising:

a frame including a head steering end portion, the head steering end portion defining a central axis;

a fork including fork legs joined at an upper portion defining a fork crown, the fork also including a fork head and axis shaft attached to the fork crown, the axis shaft defining a rotational axis of the fork, the lower portion of the axis shaft and a lower portion of the head steering end portion being sized and configured to receive a lower bearing, the fork head extending in front of the head steering end portion when the axis shaft is inserted into the head steering end portion;

a headset cap being sized and configured together with the upper portion of the head steering end portion to receive an upper bearing, the headset cap being adjustably engageable to the axis shaft for preloading the fork crown, upper and lower bearings, head steering end portion and the headset cap thereby aligning the rotational axis of the fork to the central axis of the head steering end portion;

a handlebar mount attachable to the fork head.

2. The bicycle of claim 1 further comprising a headset locking screw attachable to the axis shaft for locking the headset cap to the axis shaft such that the headset cap does not become loose during use.

3. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the handlebar mount is formed with an aperture for receiving a headset locking screw, the headset locking screw insertable through the aperture of the handlebar mount for locking the headset cap to the axis shaft.

4. The bicycle of claim 1 further comprising a steerer length compensator disposed between the headset cap and the handle bar mount, a height of the steerer length compensator being adjustable for eliminating a gap between the headset cap and the handle bar mount.

5. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the handle bar is directly attached only to the fork head.

6. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the head steering end portion is sized and configured to receive lower bearing in that the lower portion of the head steering end portion is integrally formed as a lower cup.

7. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the upper portion of the head steering end portion is sized and configured to receive the upper bearing in that the upper portion of the head steering end portion is integrally formed as an upper cup.

8. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein a fork crown race is unitarily formed with a base of the of the axis shaft.

9. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein an upper cone is unitarily formed with a base of an elongate post of the headset cap.

10. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the head steering end portion is sized and configured to receive lower bearing in that the lower portion of the head steering end portion is sized and configured to receive a separate lower cup.

11. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the upper portion of the head steering end portion is sized and configured to receive the upper bearing in that the upper portion of the head steering end portion is sized and configured to receive a separate upper cup.

12. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein a separate fork crown race is disposed at a base of the of the axis shaft.

13. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein a separate upper cone is disposed at a base of an elongate post of the headset cap.

14. The bicycle of claim 1 further comprising a pin threadably insertable into the headset cap and cinchable onto the axis shaft to lock the headset cap to the axis shaft.

15. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the head steering end portion is a head tube of the bicycle.

16. The bicycle of claim 1 wherein the frame is fabricated from carbon fiber.