Bicycle fork

摘要

The present invention provides a completely hollow, fiber reinforced plastic, bicycle fork (14) with left and right dropouts (212 L, 212 R) and an integral steer tube (214), wherein the fork (14) is adapted to be fitted to a head structure (20) on a bicycle frame (12) having a head tube axis and a for rotation about the head tube axis, the steer tube (214) having a top end and a lower bearing seat (62, 64), a fork crown (230) and blade (232, 234) terminating in a tip (216L, 216R); the fork (14) is formed substantially entirely of fiber reinforced plastic made up of a plurality of layers formed in laminations, the layers extending the entire length of the fork (14) from the tip (216L, 216R) to the top end and passing through the crown (230); the fork (14) is formed to have additional reinforcements proximate the crown (230) in which the reinforcements strengthen the crown (230) but also provide evident areas of stress in the event selected loads are exceeded; a steer tube base (218) is formed as a transition between the crown (230) and the steer tube (214); a lower bearing seat (64) is formed on the steer tube base (218); an upper bearing receivable portion (62) is formed and located a distance spaced from the steer tube base (218) in the direction of the top end; the lower bearing seat (64) is formed of a diameter substantially larger than the upper bearing receivable portion (62); the fork (14) is molded to shape; and wherein the lower bearing seat (64) is configured while molding to directly receive a bearing without post-molding shaping.