Patent ID: 6497427
Filing Date: 2002-12-24
Classification: B62K

Abstract:
A bicycle frame for use with a rear wheel comprising:a head tube; a top tube extending rearwardly from the head tube; a down tube extending substantially rearwardly and downwardly from the head tube; a seat tube having a first portion connected to the top tube and a second portion coupled to the down tube, such that the head tube, top tube, down tube and seat tube form a first substantially triangular region; a bottom bracket connected to the down tube and seat tube; a pair of dropouts; a pair of chain stay tubes spaced from one another and extending generally rearwardly from the bottom bracket to the associated dropout; and a pair of seat stay tubes coupled to the top tube and extending generally rearwardly and downwardly from the top tube to the associated dropout, such that the seat tube, pair of chain stay tubes, and pair of seat stay tubes form a second substantially triangular region, and the pair of seat stay tubes further being spaced from one another and defining a gap distance between the inner surface of the seat stay tubes at a tire intersect point that is greater than about 2 inches, and the seat stay tubes having a modulus of elasticity value multiplied by a moment of inertia value being between about 1.0 lbÃ—inches2 and about 10 lbÃ—inches2.