TRAINING UNIT FOR CYCLISTS

Abstract: A collapsible training unit for cyclists comprises a frame made up of three sub-assemblies (10, 11, 12) pivotally connected one to the next. A front sub-assembly (12) supports the front forks (30) of a bicycle (from which the front wheel has been removed) and a rear sub-assembly (10) carries rollers (10) on which the rear wheel (35) of the bicycle rests. The frame is adjustable to vary the distance between the support for the bicycle forks and the rollers in order to accommodate bicycles of differing wheelbase, and the adjustment to the frame is retained during collapse and erection of the frame.

Description: Field of invention This invention relates to a training unit for cyclists, of the type which has a frame to support a bicycle from which the front wheel has been removed. Background to the invention Known training units for cyclists comprise a frame with a front support to which the front forks of a bicycle are attached, the frame also having a rotatable roller or rollers on which the rear wheel of the bicycle rests. Such known units are bulky and cumbersome and are therefore awkward to transport. They are therefore regarded as training equipment for the home or gymnasium. FR-A-2315962 and FR-A-2554357 disclose training units for cyclists, the latter disclosing a unit in which a frame supports the front forks of a bicycle (from which the front wheel has been removed), the rear wheel of the bicycle resting on rotatable rollers carried by the frame. The object of the invention is to provide a training unit for cyclists which is repeatedly erectable and collapsible so that it can be easily transported to a race meeting and used by the cyclist for warming up prior to a race, as well as being usable in the home. A further object is to make the unit adjustable to suit bicycles of differing wheelbase, the adjusted size being retained during erection and collapse so that each time the unit is erected it assumes its adjusted position. Summary of the invention According to the invention a collapsible training unit for cyclists comprises a frame repeatedly foldable between an operative erected position and a collapsed position for transport or stowage, in the operative position the frame supporting a bicycle from which the front wheel has been removed, the frame having a support to receive the front forks of the bicycle and rollers on which the rear wheel of the bicycle rests, the frame. being adjustable to vary the distance between the support and the rollers in order to accommodate bicycles of differing wheelbase and the adjustment to the frame being retained during collapse and erection of the frame. Hence, once adjusted to suit a particular bicycle wheelbase the unit can be folded up and reopened for use, with no further adjustment being necessary. The frame preferably comprises a plurality of sub-assemblies pivotally connected together, and in a preferred embodiment there are three such sub-assemblies pivotally connected one to the next in series, namely a base sub-assembly carrying the rollers, a front support sub-assembly providing said support for the front forks and an intermediate sub-assembly pivotally connected to the other two sub-assemblies. The adjustment for bicycle wheelbase is preferably provided by the provision of a plurality of different pivot points between the intermediate and base sub-assemblies, and in the preferred embodiment fine adjustment is provided by means which allow, in the operative position of the frame, variation of the angle between the intermediate sub-assembly and the front support sub-assembly. The front support sub-assembly may have lateral extensions which engage the ground to improve stability and which are detachable from the front support sub-assembly when the unit is collapsed. The extensions may be provided by a single stabiliser bar. The rollers on the main sub-assembly preferably support a standard 26 inch or 27 inch size bicycle rear wheel so that the wheel is clear of the floor or ground surface by a small dimension, of the order of 25 millimetres, so that the bicycle on the unit is easy to mount and dismount. This is in contrast to known training units which support the bicycle frame at a far greater distance above the ground, making it difficult to mount or dismount. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 shows in perspective the unit opened up and ready for use, Figure 2 illustrates a removable stabiliser bar, Figure 3 shows the cycle (in broken lines) mounted on the unit with the latter in a short wheelbase configuration, and also illustrates the additional range of adjustment obtained by the front, swinging, adjustable link, Figure 4 illustrates the central hinge point for use with medium wheelbase cycles, Figure 5 illustrates the forward hinge point for use with long wheelbase cycles, Figure 6 illustrates the swinging adjustable link which provides additional range of adjustment for each of the nominal positions illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, Figure 7 illustrates the two stage sequence of folding up the unit when set for use with short wheelbase cycles, Figure 8 illustrates the unit folded up when set for a medium wheelbase cycle, Figure 9 illustrates the unit folded up when set for a long wheelbase cycle, Figure 10 illustrates in end view the compactness of the folded up unit for any wheelbase configuration, Figure 11 illustrates a typical roller assembly, and Figures 12, 13 and 14 illustrate different cross-sections of roller assembly providing differing resistance to rotation. Detailed description of the drawings Referring to the drawings, the unit comprises three sub-assemblies pivotally connected one to the next, namely a base frame sub-assembly 10 on which two rollers 20 are rotationally mounted, an intermediate sub-assembly 11, and a front support sub-assembly 12, with a stabiliser bar 13 removably attached by hand nuts. An adjustable link assembly 15 (shown in detail in Figure 6) interconnects the sub-assemblies 11 and 12. The intermediate sub-assembly 11 is located on the sub-assembly 10 by a removable hinge pin 31 at one of the three hinge points, as required, according to the wheelbase of the cycle to be used, short, medium or long wheelbase. The front forks of the cycle 30 with the front wheel removed, are firmly clamped by means of a quick release clamp mechanism 32 at the support provided by the upper end of the sub-assembly 12. The clamp nut 17 and adjusting nut 16 are used to increase or shorten the effective length of the link assembly 15 as shown in Figure 6 (to vary the angle α ) so that the rear wheel 35 of the cycle sits evenly between the two rollers 20 as shown in Figure 3. The removable stabiliser bar 13 is located in position and clamped by the hand nuts, as indicated in Figure 2. To collapse the unit from its erected position, the sub-assembly 12 is rotated (clockwise as viewed in Figures 3 and 7) to lie flat against the sub-assembly 11 and then the sub-assemblies 11 and 12 are rotated together (anticlockwise as viewed in Figure 7) about the hinge pin 31 to lie flat against the underside of the base frame 10, with the adjustable link assembly 15 being received between the two rollers 20, as shown in Figure 7. The stabiliser bar 13 is removed and stowed to one side of the rollers 20 and the link assembly 15, as shown in Figure 10. This provides compact stowage of the bar 13. To open, ready for use, the reverse sequence of the above is carried out - with no adjustment being necessary to obtain exactly the same wheelbase as previously set. When in its operative extended position shown in Figure 1, the unit supports the bicycle 30 with the rear wheel 35 spaced a small distance of about 25mm above the surface on which the unit is placed. The rollers 20 have perforations and/or vanes to provide resistance to rotation.

Claims: A collapsible training unit for cyclists, comprising a frame (10, 11, 12) repeatedly foldable between an operative erected position and a collapsed position for transport or stowage, in the operative position the frame supporting a bicycle (30) from which the front wheel has been removed, the frame having a support to receive the front forks of the bicycle and rollers (20) on which the rear wheel of the bicycle rests, characterised in that the frame is adjustable to vary the distance between the support and the rollers (20) in order to accommodate bicycles of differing wheelbase and the adjustment to the frame is retained during collapse and erection of the frame. A collapsible training unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the frame comprises a plurality of sub-assemblies (10, 11, 12) pivotally connected together. A collapsible training unit according to claim 2, characterised in that there are three sub-assemblies (10, 11, 12) pivotally connected one to the next in series, namely a base sub-assembly (10) carrying the rollers (20), a front support sub-assembly (12) providing said support for the front forks and an intermediate sub-assembly (11) pivotally connected to the other two sub-assemblies. A collapsible training unit according to claim 3, characterised in that the adjustment for bicycle wheelbase is provided by the provision of a plurality of different pivot points (31) between the intermediate and base sub-assemblies (10, 11). A collapsible training unit according to claim 4, characterised in that fine adjustment for bicycle wheelbase is provided by means (15, 16, 17) which allow, in the operative position of the frame, variation of the angle between the intermediate sub-assembly and the front support sub-assembly. A collapsible training unit according to any of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the front support sub-assembly (12) has lateral extensions (13) which engage the ground to improve stability and which are detachable from the front support sub-assembly when the unit is collapsed. A collapsible training unit according to any of claims 3 to 6, characterised in that the rollers (20) on the main sub-assembly support a standard 26 inch or 27 inch size bicycle rear wheel so that the wheel is clear of the floor or ground surface by a small dimension, of the order of 25 millimetres, so that the bicycle on the unit is easy to mount and dismount.

Inventors: MORLEY, JOHN ALBERT
Applicants: SHELFORD DESIGN LIMITED
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A63B69
IPC codes: A63B21, A63B69