A preliminary retainer for a radial needle bearing, comprising plural retainer elements (15b-15e), each having a partial cylindrical shape; each of the retainer elements (15b-15e) comprising: a pair of partial arc shaped raw rim sections provided on end sections in an axial direction; plural column sections spanning between the pair of raw rim sections; and plural pockets formed to be surrounded by the pair of raw rim sections and column sections of the plural column sections that are adjacent in a circumferential direction and holding needles so as to roll freely; wherein retainer elements of the plural retainer elements (15b-15e) that are adjacent in the circumferential direction are arranged to be shifted in the axial direction, and edges of end sections in the circumferential direction of the retainer elements that are adjacent in the circumferential direction are connected together by small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c); shear guide sections (20a-20c) having a cross-sectional area that is less than other portions of the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) are provided in part in the circumferential direction of the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c); and characterized in at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f) that protrudes in the circumferential direction, tip-end surface of the at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f) being a flat surface or smooth curved surface, is provided on at least one end surface of end surfaces that face each other of the retainer elements that are adjacent in the circumferential direction; and the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) and the at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f) are constructed so that when the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) shear at the shear guide sections (20a-20c), the retainer elements (15b-15e) are shifted in the axial direction and when the retainer elements (15b-15e) become aligned with each other in the axial direction, and the tip-end section of the at least one convex section (23,23a-23f) comes in contact with a portion in the circumferential direction that faces the tip-end section of the at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f), residual protrusions that remain on both of the end surfaces in the circumferential direction of the retainer elements that are adjacent in the circumferential direction after shearing of the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) are shifted in the axial direction from each other so as not to interfere with each other, spaces exist in the circumferential direction between tip-end sections of the residual protrusions on the end surfaces in the circumferential direction of the retainer elements (15b-15e) and portions in the circumferential direction that face the tip-end sections of the residual protrusions. a pair of partial arc shaped raw rim sections provided on end sections in an axial direction; plural column sections spanning between the pair of raw rim sections; and plural pockets formed to be surrounded by the pair of raw rim sections and column sections of the plural column sections that are adjacent in a circumferential direction and holding needles so as to roll freely; wherein retainer elements of the plural retainer elements (15b-15e) that are adjacent in the circumferential direction are arranged to be shifted in the axial direction, and edges of end sections in the circumferential direction of the retainer elements that are adjacent in the circumferential direction are connected together by small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c); shear guide sections (20a-20c) having a cross-sectional area that is less than other portions of the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) are provided in part in the circumferential direction of the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c); and characterized in at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f) that protrudes in the circumferential direction, tip-end surface of the at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f) being a flat surface or smooth curved surface, is provided on at least one end surface of end surfaces that face each other of the retainer elements that are adjacent in the circumferential direction; and the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) and the at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f) are constructed so that when the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) shear at the shear guide sections (20a-20c), the retainer elements (15b-15e) are shifted in the axial direction and when the retainer elements (15b-15e) become aligned with each other in the axial direction, and the tip-end section of the at least one convex section (23,23a-23f) comes in contact with a portion in the circumferential direction that faces the tip-end section of the at least one convex section (23, 23a-23f), residual protrusions that remain on both of the end surfaces in the circumferential direction of the retainer elements that are adjacent in the circumferential direction after shearing of the small cross-sectional area sections (17a-17c) are shifted in the axial direction from each other so as not to interfere with each other, spaces exist in the circumferential direction between tip-end sections of the residual protrusions on the end surfaces in the circumferential direction of the retainer elements (15b-15e) and portions in the circumferential direction that face the tip-end sections of the residual protrusions.