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Embodiments of the present invention comprise a composite rim used in spoked wheels, such as bicycle wheels, having molded-in spoke holes along with a method of fabricating the composite rim. Advantageously, the present invention dramatically improves the bearing and loading strength of prior art co

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a composite rim used in spoked wheels, such as bicycle wheels, having molded-in spoke holes along with a method of fabricating the composite rim. Advantageously, the present invention dramatically improves the bearing and loading strength of prior art composite rims, which drill the spoke holes therein after fabrication of the rim hoop.

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1. A method of fabricating a rim, comprising: laying up a laminate comprising pre-consolidated composite material;positioning the laminate in mold tooling;placing a plurality of spoke hole pins through the laminate prior to consolidation in locations corresponding to the desired location of spoke ho

1. A method of fabricating a rim, comprising: laying up a laminate comprising pre-consolidated composite material;positioning the laminate in mold tooling;placing a plurality of spoke hole pins through the laminate prior to consolidation in locations corresponding to the desired location of spoke holes in the rim;consolidating the laminate under heat and pressure;removing the rim from the mold tooling;removing the spoke hole pins from the rim; andwherein a plurality of alignment features are formed on the mold tool, each feature of the plurality corresponding to a spoke hole channel of the plurality of spoke hole channels and wherein said placing a plurality of spoke hole pins through the laminate further comprises (a) placing an end of the spoke hole pins on a spoke hole insertion tool, (b) keying the spoke hole insertion tool to an alignment feature, and pressing the spoke hole pin through the laminate using the tool. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said consolidating includes curing a thermosetting matrix resin. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein (i) the mold tooling substantially encapsulates or surrounds the laminate when assembled around the laminate preceding said consolidating operation, (ii) said positioning the laminate in the mold tooling further includes placing a bladder in a circumferential cavity formed by the laminate and (iii) said consolidating includes inflating the bladder to apply pressure to the laminate. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the spoke hole pins each include an elongated cylindrical projection and a head having a top surface and a generally convexly shaped bottom surface that intersects with the cylindrical projection, and wherein the bladder upon inflation applies pressure to each pin through the top surface. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold tool includes a plurality of spoke hole channels formed on the tool to receive the spoke hole pins therein. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the left and right sides of the consolidated rim each include molded-in raised braking surfaces, and wherein the method further comprises abrading each braking surface by placing the braking surface against an abrasive paper or cloth secured to a surface table, and moving the rim relative to the surface table while applying pressure to hold the surface in contact with the table. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said consolidating further comprises heating the mold tooling containing the pre-consolidated laminate to an elevated temperature while applying pressure. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing the plurality of spoke hole pins includes urging reinforcement fibers of the laminate immediately adjacent to and surrounding the plurality of spoke holes to curve around the periphery of the spoke holes to remain continuous. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fibers immediately adjacent to and surrounding the spoke hole to curve around the periphery of the spoke hole to remain continuous in the circumferential direction of the rim. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the fibers immediately adjacent to and surrounding the spoke hole to curve around the periphery of the spoke hole to remain continuous in the radial direction of the rim. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating the laminate by layering plies; andwherein said placing the plurality of spoke hole pins includes positioning fibers of the laminate around each of the spoke holes to curve around the edge of the spoke hole to maintain continuity of the fibers. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing the plurality of spoke hole pins includes pushing the spoke hole pins through the laminate to urge fibers to extend around the edges of the spoke holes. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the spoke hole channels are evenly spaced around an interior circumference of the mold tooling. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said consolidating includes curing a thermosetting matrix resin. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said consolidating includes applying pressure to the laminate via a bladder. 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising: forming a valve stem hole by positioning fibers of the laminate to curve around the edge of the valve stem hole to maintain continuity of the fibers. 17. The method of claim 1, further comprising: wherein the spoke hole pins each include a convex underside; andmolding concave depressions around the spoke holes by pressing the convex undersides of the spoke hole pins against the laminate during said consolidation. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: inserting a nipple having a rounded end into one of the concave depressions; andsecuring a spoke to the nipple with the spoke extending through one of the spoke holes. 19. A method of fabricating a bicycle rim, comprising: assembling first and second clam shells together to form mold tooling, wherein the clam shells when assembled together define opposing sides of a shell relief portion and a plurality of spoke pin channels extending radially inward from an interior circumferential edge of the shell relief portion, wherein the spoke pin channels are positioned at the desired location of spoke holes in the rim;laying up a laminate substantially comprising an epoxy and carbon fiber prepreg;positioning the laminate in the shell relief portion of the mold tooling;inserting in locations corresponding to the desired location of the spoke holes in the rim a plurality of spoke hole pins through the laminate prior to consolidation without causing appreciable damage to the continuity of the carbon fibers surrounding each spoke hole, wherein said inserting includes extending the spoke hole pins into the spoke pin channels;placing a bladder in a circumferential cavity formed by the laminate;inflating the bladder to apply pressure to the laminate;heating the mold tooling and laminate to cure the laminate while the spoke hole pins extend into the spoke pin channels;removing the rim from the mold tooling;removing the bladder from an interior of the rim; andremoving the spoke hole pins from the rim. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said inserting includes urging carbon fibers of the prepreg immediately adjacent to and surrounding the plurality of spoke holes to curve around the periphery of the spoke holes to remain continuous. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the spoke hole pins each include an elongated cylindrical projection and a head having a top surface and a generally convexly shaped bottom surface that intersects with the cylindrical projection, and wherein the bladder upon inflation applies pressure to each pin through the top surface. 22. The method of claim 19, further comprising: fabricating a raised braking surface on the rim; andminimizing planarity variations of the braking surface by abrading the braking surface. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein: said laying includes layering plies of the laminate; andsaid inserting includes positioning the fibers of the laminate around each of the spoke holes to curve around the edge of the spoke hole to maintain continuity of the fibers. 24. The method of claim 19, wherein said inserting includes pushing the spoke hole pins through the laminate to urge fibers to extend around the edges of the spoke holes. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the fibers curve around the edges of the spoke hole to remain continuous in the circumferential direction of the rim. 26. The method of claim 24, wherein the fibers curve around the edges of the spoke hole to remain continuous in the radial direction of the rim. 27. The method of claim 19, further comprising: forming a valve stem hole by positioning fibers of the laminate to curve around the edge of the valve stem hole to maintain continuity of the fibers. 28. The method of claim 19, further comprising: wherein the spoke hole pins each include a convex underside; andmolding concave depressions around the spoke holes by pressing the convex undersides of the spoke hole pins against the laminate during said inflating the bladder. 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising: inserting a nipple having a rounded end into one of the concave depressions; andsecuring a spoke to the nipple with the spoke extending through one of the spoke holes. 30. The method of claim 19, wherein said inserting includes inserting the spoke hole pins with an insertion tool. 31. The method of claim 30, further comprising: aligning the spoke hole pins with the spoke pin channels by engaging the insertion tool with an alignment structure of the mold tooling. 32. A method, comprising: creating a laminate by layering plies inside a mold with an interior cavity shaped to form a rim;wherein the mold includes a plurality of spoke pin channels extending radially inward at positions corresponding to spoke holes of the rim;wherein the spoke pin channels are aligned with one another to extend within a plane;inserting spoke hole pins through the laminate to position fibers of the laminate around the spoke holes to curve around the edges of the spoke holes to maintain continuity of the fibers, wherein said inserting the spoke hole pins through the laminate includes inserting the spoke hole pins with an insertion tool;aligning the spoke hole pins with the spoke pin channels by engaging the insertion tool with an alignment structure of the mold;inserting the spoke hole pins into the spoke pin channels;consolidating the plies to form the rim; andretaining the spoke hole pins at the positions corresponding to the spoke holes with the spoke pin channels during said consolidating. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the spoke pin channels are evenly spaced around an interior circumference of the interior cavity of the mold. 34. The method of claim 32, wherein said consolidating includes curing a thermosetting matrix resin. 35. The method of claim 32, wherein said consolidating includes applying pressure to the plies via a bladder. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the spoke hole pins each include an elongated cylindrical projection and a head having a top surface and a generally convexly shaped bottom surface that intersects with the cylindrical projection, and wherein the bladder upon inflation applies pressure to each pin through the top surface. 37. The method of claim 32 further comprising: forming a valve stem hole by positioning the fibers to curve around the edge of the valve stem hole to maintain continuity of the fibers. 38. The method of claim 32, further comprising: wherein the spoke hole pins each include a convex underside; andmolding concave depressions around the spoke holes by pressing the convex undersides of the spoke hole pins against the plies during said consolidation. 39. The method of claim 38, further comprising: inserting a nipple having a rounded end into one of the concave depressions; andsecuring a spoke to the nipple with the spoke extending through one of the spoke holes. 40. The method of claim 32, further comprising: fabricating a raised braking surface on the rim; andminimizing planarity variations of the braking surface by abrading the braking surface. 41. The method of claim 32 wherein said consolidating further comprises heating the mold to an elevated temperature while applying pressure.