NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/rec/bicycles/tech/2884

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-01 | 1.9 KB

From: [e-mail] (Jobst Brandt)
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 00:29:00 GMT
Subject: Re: Wheel Wonderings
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA
Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!hpscit.sc.hp.com!hplextra!hplred!jbrandt
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
References: <[e-mail]>
Lines: 31

Mark Chandler writes:

> You could try Wheelsmith's 14/16/14 spokes.  They're lighter than
> 14/15/14s and probably just as strong (I weigh 195 and ride them
> off-road with Mavic Mod3Ds).

Their spokes are not really 14/16/14 because that would cause spokes
to fail on tightening (that is if you get them tight).  The spoke
diameters most commonly in use are 2.0/1.8/2.0 mm and 1.8/1.6/1.8 mm
in diameter with small variations in the smaller diameter.  There
are also 1.8/1.55/1.8 and thinner spokes and these are the ones that
rupture just about the time you get them tight because the torsional
stress of tightening together with the tension make them exceed the
rupture stress.  The combined torsion and tensile stresses have a
greater effect than the sum of their independent effects.

There will always be those who just discovered that they can male a
bicycle frame of thinner material and use thinner spokes, smaller
tires etc. than all those other people who have been doing this for
a long time and... surprise the stuff breaks.  In the case of thinner
spokes in particular, the problem boils down to weak wheels, not
because the spokes are too thin but that they cannot be tightened
sufficiently to give a strong wheel.  This is most often the case
with aerodynamic spokes that cannot withstand torsion of tightening.
Even while holding them against twist with pliers, they cannot be
adequately tightened.

So beware of unusual spokes and make sure they are earrantied by
someone reputable.

[e-mail]