Butted spokes - worth the extra lolly?

[Globalti]

I am looking at some brand new Sora wheels going now on Eblag, certainly a bargain as they will go for around £50-60. The last lot from SJS Cycles went for £48 IIRC so I'm tempted to make a bid.

However they only have plain gauge spokes, which is disappointing. I have always believed that butted SS spokes were the sign of a quality wheel and were possibly stronger and more forgiving than plain spokes, so worth the extra money. I have been quoted £130 by a LBS to build a set with Sora hubs, butted SS spokes and Mavic Open Sport rims - what do you think?

 

[Christopher]

hi
I like DB spokes - never broken one yet and I have broken loads of plain gauge non-SS spokes, so I think it is worth the extra £, and stainless spokes don't half scrub up well, even if they get really dirty.

That £130 seems steep, unless it includes tyres, tubes and rim tape. For example, Parker International will do the same wheels for about £100 but you don't even get rim tape with that.

BTW I don't personally like Open Sport much, it's a heavy rim (490g), okay for touring or commuting I guess. I have two very similar front wheels, one Open Pro and one Open Sport, and the Open Pro wheel is nocitably faster even though the one with Open Sport has better bearings.

 

[rustychisel]

hi

BTW I don't personally like Open Sport much, it's a heavy rim (490g), okay for touring or commuting I guess. I have two very similar front wheels, one Open Pro and one Open Sport, and the Open Pro wheel is nocitably faster even though the one with Open Sport has better bearings.

I think you need to explain this further. Are you a trick cyclist, a cunning stunt perhaps. Can you mono on either front or back wheel? How exactly is the wheel faster? Does it run away going downhill, causing the entire bicycle to elongate by some metres? Enquiring minds need to know!!!!!!!!!

 

[shooter560]

Lighter rotational mass wheels, or should I say rims will spin up to speed faster than heavier ones, however heavier mass rims will through centrifugal forces maintain speed for longer due to their increased mass.

This is why wheels designed to be raced on hills are lighter, but those designed for time trials (mainly flat routes) are heavier.

 

[rustychisel]

eggs grandma suck teach your to

However, I really don't think the front wheel is going any faster than the rear.

[ah, don't worry. Just spotted you're from Norwich].

 

[spandex]

There is no differents It is just that some are lighter. What dose make a big differents Is how the wheel is made and the tension of the spokes. I have had two R wheels same speck built for me (not at the same time) but just made by two different builders the first was going out of true all the time and snapping spokes two or three a month!. The second on the over hand did not budge a ml for a year and a half till the brakes wore down the rim. Now I build my own wheels as it saves me time and money.

 

[Tharg2007]

ribble do some hand built wheels for about £70

 

[John the Monkey]

There is no differents It is just that some are lighter.

I think I've read (in Roger Musson's book) that butted spokes handle flexing better than plain guage, and are thus less likely to fail through fatique.

 

[rootes]

yes decent quality (DT etc) doubled buted spokes are worth the money..

but also the wheels needs to be built properly as well...

 

[yenrod]

I had some wheels built up recent and the jerk put DB on the front and normal on the back - for strength, he said.

I'm thinking of getting the back re-built with DB's.

Just get DB's front and back it'll save on the rotating weight !

 

[shooter560]

eggs grandma suck teach your to

However, I really don't think the front wheel is going any faster than the rear.

[ah, don't worry. Just spotted you're from Norwich].

Thats OK I just seen you are from down under and so not able to comprehend much in the way of mechanical sciences, laws of motion etc, so you are forgiven Grandma rusty

 

[rustychisel]

touché.

Dumd n dumber...

 

[zimzum42]

I wouldn't butter your spokes, might attract wasps.....

 

[Andy in Sig]

I wouldn't butter your spokes, might attract wasps.....

I bet you that if as an April Fool's thing somebody posted that buttered spokes did make you go 1.5% faster, some knob of a roady would be stealing his wife's Lurpak out of the fridge ready for the next day's ride.

 

[wafflycat]

I bet you that if as an April Fool's thing somebody posted that buttered spokes did make you go 1.5% faster, some knob of a roady would be stealing his wife's Lurpak out of the fridge ready for the next day's ride.

Would that be a knob of butter?