Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Charles Ramsey
06-26-10, 04:10 PM
I'm testing wheelsmith alpine III spokes http://share.ovi.com/media/currentresident.bicycle/currentresident.10049 this wheel has more than 10000 miles on it with 165 pounds on the rear wheel it has been hit with a car http://share.ovi.com/media/currentresident.bicycle/currentresident.10069 with no noticeable damage to the spokes. Wheelsmith had 76 spokes tested http://www.duke.edu/~hpgavin/papers/HPGavin-Wheel-Paper.pdf 68 of them broke at the elbow 8 of them broke at the threads this makes the threads effectively 1.52 times stronger than the elbow. A wheelsmith 13 14 gauge or a DT 13 15 14 gauge spoke is 1.32 times stronger at the elbow so it is an improvement but they can be made better. The 13 gauge spoke shown is 2.3mm thick it fits loose in every hub I have I believe there is room for a 2.4mm spoke or a 2.5mm spoke. A 13 14 gauge or a 13 15 14 gauge spoke will last 3 times as long as a 14 15 14 gauge spoke and they cost the same amount. It is up to us to see these spokes are stocked.