phantomcow2

I think these look really cool. I was going for a snowy ride today and i saw this guy also there and he had black spokes, for the pulling spokes and silver for the braking. I thought hey that looks kind of neat maybe i will try it sometime. BUt why are black spokes more expensive? Is it the process involved in coloring them, or just because they are the newest thing

demoncyclist

They are anodized- an additional process, so they are more money.

phantomcow2

ah, that makes sence. Does the anodizing process weaken the spokes at all?

demoncyclist

Not as far as I know. My Spinergy wheels use bladed black spokes, but my front wheel is being re-laced with Mavic non-bladed black. I have broken 2 front spokes, so I figured it is time to relace. The rear seems to be fine, but it has more spokes than the front.

powers2b

Explain to me the process of anodizing SS spokes!?!?!?!?

Black spokes are either painted or powder coated...period.
There is no effect on strength or build-ability.

demoncyclist

Pardon the f**k out of me for confusing the processes. I'm just a photographer, not a materials engineer.

phantomcow2

Im thinking i will go for 8 silver and 8 black on the wheels im running now, i would not normally go and buy replacement spokes if i dont need it so please nobody shoot me. But these **s-*oles i ordered spokes from cut them ALL too long for the drive side of my current wheels, so i cant get any spoke tension because it runs out of thread . Not to mention its nearly impossible to get true since they are not all the same length. I should have caught this earlier ugh. But from jenson USA i can get wheelsmith spokes for 50cents a piece!

Brian

I'm a photographer too, but I can tell you that anodizing is an electro-chemical process done to aluminum. Spokes, with very few exceptions are stainless steel. I have black spokes on a couple of my wheelsets, it's just paint. Black Rhynolites with black XT hubs and black spokes/nipples actually look pretty cool. Oh, you have to go with all black tires too, unless you get some cool blue Nokians.

Demoncyclist, you need to lighten up a bit.

miamijim

Are you guys sure its just paint? My mountain bike has black spokes and un-like everything else on it theres no nics or scratches on them.

Brian

One set I have scratched real easy when I went to stress relieve the spokes. The other ones seem ok. So some may be painted, others powder coated (unlikely though) or at least use a better painting process.

monogodo

I've had black painted spokes that were extremely durable. I sold the wheels to a friend for his Giant Cadex.

My current wheels have anodized spokes that color shift from gold at the rim to blue at the hub.

powers2b

They are PAINTED my friend.
Muhammad help you if you are riding around on aluminum spokes.

monogodo

No, they are not painted, they are anodized.

And I never said they were aluminum.

Let's think, shall we, about what materials spokes could be made from?

Stainless Steel
Titanium
Carbon Fiber

I'm sure there are others, but of those three, which would accept anodizing? Oh, possibly titanium? Yep, that would be the one.

My wheels have titanium anodized, not painted, spokes, that are gold at the rim, and color shift to blue at the hub. Unfortunately my camera is not of sufficient quality for me to take a picture to post and prove you wrong.

Metro

A downside of anodized products is that evenually they will nick. Suppose I break a spoke. It is easier to find a normal one than an anozied one. If I am really "anal" about the appearance of my bike, Excuse a dumb question please. Is there any way to "touch up" the paint?

monogodo

To my knowledge, there is no way to "touch up" anodizing. If I happen to nick a spoke, oh well. If I break one, and can't find an anodized replacement, I'll just replace it with a non-anodized spoke. Seeing as how I have never broken a spoke, I don't see this as an issue. I'm careful where I ride, and all of my wheels were built either by myself or my brother, so I'm sure of the quality.

powers2b

OK mono,
I missed that one.
Here is the link:
https://www.marwiusa.com/default.aspx...&bbid=4&pid=61

Feltup

Yeah powers2b get with the program!!!!!!

CdCf

But you could just as well buy a cheap can of suitable paint, and simply paint the spokes...

monogodo

Thanks for the link. Now I have a source on the off chance I do break a spoke.

Karldar

What kind of Spinergy wheels do you have? My SPOX wheelset has black CF spokes, AFAIK. They are quite sexy, but they just look like fat black spokes to me....

demoncyclist

I have the Xaero-X. Aero rim, cartridge hub and the straight pull bladed spokes.

dooley

Not that it really matters but decent steel spokes aren't painted black, they're chemically blackened.

powers2b

From the Velomax website:

Q. What's the difference between black spokes and silver spokes.
A. Nothing, except for color. Black spokes are made by applying a black oxide coating (not anodizing) to the spoke. It's a topical coating for cosmetic purpose only, and does nothing for the function or strength of the spoke.

Enjoy

Feltup

I think dooley is right. The black oxide is not a paint.

jemoryl

The Wheelsmith spokes on my wheels are black and they don't appear to be painted - the finish looks somewhat transparent and seems more tightly bonded than paint. Black oxide or maybe phosphide would be my guess...