phidauex

Just like the infamous problem of having 10 hot dogs per package, but only 8 buns per package is now driving me crazy in spoke form.

Why can't people sell spokes in reasonable quantities? 20, 50, and 100 are not good quantities for spokes, since they don't correspond to any number of spokes you'd actually need! Individual doesn't make much more sense, since they have to be counted out every time, which surely adds to the labor and cost.

Why not sell spokes in packs of 58 (28h hubs + two backups), 66 (32h hubs + 2 backups), and 74 (36h hubs + 2 backups)? With all the common spoke packages, you have to way over-buy to make two wheels, which ruins the price break benefits you get from going with the larger packs of spokes.

Anyway, I just wanted to vent about that... Anyone got a source for reasonably priced basic 14g stainless spokes? Preferably in some reasonable quantity?

peace,
sam

slvoid

Hehe, there's a strategically engineered reason for that...

phantomcow2

well i think packs of 20 is reasonable. Usually when people buy spokes they do it for a wheel build, so its always good to have the extra spokes sitting around

phidauex

I only need a few extra spokes, if I want to build up a 32h wheel, I need 64 spokes, meaning not three, but four packages of 20, giving me 16 extras. Those 16 may not work for any other wheels I have, meaning I just have to sit on them, or turn them into jewelry or something... I suppose I could buy 3 sets of twenty and pick up a few loose spokes at the LBS, but thats more work.

I dunno, it just seems like there should be a better way!

Oh, and since I've been a vegetarian for 6 years, its been a while since I had to combat the hot dog problem head on, and I'm curious what the 'reason' for it is?

peace,
sam

BostonFixed

I think the reason is that spokes are targeted to wheelbuilders, not amateur wheelbuilders who will only build up one wheel. With wheelbuilders at a LBS, who cares if there are some extra spokes? Those extra spokes could go to a repair of a few broken spokes, or towards another wheel.
I'm just waiting for the time when 'wheelbuilding' kits start to be sold. You know- just add labor, rim, and hub.

djbrod

I built a set 32h wheels that needed two different lengths, front and back. I hear you in not wanting to buy 100 of each length. WebCyclery set me up with reasonable quantities but I'm pretty sure he counted them individually.

phidauex

I rarely build wheels with new spokes. I'm almost always rebuilding a wheel with a new rim, or new hub, or I'm using bits from other wheels to make new ones, so I rarely have to purchase new spokes. In this case though I'm building up a fixed wheel with some deep aero rims, and I just don't have anything lying around that is the right length...

You'd think that an online shop that sells raw hubs, raw rims, and raw spokes would be aware of the fact that most of their spoke-buying audience is going to be 'amateur' wheel builders. If I were a professional wheel builder, I wouldn't buy from nashbar, so who is? People like me! Hence, selling spokes in 'wheel quantities' would make a lot of sense. Maybe even just sell in 29, 33 and 37 spoke bundles.

Maybe I should just start my own shop.

peace,
sam

roadfix

That's why I go to my LBS and pay premium prices for the exact number of spokes I need for the job. Wheelbuilding is an infrequent event for me so I don't mind paying a bit more for spokes.

BostonFixed

Or just build a whole new bike around those extra spokes.

Retro Grouch 

Here's another way to think about it.

Forget the concept of price per spoke. The actual cost of the spoke itself is trivial. Most of what you are paying for is the distribution costs. If you bought spokes on line in packages of 16 or 18, chances are you would pay as much or very nearly as much as you are paying now for 20. Consider the extra spokes as a bonus.

tippy

I end up with 16 extra spokes also but all 16 spokes will not fit in all spoke locations due to different length requirements. Matter of fact, I have 3 spoke length requirements.
Actually I have 8 extra for the fronts (same length both sides) and 4 extra for left and 4 extra for right rears (different side to side lengths and none are same as front).

In a world where all four spoke locations were all the same length, I can see where you would end up with lots of extra spokes. Unless of course you build enough wheels of the same kind to eventually even out somewhere down the road.

d.tipton

Eggplant Jeff

So you'll buy more than you need, duh. The more you buy, the more money they make...