Originally Posted by
79pmooney
Spoke strength in tension is not really a factor in a wheel. Yes, butted spokes are weaker in pure tension. But spokes rarely fail in tension and when they do, it is usually from defects or damage. Spokes fail far more often from fatigue and the "neck" at the hub flange and less often through the threads (usually from poor alignment with the rim nipple seat). Butted spokes absorb road shock and simply stretch, sparing those high stress locations from the biggest loads. (Easier on both rims - less likely to crack at the spoke holes and hub flanges also.)
I can’t agree. The
only force on a spoke is tension. There is no other force acting on the spoke at all. In fact, if you try to compress a wire spoke, it will simple collapse. Fatigue of the spoke head is related to the cycle of tension decreasing and increasing as the spoke moves past the contact patch as the wheel rolls down the road.