What's your source for spokes?
 

My source has moved, setup shop elsewhere with a slightly different focus, and no longer offers spokes on his website. A preferred LBS lists spokes at 50 per bag, but that's an inefficient number for building 32-spoke wheels. I thinking of Wheelsmith or possibly DT. So where you do you get your spokes? Any of you cut and thread your own from blanks?

Danscomp. Their selection includes other sizes and configurations not listed on their website, as well.

I've had good results ordering from Colorado Cyclist https://www.coloradocyclist.com/bicycle-spokes.

Somethings going on in the spoke world. I used to get spokes from the usual UK vendors in 18 packs but they are pretty much phasing out. My last order was a few 100 packs from Bike Discount GmbH a couple months ago and I see they have gone up 12% in price.

Yojimbo’s Garage.

You can still find NOS Stella spokes. They are usually 307mm, much too long for most everything. But my friend has a Hozan and I "extend" threads and nip off the excess.

Getting mine from the LBS, they will order the 100 count packs/boxes and sell you the amount you need or want, or a price per spoke and nipple. Personal favorite is DT Swiss 2.0 DB with brass nipples. If a decent spoke threading tool/machine ever comes up I am all for getting one and being able to cit and thread to length required. Getting the correct gauge dies to the biggest thing.

Bill

Seconded. Can't beat the price, nipples are included, and you can buy any amount you want (rather than a box of 50 or 100 where you end up with lots left over.)

Arts Cyclery usually has odd sizes in stock and you can buy in any amount you want. Pricing seemed decent to me but I've never looked at Dans. If Arts is out of stock I use Universal who's the next best.

And I use Total Cycling for ACI Alpina.

another happy dans comp customer. 40 cents a spoke for double butted sapim in any amount. with nipples!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I looked at the Dancomp website and it kept showing me bmx stuff. I was wondering if the Hozan tool was any good. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than the pro tools like Phil Wood. [MENTION=57649]iab[/MENTION], you like yours?

I'd be likely looking for Wheelsmith DB14 and DT somethingorother. Of course lengths are all over the proverbial map. Another reason for asking is my neighbor will be building some wheels this winter, his second build, and he asked me for advice.

Anyone want my shoe box full of spokes? Varying sizes etc. 90% used 10% new

You pay shipping...I can probably get them all in a med flat rate box.

The Hozan required 3 passes to get a good tread. Time consuming when you do 144 spokes.

just call dan's comp on the phone.... yes on the phone, tell them your length needed and the number of spokes. the only thing that disappointed me was they cant go longer than 300mm. fortunately i can do a 4 cross 700c with 300mm spokes.

anyway, the will give you a price per spoke cheaper than you're going to get anywhere else. you do have to pay shipping but its quite reasonable. i have built wheels using dt, wheelsmith and sapim. the wheelsmith and sapim spokes seem quite similar. all of them worked well.

I learned of a guy named Lee here on BF. At the time, he had the best prices. Now I think Danscomp has better prices, but I think I'll stick with Lee. I email him, and he can guide in the choice of spokes. He cuts the spokes to custom length and rolls the threads. He sells them with or without nipples. I usually buy DT nipples in bulk so I buy spokes without nipples. Lee doesn't help me with calculating spoke length, but I've had success with the spocalc spreadsheet you can get off the intertubez. I converted it to google docs for myself and can share it if there is interest.

Lee accepts paypal, communicates well, and ships pretty quickly, and I've been satisfied with all of my transactions with him.

On a recent wheel build, I miscalculated spoke length (too long), so I have a spare rim, hub and spokes, and I don't know what I'll do with them. It's my fault, not Lee's. That's the first time I miscalculated in years of building wheels, so I can't complain.

Lee is at lkspoke@yahoo.com. Tell him I sent you.

if noglider likes him, you're in good shape!

I'm considering them next. I used to buy mine from Cambria Bike, but it doesn't look like they sell spokes anymore.

If you're in Canada,spokeservice.ca has been a good source for me. Great selection of brands/models/lengths. They also sell Compass tires with free shipping inside Canada.

Another satisfied Dan's Comp customer here. Great price and quick shipping. Yes, it's primarily a BMX shop, but that doesn't mean the spokes you buy from them have to go on a BMX bike.

I usually use BikeHubStore.com . Every time I check Danscomp they have good prices but they don't seem to have the lengths that I need.

Once again, yojimbo's garage on eBay.

I'll fifth or sixth the praise for Dan's Comp. I've bought the spokes for 4-5 wheelsets over the years. Never any trouble, always cut to the mm, and properly threaded. Usually a day or two turnaround, at great prices. (I've only used the cheap Sapim double butted spokes in silver, and brass nipples.). They specialize in BMX, but stock spoke blanks suitable for 700c wheels. You do have to call, but they've always been helpful and efficient.

Dans comp. Sapim DB, includes nipple. ANY quantity, cut to YOUR desired length. 40 cents. Call your order in. SAME DAY shipping for CHEAP.

If you doubt Sapim quality, I suggest reading up on them. In Biz for 100 years. Quality stuff.

https://www.danscomp.com/products/43...ted_Spoke.html

Universal Cycles. I always use DT butted spokes, particularly with 2.0-1.5-2.0 everywhere except DS rear, where I use 2.0-1.8-2.0. I’ve gotten more conservative with brass nipples everywhere, but aluminum are probably fine on a front wheel.