Wheel Build question

The Northern Monkey

My wheels were rebuilt a few weeks ago, there were a few bent spokes with 1 spoke being particularly bad.

I've noticed that all the spokes are nice and tight apart from the fairly bent spoke. Is that normal?
I'm guessing that if you tension a bent spoke, it will pull the wheel out of true but I just want to double check.

Also, double butted v plain guage for DH/FR?

I've been readings a lot of conflicting info....
DB is lighter and can be stronger, but need maintaining as the spokes can bend slightly.
PG is heavier but for DH can build into a more rigid wheel and less maintenance is needed.

I know that argument is that DB spokes bend easier so don't snap, but then over on different DH based forums, many users say they've had no issues with PG spokes.

Taa..

nicklouse

DB over plain for all builds.

plain just fail sooner.

the bent spoke being slack makes me think the rim is now not true.

mrmonkfinger

DB are superior to plain, all the time, as far as bike wheels go.

benpinnick

I used to build wheels for DH riders, and I always used Sapim Race (same as DT Comp) and had no issues at all. In fact th33lter, who posts on this board, is riding around on a set of Bulb/D321s that I built many years ago, and are still true to this day without touching them. I would say that any benefits that could be gained from plain gauge are outweighed by the downsides, and since DB is lighter, go DB. I would personally never use PG spokes.

stubs

My 2p worth plain guage are slightly easier to use when building in my opinion less twisting when tensioning and just seem to all come together easier.

The weight difference unless your a weight weenie XC racer is neither here nor there.

Cost is an issue you can get good quality PG for about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of the same quality DB.

I personally think that if a wheel with DB spokes gets a real good whack a spoke or 2 will go. The same build but with PG spokes the spokes might not go but the force has to go somewhere, I would rather a cheap spoke go than a rim or hub.

supersonic

The benefits of DB are that the process of swaging them increases their durability and strength. If selected in the right gauge they allow a little bit more give which spreads sharp impact forces to adjacent spokes and therefore across more of the rim.

But PG have advantages too. As above, they can be easier to build with, are cheaper, and in the case of reduced spoke count wheels the extra stiffness may be required. Rims in these cases are usually reinforced to take into account extra stresses of reduced count.

Triple butted are the best ;-)

The Northern Monkey

nicklouse wrote:

DB over plain for all builds.

plain just fail sooner.

the bent spoke being slack makes me think the rim is now not true.

Yeah I think the rim is slightly bent (Just hope it holds up on my next DH!).
I'm guessing that if I add any tension to it, it will come out of true?

Deffo getting something sorted after xmas but I'm still in 5 minds about what to get!
LBS here can only build with PG spokes so thats out!

Merlin Cycles seem to be the logical choice if I get my current hubs rebuilt, but Superstar if I want a new set.

supersonic

If the rim is warped, then you cannot get even spoke tension. This means the wheel will just keep on going out of true, getting looser, et al.

benpinnick

Thinking about it, you have just one fairly bent spoke? Doe the rim have a massive ding in it? To have only one spoke bent seems odd (unless its snapped and you havent noticed). Picture please!

The Northern Monkey

Will get a pic later tonight.

Yeah I'm fairly sure its just the 1 lol. TBH, the wheels are sh!t.

Hoping to destroy them on Wednesday so I can buy some more for xmas lol!

The Northern Monkey

onebentspoke/32

stubs

Just bung a new spoke in will only cost you a couple of quid for a new one and take about 20 mins from tyre off to tyre on.

Who rebuilt the wheels for you, because any wheelbuilder who let a wheel like that out of his workshop needs a spoke inserting somewhere very painful.

The Northern Monkey

well canyon actually rebuilt the wheel FOC as they were sent back.
I've also just found that I think a weld has come off from inside the front rim.

Going to be a fun uplift....

Not sure where I stand tbh, Sun have advised Canyon that they have been dented and bent so they won't do anything about it under the warranty
But I reckon that was becasue the spokes weren't tensioned properly out of the factory - seems I noticed too late.

Not wiling to pay to get them fixed becasue they're just censored , this will be the last uplift on them before I get a new wheelset, but I'm not happy about having to shed out another £200 for wheels... I should have just bought the better spec'd bike!

Should I tighten the spoke as much as I can without it pulling the rim out? all other spokes are tight so I dunno if I should just leave it or not.

Chunkers1980

No just bring it up to a similar tension as the rest.

mrmonkfinger

The Northern Monkey wrote:

I've also just found that I think a weld has come off from inside the front rim.

Is the bent spoke on the front rim?

The Northern Monkey

nope!