Black Spoke Query
jedi_master
Posts: 888
Are black spokes worse then silver? I ask as my brothers rear wheel had a spoke snap about a year ago, after owning them for about a year. First ride after the spoke getting replaced, another snapped. Merlin replace the spoke and the second time they re-laced the wheel. A year on and another spoke has snapped. Where it has snapped, the visible metal looks grey and fatigued. The spokes are ACI db black spokes.
Before these wheels he had the standard wheels that had silver spokes that came with the bike, and they never had a problem, even after 4-5 years. They riding style hasn't changed either.
Before these wheels he had the standard wheels that had silver spokes that came with the bike, and they never had a problem, even after 4-5 years. They riding style hasn't changed either.
0
Comments
-
Not in itself, but as they were different wheelsets, you can't compare.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
ACI are good spokes I had a pair of Mavic XM719 rims on Shimano XT hubs with ACI spokes built by Merlin about 4 years ago. I have passed the wheels onto a mate when I sold my Canyon but for 3 years I battered them and only broke one spoke and badly bent 4 others when a rock smashed my derailler into the rear wheel.
Wheels are funny things I had a pair of fancy wheels from a very highly rated well known builder (no names) that spent more time in a wheel jig than on the frame and ended up in the small claims court. I have seen wheels on budget bikes that just refuse to break no matter the abuse.Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap0 -
Not all spokes are the same materials and lacing patterns, spoke tensions, initial true-Ness of the rim etc all make a difference. Black spokes are generally as strong if not stronger than silver with the same quality steel. Your snapping more spokes could also reflect a deteriorating road network, something we've seen in Leicester!0
-
Depends if the black ones are stailess steel under the surface, they probably are, so should be the same strength.Planet X Kaffenback 2
Giant Trance X2
Genesis High Latitude 2x10
Planet X n2a
Genesis Core 200 -
Colour has nothing to do with it.0
-
supersonic wrote:Colour has nothing to do with it.
Red spokes make you go fasterFig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap0 -
stubs wrote:supersonic wrote:Colour has nothing to do with it.
Red spokes make you go fasterFramebuilder
Handbuilt Steel 29er https://goo.gl/RYSbaa
Carbon Stumpjumper https://goo.gl/xJNFcv
Parkwood:http://goo.gl/Gf8xkL
Ribble Gran Fondo https://goo.gl/ZpTFXz
Triban:http://goo.gl/v63FBB0 -
stubs wrote:supersonic wrote:Colour has nothing to do with it.
Red spokes make you look like a poserCurrently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.0 -
stubs wrote:supersonic wrote:Colour has nothing to do with it.
Red spokes make you go faster
surely it is blue spokes as blue light has shorter wavelength.0 -
02GF74 wrote:stubs wrote:supersonic wrote:Colour has nothing to do with it.
Red spokes make you go faster
surely it is blue spokes as blue light has shorter wavelength.
Thats true. Because blue light is when something is moving towards you so the wavelength is compressed, and red is moving away, so its stretched. Llike stars, they have "red light" because the universe is expanding and they are moving away from us.
But red = speed. Its an unproven part of physics :P0 -
They're moving at the same speed, they just appear to be different.Planet X Kaffenback 2
Giant Trance X2
Genesis High Latitude 2x10
Planet X n2a
Genesis Core 200 -
The Rookie wrote:stubs wrote:supersonic wrote:Colour has nothing to do with it.
Red spokes look crap
FTFY!0 -
I do like a red spoke in amongst black. Spokes should only be black (save for one red in some cases)0
-
I reckon theres some tasty Industry Nine wheels with red spokes thrown in for good measure out there.A Flock of Birds
+ some other bikes.0 -
Nah, green I9 is where it's at.0
-
Any colour that's applied through anodising will weaken the spoke? Not alot I grant you, but a bit.WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
Find me on Strava0 -
Probably a good job that spokes are steel, and aren't anodised then.0
-
Actual lol0
-
I have Mavic and Fulcrum wheels with black spokes, and I'm pretty sure they are painted.
Anodised steel is effectively rust.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Obviously I am poor, so look at the more pauper end of the spectrum.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
But as they're not available in an unfinished state it's a completely moot point in the context of the point being made.
But yes, forgive me for not caveating my response by saying:
"good job spokes are steel except Mavic Zircal, Fulcrum bladed, Marwi ti, Pillar ti, Mavic R-Sys carbon, Mad Fiber carbon, Lightweight carbon, Industry 9 Torch spokes, among others".0 -
I had a couple of spokes break on a wheel a year ago and, as they happened to be black, I came across loads of stuff on the interweb about black spokes being weaker...
It is all just a web rumour, there is no difference between black and silver stainless spokes. Replace the broken spokes with good quality, traditional spokes (e.g. DT Swiss Champion / DT Swiss Competition); if you keep getting broken spokes then consider replacing all spokes as they can be weakened if you have been riding with a broken spoke of the wheel could have been badly built in the first place.0