Re: [CR]Vintage spokes - Favorites

(Example: Framebuilding:Norris Lockley)

Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 11:10:46 -0500
From: "Mara & Steven Maasland" <TheMaaslands@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Vintage spokes - Favorites
Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


Dave wrote:
> Sapim have become more widely distributed in the last couple of
> years. I
> build about 3/4 of my customers' wheels with them, especially the
> 14/17/14gauge "Laser."
> The Laser is similar in weight and strength to DT Revolutions and
> has a good
> appearance for period wheels, butting is similarly visibile to
> Wheelsmithspokes.
> If you want a similar look to Robergels without the breakage,
> they're a
> great choice.

in response to Joe, who wrote:
>
> > Torrington was (is) a US company, I believe in Torrington CT.
> Besidesspokes
> > they made pedals, handlebars and seatposts. They also made
> automotive type
> > bearings and probably remain in that business. Torrington made
> nice double
> > butted galvanized spokes. From a materials viewpoint the move to
> stainless> steel spokes is generally a mistake. Now you can't get
> good galvanized
> > carbon steel spokes.
> >
> > Robergel was French. The "Trois Etoille" stainless spokes were
> their top
> > product. They had a bad problem with breaking (see galvanized
> comment> above).
> >
> > DT came out with better spokes and Robergel just seemed to fold.
> Same with
> > the Italian Alpina spokes. The German Berg Union spokes
> continued for a
> > while (do they still exist?). Rarely seen in the US are the
> Belgian Sapim
> > which still exists.

My favorites were always the German Prym double butted spokes with the 'Y' on the spoke heads. Stella spokes were OE on most older Italian bikes prior to the arrival of Alpina.

Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ