[CR]Fit to be tied (and soldered spokes)

(Example: Framebuilders:Alex Singer)

Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 23:41:29 -0700
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
References: <BB670073.11E3C%tullio@theramp.net>
Subject: [CR]Fit to be tied (and soldered spokes)

My observation (and I'm not the first):

This is something that I know some of you have experienced if you ride a lot. A well built wheel with a lot of miles on it will have spokes that are notched where they are interlaced at the last crossing. Very sharp notches! You may have not looked closely enough to see the notches, but I know that you have felt them!

Hey, I hear what you're saying out there... FELT THEM!?!? Well, while you're cleaning off you prize bike, while you are wiping down the spokes with a cloth you have flexed the spokes and they popped out of their notches and you heard it and felt it. Yes, your wheel has to have some serious miles on it, but I know you have flexed your spokes at the crosses with your hand and had the spokes click into and out of the notches, right? RIGHT? (I'll wait while you go flex your spokes at the crosses and check for sharp notching.)

So what does this tell you? What it tells me is that the spokes aren't moving back and forth against themselves. How could they move with the sharp notch in each spoke where they touch. You'd even be able to hear them popping in and out of the notch while you rode if the spokes moved.

So tying and soldering keeps the spokes from sliding back and forth across each other? Huh? The spokes aren't moving anyway, are they? Are they?

Agree or disagree? Anyone?

By the way, the notches are caused by fretting (microscopic movement, vibration)...

Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, CA

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