Spokes - Expensive and Important

[@JimGrahamNH]

Great stuff! Even though I am not an official spoke sniffer, this cuts through marketing hype and older conventional wisdom to the science and experience of a veteran, expert wheel builder - and in a clear way even I can understand. Thanks, John.

[@neugentcycling938]

Hope you survived the arctic chill. Thanks for the comments. I have been in the bike industry since 1973 and much of that time in marketing. I used to think "selling" or putting together a story to sell products was a good thing but looking back most of it was in twisting the truth to my benefit. I stopped doing that 20 years ago largely because I started selling direct to customers and that gave me an edge because my costs were lower. Because of that I can shoot absolutely straight and offer better value.

[@RyanBuildsWheels]

Ha! 100% a 'Spoke Sniffer' this end @NeugentCycling! First time I've come across this term :-)!

[@jonshomo1167]

I have a lovely set of Neuvation wheels from 15+ years ago with the aero spokes. LOVE THEM , and ride them with pride😊 (36 miles last Tuesday in the 30-degree temps) Recently bouncing around on the gravel roads here in Mennonite country-me and the buggies. They are still doing A+ fantastic, and the LBS folks who know what to look for always comment on the quality of the wheels. Will be buying a carbon set soon from John, but it is just because I would like to have a set of carbon tubeless from this master wheel builder, not because the aeros arent cutting it.

[@neugentcycling938]

Thanks for the comment. Those old aero wheels are great. Those are the spokes mentioned in my video. I've sold 20,000+ sets and can only recall a couple of broken spokes. I am sure more have broken but that's about all I have heard of.

[@davidburgess741]

I've seen Mold and Langley videos and am a spoke sniffer. A heavier rider, I usually build high count wheels. I also decrease dish as much as possible by modifying the hub and freehub body forgoing a sprocket in the process. 9 speed with 10 speed cogs and spacing fitting 126mm OLD frame dropouts. I've seen enough aluminum spoke nipples laying broken on the floor. Carbon rims and ammonia based sealants can only make this worse. I've had frequent problems with spokes marked "S", evidently a brand that moved to Taiwan. I like aluminum rims which work best with rim brakes. No loss of strength from front wheel dish or crazy radial lacing on the non disk side! I live in flatland so why saddle myself with hydraulics! Jim Langley and Ali Clarkson saved me from market driven madness! If you don't like what's out there, you've got to make it yourself!

[@neugentcycling938]

I've known Jim Langley since he was at Bicycling Magazinr - a good guy. I use radial lacing on everything but the drive side of the rear wheel for rim brakes. It's actually lighter and stronger than lacing because of the angle is straight from the hub to the rim. S spokes are probably Sapim and are made in Belgium.and are used by most pros.

[@chadberkshire5025]

Thank you John. I’ve enjoyed your videos each time I’ve watched.

[@neugentcycling938]

Glad to hear it

[@Cycling_in_ja]

Good day I have a wheel that keeps breaking spokes I’m a big boy 210lbs which spokes could you recommend for me to use? They brak in the J

[@vaportrailsracing]

I race BMX…wondering if the weight from a ti spoke is close to a steel double butted spoke. I’m looking to build a set of wheels and I’m just trying to get some data

[@neugentcycling938]

Ti would be. I understand that Ti spokes work well foir BMX but not for bigger wheels. I built up a set of 700C wheels and broke spokes almost immediately.