These are the strangest (and lightest) spokes in the world - Berd HQ Tour | Syd Fixes Bikes

[@Cycle.every.day.]

To me, this is the main channel, it's what got me to you guys.

[@XCBen]

@@Cycle.every.day. to you, sure. I've been with them since before that other channel.

[@SimoneChiaretta]

Same for me

[@alistermccallum]

I mean it’s got 50k more subscribers so yeah?

[@ShadLife]

It was nice meeting you when you came through here. One lap of Lone Lake was enough after your race in Marquette. We have so many cool companies here in Minnesota. Berd, Wolf Tooth, Otso, Surly, Salsa, Onyx, HED, and I am sure more that I forgot to mention. Everyone at all of these companies is super cool too!

[@sydfixesbikes]

Great to meet you too. Thanks for coming out!

[@dan-macias]

Badass! Love all the nerdy tech behind the scenes.

[@Grant-m4z]

Berd built two sets of wheels for me, and I love them!

[@deejayohdumb]

I love all your videos, I’ve learned a ton. The core understanding behind everything is where it’s at.

[@RowansAdventures]

Wow, that was really cool, especially the destructive testing.

[@MacRogersrealestatebroker]

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. When I put together my dream bike back in 2020 (or 2021) i wanted Berd. Been so happy with it. I have it on Enve M635 & DT240EXP hubs.

[@harleymcclelland8029]

Nice to see back

[@Austi-xt7tu]

I’ve been riding berd wheels for about 2-3 years now. They are absolutely amazing. Only issue is their lateral strength but I guess they fixed that with their new DH versions

[@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5]

didn't realize they are a very small production level...so much growth possibilities! I'm going to have a wheel-set built for a newly purchased ti Revel Tirade build. As far as exotic locations, Guam USA has gotta be up there!

[@gravy94us]

Used your code and got a sweet Berd wheelset with Onyx vesper hook flange hubs. Thanks guys!

[@CanyonWanderer]

awesome ! Both the factory tour you took us on as is the Berd tech!

[@justinofboulder]

Thanks for the video! I've been loving my Berd gravel wheels (bought with your code) and saving up for a set of MTB next.

[@Adventuregirl96]

That was interesting and is making me want to get some Berd spokes.

[@JasonFoxLCB]

Very cool. Dare to dream of affording a wheelset some day.

[@SonnyDarvish]

That break test is still quite strong. If you manage to drop hard with the bike so bad, it's most like that many other components will fail before these spokes do.

[@jjwa5410]

You haven't raced with them yet, then. They break and they break easily.

[@ericpmoss]

@@jjwa5410what kind of riding, and what failure mode? “Easily” makes it sound like anyone at any weight sees them fail just riding along. Didn’t Syd say they had been riding them for years?

[@sydfixesbikes]

Yeah, we've been racing them for 4 years (over 10,000 miles) in XC, Enduro, gravel, mass-start downhill (Megavalanche) and have only broken two... Definitely broke more metal spokes in the previous 4 years 😂

[@michaelfuelling1517]

Okay, Syd, he was showing the coloring kit for the spokes. When will you and Macky get colored spokes to match your riding kits?

[@jltrack]

Those shoelaces sure are neat

[@tool79]

Cool!

[@fjodorgrigorow3851]

Thank you Syd and Macky, that was so interesting! Do you mind telling us how much is the weight of the pure wheelset that you are using currently with these Berd spokes? Thank you!

[@sydfixesbikes]

To be honest, we haven't weighed them 😂 we'll try to remember next time 🤞

[@adamvancleave8961]

After they are sent to you, do you ever have to true them again?... and how do you true them(meaning is there a special tool to do that?)?

[@sydfixesbikes]

We've never felt the need to true ours, but they do include a tool with the wheelset that holds the spoke while you true it.

[@SHWELL11]

This is fantastic tech..

[@GarthFlint-nc2vj]

I have been running Berd wheels for about 5 years. Best $2100 I ever spent, bicycling-wise. I did not really like my fancy new 29er. Sluggish compared to my 27.5 in the tight quick trails. Not quick to accelerate. These wheels gave me a whole new bike. All the advantages of a 29er, the responsiveness of a 26 or 27.5.

[@SHWELL11]

How often does the tension need to be adjusted?

[@irfuel]

As often as any other newly built wheelset.

[@GarthFlint-nc2vj]

I have had Berd wheels on my bike for about 5 years. Took them in this summer to have the tension checked. My shop had just got trained on how to tension them. The shop said they were still well within tolerance. Better that steel spokes.

[@yahyaesmat1615]

long time no see

[@ericpmoss]

Are the spoke lengths based on what length they are after final truing at 120kgf, or just what they begin as? I have some 406 rims that need 182mm according to the calculator, and 178mm minimum length is pretty close to that already.

[@sydfixesbikes]

I believe the lengths are based on the final length (the same as a metal spoke) but it's worth checking that with Berd!

[@drmoynihan]

I am unclear how you tighten them. With regular D-tac wheels, I tighten with the spoke tightening wrench. How do you do these?

[@sydfixesbikes]

There's a special tool they include with each build that you use to hold the spoke up near the nipple while you turn the nipple to adjust it like on a normal spoke.

[@LawrenceMacMacster]

I was thinking little birds weaved them spokes. Deceiving 😢😂

[@ThomasSlaney]

They’re just so dang expensive…

[@DanTuber]

Was curious if they did a road disc wheel so took a look on their site. Over $3k for a wheelset and weights are no better (if not worse) than other spoke materials..... so I just don't see the point.

[@lefthorse1]

Its a little bit scary to me that can be cut with a knife or scissors , and i dont fully understand how the spoke hold to not rotate while the nut its tighten , there is a tool for that ??

[@ericpmoss]

It is a bit weird, but they are still safer because a hard side impact won’t bend or break them, and it takes a LOT of abrasion to cut them, abrasion being more likely than running against a blade-like edge. There is an anti-windup tool in the build kit, and the nice thing is that even if you let them wind up a few full turns, it doesn’t ruin them the way it does metal or carbon spokes.

[@lefthorse1]

How about , if the chain drops at the spokes , how much damage could make ? How about cleaning , a white fabric spoke never would look as in the day one , mud , dust and oil would make an uneven discoloration , maybe somebody will try to clean it with paint thinner , its chemically resistant for that ??

[@sydfixesbikes]

We've found they stay pretty clean despite some pretty gross conditions but if you get them really dirty and want to clean then, a bit of soap water on a rag will do the trick.

[@GarthFlint-nc2vj]

There is a tool that holds that steel insert while tensioning the spoke.

[@charlesnichols7682]

Very interesting ! :-)

[@andrewmicu9322]

Wow. It can hold 275.

[@damnedlock2956]

I've been wondering about these spokes...but I'm a heavy guy...I was at 252..now down to 241 but Im still heavy and worry about breakage...there is an old saying I can make it lighter or stronger but not both...but in this case it seems like the saying is null and void.

[@infocuslearning]

Could a vandal cut the spokes with snippers and ruin your wheel or melt them with a gas lighter?

[@KSMO1031]

Yes. They could also cut your spokes with a cordless grinder. Bad actors will always find a way.

[@sydfixesbikes]

Yes, as stated above. But it's worth mentioning that they handle blunt force (like getting a stick in your spokes) better than metal spokes which we find much more common 😜

[@acegard7801]

Go Penn State Chem. E.s!

[@eric1138]

Ah, you mean compound bow string. They use similar materials.

[@Eric_Tennant]

They forgot to send me some free wheels for testing/review.

[@OMCBOONE]

Berdssss

[@jjwa5410]

What people love about these spokes and what I learned after trying them: They're freaking light and rad. They also break really easy and it sucks when your day is ruined because they break.

[@ericpmoss]

Where are they failing - the middle, the ends, from cutting or abrasion? I have never seen anyone have that issue, so this is new information.

[@XCBen]

I've never broke a Berd spoke. Three years running. I would think it's great when one does break. You just tie it off.

[@sydfixesbikes]

Sorry to hear you had back luck with them. We've ridden them for the past 4 years (over 10,000 miles) and have only broken 2 (and didn't notice because they don't rattle around annoyingly). Definitely broke more metal spokes in the previous 4 years...

[@XCBen]

@sydfixesbikes I've broken three I9 steel spokes on one ride once. On the nipple too, so you know what that means. Berd spokes from now on. Actually went with ya'lls discount code for a Noble wheel build. Going to do another for my bigger bike using my old I9 Hydra Hubs with Berd. Boom!

[@jjwa5410]

Mine broke at the Radfest this year. They had a little over 400 miles on them. Berd basically said "oh sorry" and warrantied them. I'll never get back the $3K I spent on the trip, entry fees, plus all of my time and effort training for it. The failure was at the hub end. I'm sure Syd and Macky are getting excellent wheels and will probably never have a failure, but for no-named people like me their quality sucks. Here's the kicker - before every event I personally service my bike. Because I don't have any experience with these spokes, I never touched them where as any other spoke servicing them are a breeze. If you break a spoke or two on any typical wheel, you can get through just fine. Not on these - one failure and your day is over.

[@sfer1]

They're not the world's lightest bicycle spokes. There're carbon spokes that weigh 2 grams each.

[@coolcycles]

That became another pure Berd ad. No critical questions, no new insides. They showed off. Worth watching?

[@davidc6032]

Yes.

[@vincent_dumont]

Do I like this kind of content. Not really. It was a kinda spiceless bland company presentation. Dunno how to spice it up though. Wish those spokes were affordable. Would try to lace a wheelset with them myself. -edit typo- edit- watched it end-to-end though. Just in case.