My primary business is "Hand Built Basic and Replacement Alloy Bicycle Wheels" thus making straight guage 2.0mm (14g) my primary spoke. Also, since 90% of my
current custom builds for shops are for the fixie/single speed crowd - the result is the same.
The moment the spoke choice ball is put in my hands for road custom builds or vintage rebuilds - I'm immediately on the butted DT / Wheelsmith / Phil / Ritchey Logic wagon...trust me on that.
search.bikelist.org for "Union" and you'll come up with the post that myself and another gentleman here have participated in twice within the last year. The other gentleman maintains a tabbed list of source / marking. I've provided
the three for CN for him:
Capital "N" Capital "C" with lower case "n" inside. Lower case "m" with a leftmost vertical tail.
As to elbow size...the classic DT was 6.1mm...from the outside of the start of bend to the center of the mushroom. As someone online documented already - it changed to 6.2mm. The industry average for alloy hub flange thickness is 3.2mm. 6.1mm for elbows is outstanding. 6.2mm is fine as well. The key to remember is that proper tensioning is of utmost importance - and I have found in 20+ years that those who use 6.2mm - high relatively even tension tends to take care of business.
Of course fail to ensure proper tension - welp, the 6.2mm are going to have more wiggle and flex room than 6.1mm - those heads will snap sooner than later - doesn't matter what brand. Better brands will hold out longer...but all will eventually fall victim.
I stick with DT for quality custom builds (and the Ritchey Logic derivative) regardless of old 6.1mm supply or newer 6.2mm supply. Phil's are my immediate second choice - I know the folks - and I'm practically next door every Friday night. Why not? (They're good spokes...)
The spokes to really watch out for are the 7.0mm. Some manus thinking you don't know better - (and having failed to specify when ordering) - will dump excess 7.0mm on you. Those are for low-end el cheapo steel wheels. They do not reside in the hub holes flush - and instead stick out a tad sideways - the wheel is an eyesore when done. In no time at all - especially with rear wheels - snappity snap snap go the spokes. High tension helps - but doesn't quite cover the problem. It's too little too late...
And wholesalers and retailers who got stuck with them will do the same. So when ordering spokes, old and new - it doesn't hurt to ask when ordering:
"Are those 6.1mm/6.2mm elbows, or are those 7.0mm elbows?"
Protect yourself...
Robert Shackelford San Jose, CA USA
Quoting John Hurley <JHurley@jdabrams.com>:
> Robert,
> I am interested that you are so heavily into straight gage spokes. What
> benefits do you find in straight gage over butted?
>
> I had never heard of CN Spoke (Chun Nan), not that I am a wheel builder
> by any stretch, even though according to their website they've been
> around since 1970! In the past there have been threads on spoke head
> markings, but no mention of this brand. I will add them to my list. I
> wish someone would create a photo collection of spoke heads. I see CN
> Spoke has a brand called Mac, with an "m" as spoke head marking. Do
> their CN brand spokes also have this mark?
>
> What are your views on the length of the elbow crook vs the thickness of
> the hub flange? Can an aluminum hub flange really be used as an anvil
> to change the shape of a high-strength steel spoke, per Ted Ernst?
>
> John Hurley
> Austin, Texas, USA
>
>
>
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