Too many broken spokes on handbuilt wheel

[hoogerbooger]

I've had a similar issue before and am wondering if I suffered from a bad Sapim batch.

The only time I've had a front spoke break was a Sapim on a pretty new pair built by Spa. The pair had only done about 1500 miles and 3 spokes went on the back and one on the front.

(When the front spoke went I decided to get the LBS to rebuilt them, but they wouldn't because they just didn't like the Sputnik rims ( !!) so as I had a cycle tour imminent, I bought new spokes from the LBS and made my first set of wheels ( no truing stand then, just in the frame) ! Most of my wheels survive ok ( but I have had to rebuild a couple)

So I shall stop presuming it was a Friday afternoon trainee set that Spa sent me, and just be thankful I now how to rebuild wheels on tour/as needed.

[mig]

i take it that the series of replacement spokes didn't break down the line? just the originals?

spokes like that must be substantially weaker than normal to break in the middle. i wonder if stress relieving them initially actually aids the process of them breaking?

[Brucey]

... i wonder if stress relieving them initially actually aids the process of them breaking?

no, absolutely not.

In the few cases of 'bad Sapim spokes' I have encountered in the flesh, the spokes are typically so badly embrittled that they will snap like a carrot when you take a loose spoke and try and bend it. By contrast good spokes are normally so ductile that you could reasonably expect to be able to tie a knot in one without it breaking; not so an embrittled spoke, you would have no chance.

Perhaps the OP can try a few bends in any (pieces of) old spokes that are available?

cheers

[mig]

... i wonder if stress relieving them initially actually aids the process of them breaking?

no, absolutely not.

In the few cases of 'bad Sapim spokes' I have encountered in the flesh, the spokes are typically so badly embrittled that they will snap like a carrot when you take a loose spoke and try and bend it. By contrast good spokes are normally so ductile that you could reasonably expect to be able to tie a knot in one without it breaking; not so an embrittled spoke, you would have no chance.

Perhaps the OP can try a few bends in any (pieces of) old spokes that are available?

cheers

methinks that i worded that badly.

i wonder if stress relieving the dodgy sapim spokes actually aids in the process of them breaking?

[Brucey]

Ah, I see what you mean. I would say that if the spokes are bad (embrittled) they are too weak to use, too weak to stress-relieve, too weak for anything much at all, really.

cheers