Black Spokes VS. Silver Spokes

Jim said:

Hi,

I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often then
silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why? I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with black
spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them all changed
out to silver or is that just a waste?

Jim

Quality of the material and build will determine your answer. Color is just that.
What brand of spokes are they?
Who built the wheel?
David Ornee, Western Springs, IL

Jim said:

Hi,

I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often
then silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why? I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with black
spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them all changed
out to silver or is that just a waste?

Jim

possibly, but that would only be because the base material is inferior.
cheap black spokes appear to be laquered. good ones are dyed in a
process like anodizing for aluminum. afaik, these good black spokes
show no difference in fatigue properties from their silver parents.

Jim said:

Hi,

I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often
then silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why? I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with black
spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them all changed
out to silver or is that just a waste?

Jim

And red bicycles crash more often....

No, a black spoke does not break more than a non colored spoke.

If you are breaking spokes it is probably because of as [censored] poor build,
low tension, no stress relief when new. Now you may have a deformed rim
and consistent tension thruout the wheel is going to be tough. Find a
good local wheelbuilder and see if he can salvage the wheel. Don't look
at the place you bought it as it sounds like those gents are clueless.

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 21:12:26 GMT, Jim <[email hidden]> may

have said:

Hi,

I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often then
silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why? I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with black
spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them all changed
out to silver or is that just a waste?

Answer number one:

Black spokes and silver spokes of the same material and diameter will
have the same failure characteristics. You can't make your
competitors' spokes fail faster by painting them black, nor will
yours. That said, some of the black spokes I've seen are of
questionable design in other regards, particularly some of the bladed
ones which have stress riser points where the blade shaping
transitions to the round profile at the ends. Good spokes are good
not because they're silver or black, but because they're properly
made...and installed.

Answer number two:

Black spokes were really developed for stealth bikes that are used for
secret government surveillance activities, and they aren't supposed to
be sold to the general public. The ones you're buying are the rejects
from the black-bike manufacturers, and they're just [censored]. You need to
get the real ones if you want them to hold up, but you'll have to get
them on the Russian black market because the US makers aren't allowed
to sell the good ones to anyone but the NSA and the Skunk Works.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Jim said:

Hi,

I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often
then silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why? I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with black
spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them all changed
out to silver or is that just a waste?

Black spokes will gain more heat when exposed to solar radiation,
thereby speeding up corrosion and creep in the material. This will also
make tire blow-off when using rim brakes on steep descents more common.
However, they will be warmer during very cold rides if the sun is out,
therefore they are less susceptible to brittle fracture. 😉

--
Tom Sherman - Earth (Illinois)

On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 18:40:16 -0600, Tom Sherman

may have said:

Jim said:

Hi,

I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often
then silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why? I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with black
spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them all changed
out to silver or is that just a waste?

Black spokes will gain more heat when exposed to solar radiation,
thereby speeding up corrosion and creep in the material. This will also
make tire blow-off when using rim brakes on steep descents more common.
However, they will be warmer during very cold rides if the sun is out,
therefore they are less susceptible to brittle fracture. 😉

--
Tom Sherman - Earth (Illinois)

Are you sure about that last statement? (The one that says Illinois
is on Earth...)

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

jim beam said:

Jim said:

Hi,

I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often
then silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why? I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with
black spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them
all changed out to silver or is that just a waste?

Jim

possibly, but that would only be because the base material is
inferior. cheap black spokes appear to be laquered. good ones are
dyed in a process like anodizing for aluminum. afaik, these good
black spokes show no difference in fatigue properties from their
silver parents.

Chun-nan OEM spokes on late-model Specialized and Giant bikes are painted.
DTs are dyed. One can tell in the light, as the DTs glimmer brown in direct
sunlight, not black.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Hi,
I have been told that black colored spokes break much more often then
silver spokes. Is there any credibilty to this and if so why?

No.

Quoted message said:

I
currently have 700c wheels with less than 600 miles on them with black
spokes. I have broken two spokes so far. Should I have them all changed
out to silver or is that just a waste?

Unless the wheel is poorly built, no need to do this.
---------------
Alex