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Spoke
One of the wires connecting the rim to the hub of a bicycle wheel. See my article on wheelbuilding.
A conventional spoke has a swaged head, like the head of a nail, to keep it from pulling through the flange of the hub. Immediately after the head the spoke takes a right-angle bend, also known as the "elbow" of the spoke. (See also straight spokes) The outer end of the spoke is threaded, and a special nut called a nipple fits through the rim and screws onto the spoke threads.
Traditionally, most bicycles have had 36 spokes in each wheel. British bicycles, for years, used to use 40 spokes in the rear, and 32 in the front. This was a better system for the consumer, because the strength of the wheels was in better proportion to the stresses on them. It makes things easier for the manufacturers, however, to use the same number of spokes front and rear. This results in a front wheel that is needlessly heavy, and/or a rear wheel that is not as strong as it should be.
In the last decade of the 20th century, 32-spoke wheels became increasingly common. Manufacturers tout this as an advantage, because it saves a very small amount of weight (they don't mention that it is also cheaper!) For most cyclists, the reduced strength and reparability of 32 spoke rear wheels is a greater detriment than the very tiny improvement in performance they offer.
Formerly, spoke diameters were specified in terms of wire gauge, but the trend is toward specifying the diameter in millimeters.
Spoke length is measured from the inside of the elbow to the very end of the threads, most usually in millimeters.
Spoke weights
(courtesy of )
Brand Model Material Diameter Length
(MM)Count Weight
(Grams)Litespeed titanium 2.0 267 32 122 DT Revolution stainless 2.0/1.55 266 32 134 Wheelsmith 1.8DB stainless 1.8/1.55 266 32 135 FiberFlight Æro plastic 266 32 136 Wheelsmith 1.8DB stainless 1.8/1.55 267 32 146 DT 1.8DB stainless 1.8/1.6 266 32 156 DT 1.8 stainless 1.8 266 32 179 Wheelsmith 2.0DB stainless 2.0/1.7 273 28 159 Wheelsmith 2.0DB stainless 2.0/1.7 298 32 182 DT 2.0DB stainless 2.0/1.8 266 32 193 DT 1.8 stainless 1.8 291 16 97 Wheelsmith 2.0 stainless 2.0 264 16 107 Wheelsmith 2.0 stainless 2.0 266 16 109 Wheelsmith 2.0 stainless 2.0 267 32 218 DT 2.0 stainless 2.0 266 32 221 DT 2.0 stainless 2.0 289 16 120 Warning: Fiberflight spokes break and wheels fail catastrophically -- John Allen
Nipple weights
(courtesy of )
Brand Gauge/
DiameterMaterial Weight Comments Hi-E 15/1.8 aluminum 0.235 requires special socket wrench Wheelsmith 14/2.0 aluminum 0.344 DT 15/1.8 brass 0.850 old-style disc-shaped DT 14/2.0 brass 1.000 new-style trumpet-shape Wheelsmith 14/2.0 brass 1.063 DT 15/1.8 brass 1.100 new-style trumpet-shape DT 14/2.0 brass 1.140 old-style disc-shaped Fiber Flight 14/2.0 plastic 7g/36 (claimed weight)
