how to tie spokes

I haven't got photos handy, or at all at the moment. Ziptie at each intersection, or junction.

If you have no problem, then you wouldn't need to tie them.
 
Here is pic. I dont know how well you will be able to see them. As joe said, just wrap one around each intersection, pull tight with pliers, and cut off extra....
 

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I like to build the wheel stiff if I need it stiff. A simple half twist inthe spoke lacing pattern stiffens and saves weight or plastic.

moab3.jpg
 
The spoke is easily replaced but with Down Hill racing spokes the chances of broken spokes is slim. The spoke is a single butted spoke with the bent end that rests in the hub a 13 gage and the rest is 14 gage. Most spokes break at the bend at the hub so this strengthes the spoke just where it needs to be strong. This set of wheels has maybe 300 miles at most on them.
 
The only spokes I ever broke was at the hub, I can see that this creates a more unibody structure. I'am under the impression these motor bikes can use extra T.L.C.
 
Ah come on guys, this is not rocket engineering. Aircraft grade safety wire, needle nose vise grips, wrap the spoke intersection 2 times. twist the wire till tight. Cut and bend the 1/2 inch wrap around to the inside of the wheel. 30 min per wheel, or 2 cold 24's rotfl
 
When I was a kid I lived in a hilly area of western Arkansas. I took my bike to the local welder and had a front sprocket welded to the back sprocket. Then I added a few links to the chain . It didnt go too fast, but I could climb a pretty steep hill sitting on the seat. I wonder if welding a sprocket to the existing sproket would work. I realize you wouldn't be able to pedal it, but that would really simplfy things.
 
lennyharp said:
The spoke is easily replaced but with Down Hill racing spokes the chances of broken spokes is slim. The spoke is a single butted spoke with the bent end that rests in the hub a 13 gage and the rest is 14 gage. Most spokes break at the bend at the hub so this strengthes the spoke just where it needs to be strong. This set of wheels has maybe 300 miles at most on them.
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I forgot where you posted your pict could ya post it here when ya get a chance or someone?
 
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This is an image I have of twisted spoke wheel being built.

moab4.jpg

And finished and in use. You happen to break a spoke just replace with no welding or tie and soldering.
 
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Thats art Lenny. Gonna try it on a couple of junk wheels.

(well, I might have to learn to lace em regular first,eh?)
 
lennyharp said:
whl.jpg

This is an image I have of twisted spoke wheel being built.

moab4.jpg

And finished and in use. You happen to break a spoke just replace with no welding or tie and soldering.
Click to expand...

I shore like the look of that sweeeet! That looks like ya would be having too much fun for warping one. That really has nice uni body structure to it giving more unified strength ...........JUST LOVE IT........ Eli quint, thanks for sharing I never seen this done before! Would love to make a set of these. Make the kids on the block jealous.duh. with it lol.
 

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The wheel with twisted spokes reinforces the wheel's lateral strength. The wheel uses single butted downhill racing spokes that are 13 gage at the bend and 14 gage the rest of the way out to the rim. Most spokes break at the bend at the hub. The thicker spoke at the hub helps make a stronger wheel also. You don't want to use a cheap hub here because I have seen hubs break instead of the spoke which make for a much harder and more expensive repair. Hubs start at $10.00 and labor on a rebuild is $30.00. I can do a build for that much labor with parts and shipping extra. Spokes run from $0.25 regular straight gage to $1.00 for the stainless butted spokes.

To build if you are not an experienced wheel builder do a search for "bike wheel building" and choose a tutorial that makes sense to you. Sheldon Brown's tutorial comes up first and is hard to beat with more info than most people need. I recommend you get a wheel built and trued up to determine if you are a potential wheel builder. Not everybody who works on bikes builds wheels, it is a matter of patience for most I think as the task tries my patience some days.

One wheel built makes for a good test because all you do different with a twisted spoke wheel is while building the wheel you add a half twist to each crossing pair of spokes. A spoke leaving the hub to the right twists around one leaving the hub from the left. This changes directions and the spokes enter the rim in the opposite direction from how it left the hub. I can add details if needed.
 
Thanks Lenny. For the purposes of learning, would you suggest a particular gage or kind of spoke?
 
Cheap 14 gage is OK. Spoke lengths are critical so ask a shop to help you or just take apart a wheel and put it back together. Carbon steel chrome plated run a quarter and stainless spokes are $0.50 and up. Or US Brand Titanium Bicycle Spokes (set of 18) for $57.99. A standard wheel you might want uses 36 spokes. 32 or fewer is weaker and 40 -48 and more are available. My 6 ft / 250 lbs says 36 spokes kept tight is good. Loose spokes break easier than properly tensioned ones.

There are wheel truing stands from $50.00 but save your money. I use a fork with a pencil as a height gage to determine roundness up & down. I will take some photos of my junko set-up that works if you are too cheap to buy a real one. The Park Pro stand runs $180.00 or more, and the cheap stands are probably not worth the $50.00 or more. An old fork is always lying around my shop so I'll show how it works front & rear.
 
joe,
do the zip ties really make a difference? Im happy I stumbled upon this cuz I just replaced last years rear wheel,I thought spokes and bent rims were just something I had to learn to accept until I could get a heftier rim. so ya just put the zipties where the spokes cross? please expand upon this idea if you have a moment.
 
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