brittle spokes?

[JStonebarger]

Hmph! I'm no expert at wheel building, but I have several sets I built for 'cross that have held up well the last few seasons. One in particular, though, has me stumped.

I broke two spokes on this rear wheel warming up for a race last winter. I set it aside without another look. Recently, when I finally got around to rebuilding it, I found what looks like corrosion on several more spokes, all of which are brittle enough to snap in two with my fingers. Ultimately I'm replacing almost half the spokes.

http://i68.tinypic.com/28smykg.jpg

What did I get on this wheel that would do such a thing?

[cmbicycles]

It's probably not something you did, but the wire used in the spokes. A few (10ish) years back there were more than a few issues with some spoke batches corroding... that's probably the issue here as well. Stainless isn't stain proof, just stains less as they say, and some alloys can be more prone to corrosion.


I might just rebuild the whole wheel with new spokes if the rim is in good condition.

[ergott]

I see spots of corrosion. What spokes are those?

Do you store the bike near pool chemicals (chlorine)?

[JStonebarger]

Sapim Race. Weird thing is I built up 9 wheels at once, using a bunch of these spokes, and this is the only wheel affected this way. Also, on this wheel it was both drive side and non-ds spokes, so two different lengths. Something got on this wheel...

The wheel is kept in our very cluttered garage along with a dozen bikes and many many wheels. I don't know of chlorine in there, but that's partly why I ask -- what would do this? What got on these spokes?

[Peter P.]

I believe most spokes are 14-4 stainless. One of its properties is its ductility; you should be able to tie it in a loop and not have it snap.

Either those spokes are counterfeit, made with the wrong material, or some treatment during production failed.

I'm clueless as to why only the spokes on this wheel versus the rest of the same batch, are bad.

[ripvanrando]

Fatigue. Insufficient spoke tension?

[ergott]

I know I had a bucket of chlorine tabs near a wheel. It rotted out the spokes in no time. Chlorine react with the stainless steel. The vapors are strong enough to do it just being in the vicinity (same room).

[Tandem Rider]

Cat??

[ergott]

The wheel was new, never outdoors and never even had a tire glued to it. I think it was about 6 months of being in the same part of the garage.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Cycling/Wheels/i-KpzVW2R/0/X2/20150523_150521-X2.jpg

[oldpotatoe]

Sapim Race. Weird thing is I built up 9 wheels at once, using a bunch of these spokes, and this is the only wheel affected this way. Also, on this wheel it was both drive side and non-ds spokes, so two different lengths. Something got on this wheel...

The wheel is kept in our very cluttered garage along with a dozen bikes and many many wheels. I don't know of chlorine in there, but that's partly why I ask -- what would do this? What got on these spokes?

Even SS spokes can corrode altho I've never seen this or the ones ERGOTT posted..wee 'sapim' printed on the butt near the bend? Discounted spokes on some 3rd hand site? Wondering if they are legit Sapim