Talk:Spoke

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[edit] Other uses of spokes

Incidentally... old bent bicycle spokes are sometimes kept in toolkits

  • They are useful for unblocking plugs etc.
  • They may be used as lockpicks.
  • A cardboard splash guard inserted in pletcher rack can be prevented from sagging by sticking in a couple of spokes, which shouldn't be too bent. The cardboard must extend to the end of the rear wheel to keep the seat of your pants dry and the mud stripe off your back. Metarhyme 23:47, 30 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] How to compute the spoke length formula using a calculator

The spoke length formula is only as accurate as your fingers are at data input and manipulation. Switch the calculator to scientific mode: View -> Scientific. Use a pencil with an eraser to write down the hub's spoke hole diameter and the ERD rim diameter. Write down the flange from center distance (a) as well. Half of the hub diameter is radius one and half of the ERD diameter is radius two, write these down, too. Input the degrees according to the cross number and the number of spokes, then get the cosine. Multiply that by 2, by radius one and by radius two. Put that in memory and clear the display. Input radius one -> square -> plus -> input radius two -> square -> plus -> input a -> square -> equals; then subtract -> memory recall -> equals. Then to get that figure's square root, put a tick in the [ ] Inv box and x^2 should give you a non-ridiculous spoke length. Run it several times to be sure that you did not make a mistake.

Great directions! Indeed, it took me two or three tries with the calculator to get the right, non-ridiculous result. Erm, why do you need an eraser on the pencil? --RainerBlome 22:53, 23 December 2005 (UTC)

  • The eraser is to impeach and convict offensive pencilings prior to replacing them with pencilings that better reflect truth. Metarhyme 21:42, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Contradiction?

This statement: "The load on the hub causes the wheel rim to flatten slightly against the ground as the lowermost pre-tensioned spoke shortens and compresses by losing some of its pre-tension. Despite the common misconception that a bicycle wheel "hangs" from its upper spokes, the upper spokes show no significant change in tension."

appears to contradict this statement: "Tangential spoking has several desirable effects: The maximum load is being taken by two spokes at any time rather than by only one."

Is there a reference for either one? The Bicycle wheel#Reaction to load seems to confirm the first statement. Without a reference, the second one, the 'desirable effect' one should go. -AndrewDressel 02:08, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

Okay. Out it comes. -AndrewDressel 01:49, 23 August 2006 (UTC)