BRAND RESUME

KEY WHEELBUILDING & ASSEMBLY INFORMATION

SUPPLIERS AND SPOKE-WIRE DESIGN

We’re pleased to use the venerable Belgian company Sapim and acclaimed Taiwanese company Pillar as our primary spoke choices, and we’re proud to be able to offer our clients the most professional custom rim decals in cycling, using SLIK Graphics for bespoke designs on alloy rims. These primary suppliers have been chosen for their care, skill, and use of only the finest raw materials. Based on intensive experience, we consider Michelin, Schwalbe, Hutchinson, and Pirelli to be the high-end tire makers most consistently delivering Tubeless Ready rubber with flush, true carcasses and casings. We’ll always recommend these tire brands firstly, since nothing ruins a perfectly built wheel like a visually crooked tire poorly checked for factory-level quality control.

ON LACING AND SPOKE TENSION

There are, unfortunately, many myths and there is much mis- or disinformation available in the cycling forums and in the local shop scenes regarding both the physics of wheel tensioning and the benefits and drawbacks of spoke lacing patterns. This section will explain the truth behind these key aspects of sound wheelbuilding.

WITH LACING, as mountain specialists dealing primarily with J-bend spokes, our perspective is simply that skilled builders should be crossing a wheel TIMES 3 (known as “3-CROSS”) and if not then have a good reason for this departure. This pattern is represented in the vast majority of our builds for mountain and often road or gravel/CX wheels as well. The 3-CROSS system has been heavily favoured by professional wheelbuilders and OEMs for decades because it provides the right mix of forward-rolling torsional stability and significant resistance to backwards torquing forces during disc braking. Without a “tangential” or cross pattern, spokes would rapidly unwind on disc wheels especially, from the repeated non-driveside torqueing forces generated by rotors. Larger or harder riders only escalate this phenomenon of dynamic ride physics. While sometimes marginally stiffer, by requiring shorter spokes and/or a more direct orientation from hub to rim, 2-CROSS spoke patterns are often not worthwhile to undertake with J-bend hubs, because they’re less supportive of spoke flanges. This can cause premature hub breakage in extreme cases, and in any case causes a marginal decrease in J-bend flange stability under ride stresses. The only exceptions in which 2-CROSS may be preferable with J-bend hubs include the following scenarios:

*aero spokes;

*extremely stiff rims intended to ride that way, and matched to hubs employing reinforced spoke flanges;

*very light riders wanting fewer spokes, assuming that this goal is otherwise mechanically sound;

*when using extra-thick butted spoke designs, such as the Sapim Force or DT Swiss Alpine III, for example, and intending to offset this extra spoke girth with shorter wire lengths;

*and with some traditional road hubs, where difficult geometries may mandate extra attention to optimize wheel tensions.

For all intents at Hogtown Spokes, as serious and data-driven professional wheelbuilders focused on all-out durability in our wheels, WE BUILD 3-CROSS as the normative practice with J-bend hubs. We’ll seldom entertain requests for other spoke patterns with J-bend.

**Radial patterns are massively overrated and may well compromise hubs’ durability. Radial is a hard “no” from us.**

WITH SPOKE TENSION, even more myths exist in the cycling space. Readers will often encounter useless statements on internet bike forums such as “I always build to 105 KgF,” “spokes should all be equal,” or “the max tension for the rim should rarely be neared.” These are all statements made by inexperienced or unexpert builders failing to grasp the real physics of reliable wheel assembly. KgF stands for “Kilogram Force.” It’s the measurement system used for wheelbuilding. Essentially, 1 KgF = 10 Newtons (N). So, when a rim company lists the maximum recommended build tension as 120 KgF (the common max number for many alloy rim manufacturers), that means that the rim can conservatively be tensioned as high as 120 KgF (give or take a few points) on each individual spoke = 1200 N. Yes, spokes are that strong. (Stronger, in fact, and so another myth in the forums is that “spokes are the weak links in wheelbuilds.” In reality, most spokes can take forces far exceeding the max yield strengths of the rim, hub, or nipples - often well north of 1350-1600+ N, repeatedly.) Maximum rim tension is not something to be avoided like the plague. Certainly, competent builders will always aim to be at or below the max tension on the “high” (tightest) sections of a wheelset and not above this number: the NDS front and Driveside (DS) rear. But, at the same time, it’s entirely acceptable and often preferable to be right at this number. Max tension is as much a target to be achieved as a prohibition to be avoided.

An additional reality is that “dishing” — centering the wheel in the fork or dropouts — in the case of both front and rear wheels will frequently require max tension with high flanges for a perfectly flush and centered rim. Back off from the max tension on the high flanges and the rim will either be off-centre or the low flanges taken to unreliably low tension numbers. Folks claiming that max tension is something to never near should also remember that when spokes are professionally de-stressed during a build the temporary “overload forces” thus created reach tension numbers much higher than the listed rim maximum (sometimes as high as 180+ KgF, momentarily). Indeed, a rim needs to be able to take these tests to be deemed safe! Lots of unhelpful stories abound on the internet about supposed wheelbuilding savants ripping spokes through rims by over-tensioning or going to the max tension. At Hogtown Spokes, most of our high flanges will be at or near this number - AND WE’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED A BLOWN SPOKE HOLE in hundreds of builds.

Furthermore, and hopefully putting this non-debate “debate” to bed, respected carbon wheel company NOBL rims officially recommends max spoke tension of 120-130 KgF and getting there on the high flanges virtually every time. ATOMIK Carbon, based in Florida, suggests high final tension with some of their MTB rim models of 130-140 KgF. As a rough general rule, high flanges should never be less than 90-95 KgF MINIMUM (and will often be at least 105-115+ KgF), while low flanges should be at least 70 KgF for reliability over the long-term and when tackling all trail and tarmac conditions.

“Deliberate low tension” is one of the most farcical, unreliable, and even unsafe practices in the wheelbuilding world. For a softer ride, seek more flexible spokes and rims and/or cushioned tires and rim inserts - tension is never the place to seek these feels! Only unscientific builders ever advocate this practice - it’s junk science. Full stop. Deliberate low tension is total quackery, regardless of the person doing it, whether a local shop mechanic or a self-important race wrench.

WE’RE PARTIAL to the following Sapim spokes for our builds -

Sapim CX-Ray/Sprint - The Rolls of MTB or road spokes; elliptical/aero designs for the highest yield and tensile strengths, incredible long-term durability, and yet the lightest ride characteristics. For all-out, ultra-premium wheelbuilds. What we would choose, given a high enough spoke count and a moderate or lightweight rider.

Sapim D-Light - One of our shop favourites at HS, the D-Light is an ultra-strong double-butted round spoke tapering 2.0 mm-1.65 mm at centre (the tension deflection-measure point). It’s very strong, very durable, and suitable for any use (excepting e-bikes) for someone wanting a lighter wheelset overall. An all-purpose premium spoke. Easy to build with and keep true.

Sapim Race - Often described by wheel influencers as Sapim’s “workhorse,” the Race is a great, slightly thicker double-butted spoke tapering 2.0 mm-1.8 mm. Equates to the DT Swiss Competition. Heavier than D-Light with fractionally less longevity and yield strength but more affordability and weight-bearing abilities, the Race spoke will suit anyone wanting a high-end build with long-lasting butted spokes. Race is a great choice for heavier riders or for riders on D-Lights who want to beef up the rear Driveside (highest-stressed portion of a bicycle wheelset) - often advisable in MTB applications.

Sapim Force - The virtual “mack daddy” of premium triple-butted spokes. Super strong, super reliable, and ready for any rider weight and many modern e-bikes. Tapering 2.18 mm-1.8mm-2.0 mm. Recommended for wheel-breakers, e-bikes, etc.

Sapim Strong - Tapering 2.3 mm-2.00 mm, the Strong is essentially the “gentleman’s straight-gauge spoke.” This is a heavy-gauge spoke suggested for the heaviest riders, e-bikes, and inveterate career wheel-breakers. Not recommended for many carbon rims, which need greater spoke flexibility to prevent cracking and premature failure. Useful for rugged alloy builds.

Sapim Laser - Exceptionally strong lightweight spoke. The base product that gets cold forged into the CX-Ray bladed spoke.

>>DT SWISS OFFERS A NUMBER OF EQUIVALENT VERY FINE SPOKE PRODUCTS, THOUGH WE WILL ONLY WORK WITH DT COMPETITION (MTB - 2.0 mm-1.8 mm), COMP. RACE (MTB - 2.0 mm-1.6 mm), ALPINE III (2.34 mm-1.8 mm-2.0 mm), OR THE DT REVOLUTION (XC/CX/ROAD - 2.0 mm-1.5 mm). SAPIM IS MORE AVAILABLE, MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE COMPREHENSIVE, AND PROVEN BY ELITE BUILDERS THE WORLD OVER.

>>PILLAR ALSO MAKES SOME OUTSTANDING SPOKE PRODUCTS, NAMELY WITHIN THEIR AERO LINEUP (1420, 1423, 1432). WE HAVE NO RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE QUALITY OR VALUE OF MOST PILLAR ITEMS.

-JAKE BRENNAND, Spring 2021; updated October 2023

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES READERS MAY WISH TO CONSULT (LINKS OFFERED HERE MERELY FOR ACADEMIC LEARNING PURPOSES):

https://www.sapim.be/faq - Sapim Spokes FAQ

https://dcrwheels.co.uk/custom-wheelsets/choosing-spokes-advice/ - Superb article by accomplished English builders

https://www.sapim.be/sites/default/files/checklist.pdf - Sapim Spokes Professional Builder’s Checklist

https://www.wheelpro.co.uk/support/tensiometers/ - Authoritative UK article on spoke tension metres & tensioning

Hogtown Spokes respects all trademarks, both unregistered and officially licensed, appearing on this page. Brands’ mention here does not imply a formal relationship between Hogtown and a particular brand. This is a portfolio page, geared at informational value.