[Closed] Difference between std and straight pull

Standard looks like a normal spoke.eg with a j bend at the end. Straight pull has no j bend.

Supposedly stronger?? But jury probably out on that.

Standard spokes easier to source.

This guy is against straight pull but for me the last few wheel sets I have had built up have all been straight pull on DT Swiss hubs. The reason being I have cracked quite a number of flanges on standard hubs (mainly Hope). Not had any such issues on with straight pull hubs yet .

Having followed the recent hypercracker thread, and having spent an enjoyable 30 minutes or so watching a friend replace a spoke 'On the trail', I've just thought that straight pull spokes might provide a solution, as they ought to be easier to replace without removing cassettes/rotors.
Am I right?

I suspect it depends on the wheel.

^exactly the reason I went with straight pull on my bikepacking wheels

and having spent an enjoyable 30 minutes or so watching a friend replace a spoke 'On the trail',

Shouldn't need to do this really. A wheel with a spoke missing is still nearly as strong. Just tweek the spokes to take out any wobble.
I lost a spoke 2 days into a 2 week off/on road touring holiday. No problems at all even with a fully laden bike on some pretty rough terrain.

Shouldn't need to do this really. A wheel with a spoke missing is still nearly as strong. Just tweek the spokes to take out any wobble.

I agree, but I felt that it would be good to address the problem - and he had his hypercracker - so we took the opportunity to sit on the grass, eating snacks while he got hot and bothered. Very entertaining 😉

He went to the effort of fixing a single broken spoke trail side?

Wow. Talk about making things more difficult for yourself than you have to.

straight pull have no advantages apart from spinning as you attempt to increase the tension...

Im stunned people have spare spokes with them when they ride? Mine would be all bent from living in my camelbak for years.

Im stunned people have spare spokes with them when they ride? Mine would be all bent from living in my camelbak for years

That's why it's best to carry them taped to your frame or inside a seatpost for example.

Im stunned people have spare spokes with them when they ride? Mine would be all bent from living in my camelbak for years.

you can't imagine people riding in any other way than yourself? they're not 'camelbak' types.

thomthumb - Member

Im stunned people have spare spokes with them when they ride? Mine would be all bent from living in my camelbak for years.

you can't imagine people riding in any other way than yourself? they're not 'camelbak' types.

of all the people I've ridden with in the last few years NOT ONE of them carry spare spokes.

How would you know? Unless every one has broken spokes and not had spares, in which case maybe they should carry them?

Blu-tac them inside the handlebars.

straight pull have no advantages apart from spinning as you attempt to increase the tension...

Basically this. Plus they're more expensive and harder to find.

Now now children, if you don't have anything nice to say...

There are theoretical advantages to straight pull, and to be honest most spokes I've had fatigue have failed at the bend - but might equally have just moved the problem to the head, and I've never felt the need to replace them on the trail side, any spare spokes have been left in the garage!

Now now children, if you don't have anything nice to say...

What, we should only tell the OP about the differences that come out in favour of straight pulls? It'd make for a concise thread 😉

FWIW I've only ever had one spoke fail through fatigue…

…guess 😉

I have both. I'd happily have either but for the fact that the straight pulls are harder to calculate and source. All else being equal I'd choose J bend for those reasons

FWIW I've only ever had one spoke fail through fatigue…

The only spoke I've broken 'just riding along' was a straight pull at the threaded end

If you go around frequently breaking spokes at the J, they can make sense. But nobody does that, so they never make sense. So as above all they do is make it harder and more expensive to find spokes, make wheelbuilding more annoying, and devalue your hubs.

What's really funny is amidst all this boost pish when everyone's talking about increasing triangulation, most straightpull hubs have smaller flanges making for longer spokes and less triangulation. So you combine these 2 items of emperor's new clothes and they cancel each other out largely.

standard spokes are easily available so simply because of that I would always go for standard spokes. But then I tour on my bikes sometimes and I like simple stuff that is simple to fix

standard spokes are easily available so simply because of that I would always go for standard spokes. But then I tour on my bikes sometimes and I like simple stuff that is simple to fix

I know I said to only say nice things, but this is way too nice and reasonable!

Straight pull
+ easier to fit without removing disc rotor and cassette
+ theoretically stronger

J-bend
+ much easier to source
+ don't spin so easier to tighten

I'm unwilling to accept that hub flange breakages are due to the spokes. I've had one hub flange get torn to pieces and it was a Mavic straight pull job. My anecdote doesn't mean all straight pull hubs are flawed.

Just been going through this thought process myself for a new build I'm planning. I want to use bladed spokes, so wind up or holding isn't an issue. I dint often snap spokes and have a well stocked spares cupboard, so all is equal.

However, SP flanges are usually smaller diameter and narrower spacing on like for like hubs so offer less of a bracing angle. I like the look of SP, but I just can't convince myself to spec them.

Fiber Fix Emergency Replacement Spoke
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/spokes/fiber-fix-emergency-replacement-spoke/

I always thought that straight pull were stronger, however after doing some reading I'm now not so sure.
Apparently.....In a straight pull set up the load is resisted solely by the flattened head of the spoke. When the head is punched the grain structure is "mashed" which creates an area of weakness right at the point where the load is being applied.

On the other hand, with a conventional arrangement it is the material after the elbow that takes the load. Furthermore the grain structure of the spoke is not disrupted when the J-bend is formed.

To be honest I can't remember the last time I broke a spoke anyway - straight pull or otherwise!

SP are much harder to calculate and source!

I've built a few pairs of wheels with straight-pull spokes - never mind that I once had to get some one from Germany for a re-build of a Specialised wheel because it was an odd-size. Probably takes twice as long to tension properly because of the faff of stopping the spoke twisting unless you pay silly money for bladed-spokes. Maybe there's a marginal benefit for deep-section, carbon rims with low spoke count, but not for general use.
When touring and bike packing, I tape spare spokes to the underside of the chain stay.

I've had spokes break on cheap or OEM factory wheels. When you've only got 20 or 24 spokes, losing one doesn't inspire confidence. Especially when you've got rim brakes.

Nobody has mentioned that straight pull hubs look cooler.. that was a deciding factor for me once upon a time.

Im stunned people have spare spokes with them when they ride? Mine would be all bent from living in my camelbak for years.

Mine live in my handle bars in plastic bag. none bent and no rattle if packed properly

I recently had a set of cx wheels built. Had great deal on carbon rims and on lightweight straight pull disc hubs ... proved very difficult getting the right size decent lightweight straight pull spokes though!

And building a wheel with lightweight straight pull spokes requires an experienced and good wheelbuilder. Or as someone earlier correctly stated - they will just have the spokes twisting not tightening.

molgrips
I’ve had spokes break on cheap or OEM factory wheels. When you’ve only got 20 or 24 spokes, losing one doesn’t inspire confidence. Especially when you’ve got rim brakes.

I still avoid low spoke count wheels. The benefits of them being marginally lighter and more aero are of little value to my riding.

I was brought up on the old standard of 32 front, 40 rear and managed to absorb a few prejudices about wheels from being the teaboy/gofer in a bike shop when I was a lad - such as 36 hole wheels being all wrong "4 too few at one end, and 4 too many at the other". 🙂

Yet these days almost all the wheels I build are 36 hole by preference, but sometimes a hub choice dictates 32 hole.

BTW If I remember right some of the Dawes Galaxies had a mount for carrying spare spokes, and Ridgeback touring bikes came with it too complete with spare spokes (Panorama?)

The fibre fix emergency spoke is excellent. Especially if a spoke breaks at the bend, you can fix in situ in 2 minutes if you can use the original nipple. (Esp if tubeless!)

Used mine in anger on a Tenerife trip, quick fix and it lasted the rest if the trip up and down Mt Teide a few more times.

Reusable too. Brilliant.