Everything About Carbon Spokes
Now bikes are getting more carbon fiber. Before we talked about “carbon fiber rims” and “carbon fiber frames“, today our topic is carbon fiber spokes that make your car lighter.
First of all, let’s talk about the advantages of carbon spokes:
High strength, the most obvious advantage of carbon fiber spokes is that they have higher strength, the more tensile characteristics of carbon fiber determine the higher rigidity of carbon fiber spokes, with our Superteam carbon spokes For example, compared with the Sapim d-light spokes, before the tension of 100kgf, the difference between the two changes is not obvious. When the tension is greater than 100kgf, the carbon spokes have a smaller change range, and the Superteam carbon spokes can withstand The tension value above 350kgf. The higher rigidity of the carbon spokes brings more direct force transmission, which is more obvious when accelerating from the start and has faster acceleration.
Lightweight, the most obvious advantage of carbon fiber spokes is lighter weight. The biggest advantage of carbon fiber products is their lighter weight. The single weight of the Superteam carbon spokes is 3.4g, and the top Sapim CX-ray single weight is 4.8g. To quote the knowledge in automobiles, a smaller “Unsprung Weight” means less kinetic energy is required at the start, and at the same time better-handling performance when cornering, which is destined for the high mobility of carbon fiber spoked bicycles.
But everything has its pros and cons, and carbon fiber spokes also have their downsides:
Poor comfort, the high strength of carbon fiber spokes brings a better acceleration experience but also makes the wheelset lose some elasticity and certain cushioning ability, resulting in reduced bicycle comfort, so carbon fiber spokes are suitable for road bikes, and It’s a road bike for flat roads, and carbon spoked bikes aren’t as nice to your ass when going over some potholes. (Although I have also tried lowering the tire pressure, the effect is still not ideal) .
The hub is not universal. Under normal circumstances, carbon spokes must use special hubs. Because of the different fixing methods, it is difficult for carbon spokes of different manufacturers to be suitable. Because when repairing and replacing the spokes, the after-sales ability of the manufacturer is tested (Superteam serves you 24 hours a day), and it is difficult for ordinary car shops to solve the problem for you.
Carbon spokes are easier to break, a well-established fact that doesn’t need to be said. Due to its anisotropy, carbon fiber is afraid of the side impact of sharp objects, which have been reflected in the frame and rim. So when a crash happens, the carbon spokes are more likely to break. Many lightweight car owners expressed great heartache.
The last downside: expensive. But in general, being expensive is not a carbon fiber product’s problem, it’s my own problem (Poor is my fault).
Therefore, if you want to pursue higher performance and faster speed, you can choose a wheelset with carbon fiber spokes. If it is a daily commute and the road conditions are not good, it is recommended to use a wheelset with aluminum spokes. However, as technology develops, carbon fiber spokes for rugged comfort and high performance will soon be available.