Re: Wheels for Heavy Rider

Benjamin Lewis

Peter Cole wrote:

> Breaking spokes is pretty much a symptom of a wheel that wasn't built
> right. The maximum load on a spoke is when the bike is empty. Your
> weight only makes less tension on the spoke as it passes the
> ground.

.... and an insignificant but non-zero increase in tension in the other
spokes.

Furthermore, according to "The Bicycle Wheel", under hard braking tension
in the rear half of the wheel increases by about 5%, and a similar increase
in tension can occur during acceleration.

This is just nit-pickery that doesn't affect your main point, of course;
this 5% increase in tension is not what breaks spokes, I just enjoy
quibbling.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of
Congress. But I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain