Spokes

[David Samways]

I have a 1932 L32-3 (basically a 350 OHV single port in the 250 cycle parts) that I have owned for getting on for 30 years. I started restoration when first acquired but other project and bikes kept distracting me and I've only just got around to building the wheels with spokes that I ordered 26 years ago from Central Wheel Component. I took the specs for the spokes from the parts book and they are certainly the perfect length for the corrctly specced wheels just supplied the other day by CWC.

My question relates to the bend in the swaged end of the spoke. The spokes I have, and those shown in the parts book, all have the same bend - i.e. the length from the bend to the swaged end is the same. However, on the brake side of the hub the spokes don't sit comfortably due to the crossing-over of the next spoke along. On the wheels of my Blue Star spokes with alternating lengths to the swaged end have been used. Were the original spokes also made like this? Why doesn't the parts book show this?

I think I can overcome the problem by tweaking alternate spokes, but it would have been better to have known quarter of a century ago!

[Spaceman]

I think I had a similar problem with one of the many wheels I've rebuilt and vaguely remember getting out my soft nosed hammer to make the necessary adjustments!

[Rupert]

Hi, my experience only relates to late 1930's hubs but maybe they are similar?
The original spokes on the brake side all seem to have the same bend position near the swaged end and they are forced to bend out of line a bit where they cross over as a result.
I've recently had new spokes from CWC and from talking to Chris on the front counter (he's always helpful and it's definitely worth visiting in person when placing an order, if possible) the solution is to make half of the brake side spokes "long neck" and the other half "short neck" to avoid them being forced to bend where they cross.
I reckon BSA didn't bother going to that trouble as an economy measure, and to make lacing up more straightforward using only one type of spoke on the brake side.

[David Samways]

Thanks for the replies both. My Blue Star wheels were probably built by CWC and they have employed alternating long and short-neck spokes - much nicer IMO.

I too suspect BSA didn't bother with this and it probably won't be a problem with the front wheel on the L32-3 which employs very light 12G spokes. The rear uses 10G which are a little less flexible, but we'll see what they look like under tension. A little hammer persuasion may be necessary!

BTW, the rims that CWC produced for me are superb. If it wasn't for both already having the spokes and wishing to do the job myself, I would get CWC to do the whole job. Future projects will almost certainly be passed over to them.

[David Samways]

Just an update. After lacing the wheels and putting some tension on the spoke they all bedded into the hub quite well. I did notice that half of the countersinks on the brake side were deeper than others so I cleaned them up to allow the spoke head to sit a little lower and I think this helped. I did go round with a hammer and tap the heads home, which was also effective.