XCSKIBUM

I'm setting up a small scale bicycle shop. The rural road that passes by my house gets a lot of bicycle traffic during the warmer months. There are also miles and miles of truck trails, abandoned RR beds and gravel roads in the immediate area hat are used by Hybrid and MTB riders.

I have a Hozan spoke threading machine and a stock of 2mm (14ga) black and silver straight blank spokes for the common hybrid and MTB wheels as well as 12mm and 16mm nipples for 2mm spokes.

I would like to carry the most common spokes for road bikes. What is the spoke diameter? Are they straight, single butted or double butted? Should I stock both silver and black? Straight. and single butt spokes would allow me to carry the longest length and cut/thread to size, but a DB spoke is limited as to how short it can be cut. Also, are aluminum nipples common or should I just concentrate on plated brass nipples?

I'm not looking to carry every spoke option for high end (non standard) bikes. I can source those within a few days from a supplier in a neighboring state. I just want to be able to do a quick spoke replacement if that is all that is needed. Complete rim replacement and wheel building should allow me enough lead time to source whatever I need.

Dan Burkhart 

The Hozan spoke threader is adequate for one off spoke replacements. I used one for lots of complete wheel builds before I got a shop quality machine, but I wouldn't want to go there again.
Double butted spokes typically have about 25 to 30 mm leeway for shortening, so with a stock of 305 and 280mm db spokes, you should be covered.
bladed spokes, like Sapim CX Ray only allow for about 10mm shortening, so if you're going to stock those, you'll need more sizes.

XCSKIBUM

For right now I'm just looking to get started. If I get into a complete wheel build I would probably just order the spoke to size.

In addition to the DB spokes (that use a 2mm nipple?) should I stock straight 15ga spokes and nipples too?

Would single SB spokes (2mm-1.8mm) be common?

The bladed spokes are not something I would stock.

bradtx

XCSKIBUM, My guess is that straight 2.0 mm and some 2.0-1.8 mm spokes would be the most popular with either being suitable for a wheel repair. 2.0 mm would be able to be sized for a variety of rim sizes. Mark the replacement spoke's head with a red marker so that the bike's owner can replace, or not, the spoke with something they may prefer.

Brad

Dan Burkhart 

For emergency replacements, I wouldn't worry about stocking 15g. Straight 15 (1.8) were common back in the day, but not so much these days. The Hozan threading head can be adjusted to roll 15g, but it's a pain to get it dialed. Just stick a double butted spoke in place of it and call it good.
Wheels with bladed spokes are often low spoke count, so a broken spoke can make it unrideable. Couple that with the fact that many of them have straight pull spokes, not to mention all the boutique wheels with proprietary spoke and nipple systems, you will have to accept that anything less than a fully equipped high end wheel shop simply can't deal with everything out there.

XCSKIBUM

OK based on the input, here is what I have in my e-bay cart

14ga 2mm straight spokes 310mm silver (Wheelsmith)

14ga 2mm straight spokes 310mm black (Wheelsmith)

14DB 2.0/1.8 spokes 310mm silver (Wheelsmith)

14DB 2.0/1.8 spokes 278mm silver (Wheelsmith)

14DB 2.0/1.8 spokes 310mm black (Wheelsmith)

14DB 2.0/1.8 spokes 278mm black (Wheelsmith)

2mm X 12mm nipple silver (DT Swiss)

2mm X 16mm nipple silver (DT Swiss)

2mm X 12mm nipple black (DT Swiss)

Spokes are 50ea and nipples 100ea.

I also want to keep some inner brake cable and housing on hand and cable/housing for Sram/Shimano shifters.

I have Sram 4mm shift inner/outer cable kit on hand.

CliffordK

I think I have something like 293 spokes on one bike, but perhaps more "vintage".

Running straight pull spokes on another bike. I'm not quite sure of the length.

If you get something like a long Champion 2mm, non-butted, then you can cut to any length you desire. At least good enough to get someone home.

Perhaps there are some straight gauge, straight pull spokes that could also be cut to length.

corrado33

I'm planning a wheel build right now and I'm using 295 and 297 mm spokes. (For 700c) (Very typical hubs and a more "classic" rim.) With V shaped rims, you'd generally need shorter spokes.

You're going to hate yourself if you need to cut and thread EVERY spoke for a wheel build, but for repairs, it shouldn't be too bad.

fietsbob

Agree 14 gage.. got the hozan thread rolling you can extend the thread.. and then cut off excess.

But its for occasional use,.. LBS here. puts touring bike wheels back on the road with 1 or 2 broken spokes.

Building wheels in the shop, and needing 72 per bike ? you should get the Phil Wood spoke threading Shop tool.

Or just order the boxes* of proper length spokes.


* in 50 or 100 count.



...

Bill Kapaun

For emergency repairs, I wouldn't worry about color/gauge.
Just get 3 or 4 ea. 14 ga. silver spokes in 2 mm increments.
I know I'd be thrilled to get the wheel "fixed enough" so I could continue my trip.

If the customer comes back later for a wheel build, you can order the complete sets then.

If your business "expands", you can expand your inventory to suit

XCSKIBUM

I want to carry enough variety of BLANK spokes that can be cut to length and threaded to repair a broken spoke on an otherwise sound rim with something that will at least come close to what the wheel is made from. I can't see trying to carry multiple lengths of spokes. With 2 colors of blank 14SS spokes and 2 length and 2 colors of 14DB blank spokes I can cover about 90% of the spectrum with 6 different blank spokes.

And yes. returns for compete rebuild would be done with spokes made to order for a new rim.

Over the last several years and 6000+ miles on mine and the wife's personal bikes I have replaced several spokes that were replaced ASAP when they broke. With the exception of a complete wheel that was replaced under warranty by specialized, I am still running the original rims. One of those OEM rims was re-laced to a new hub with the original spokes when the freewheel hub took a crap. I was able to upgrade to a DX Shimano cassette hub and the OEM spoke were just close enough in length to work..

One of the LBS in the area used to have a Hozan spoke threading machine and it was handy for making whatever I needed. Alas the machine got fupped duck and the shop eventually went out of business, For the last few years I have had to deal with hit or miss pre-threaded spoke lengths from another shop.

Even if I wasn't looking to do wheel repairs for others, I would want to purchase the Hozan spoke threading machine for my own maintenance needs. We currently have a Specialized Crosstrail Sport, a KHS Cross country FS bike, my own Frankenbike FS MTB, a WOOM 4 for the grandchildren and soon a WOOM 5.

Since all of my repair experience has been with more substantial MTB and hybrid bike rims, maybe I'm be overly optimistic in my ability to repair road bike wheels.

shelbyfv

That seems to be excessive spoke breakage for just 6000 miles. Were you able to determine what the problem was? FWIW, if I broke a spoke on a trip, I'd be pleased to get a replacement that fit. I wouldn't be concerned about gauge, butting or color.

XCSKIBUM

Only about 50% of our riding is on roads. My wife and I have been on rides where we had to carry our bikes across beaver dams. I came face to face with a LARGE Black Bear once. We have hybrid bikes for when we want to ride to a trails and we also have FS MTBs when we want to haul the bikes to rougher terrain. We don't even own "road bikes", but there are plenty that go by the house.

Lots of sticks kicked up into the spokes & other hazards. I live in the St Lawrence Valley in New York State. the 'Blue Line (Adirondack Park) is about 15 miles from me. It makes for convenient riding. Up the gradual slopes in the morning when you're fresh then down hill in the afternoon on the way home.

I figure if someone like yourself would be pleased to just get a spoke replaced, they would be even more pleased to get a repair that looks like new and matches the rest of the spokes. Kind of "going the extra mile" to provide service. I'm retired and if I can get enough business I would probably get into wheel building and get a better spoke threader.

I learned wheel building by lacing wheels for my motorcycles. The 1st time I laced a wheel was because I had a (Suzuki) motorcycle shop tell me that the chrome shop had given me the wrong spokes back because the bends had 2 different lengths from the bend to the head of the spoke where they went through the flange. ('73 HD Sportster front wheel) I told him they were like that because 1 spoke laid over top of the other. (they all laced from the outside of the flange) He told me it would be impossible to lace the spokes that way. I went home, sat on my living room floor and laced & re-laced that wheel until I got it right. I took the wheel back in the next day and had him true it up. Eventually I started truing my own too.

maddog34

"people riding by" aren't going to order wheel buildups... and they will want a quick fix, so that they can finish their ride... stock a generic mix of straight and DB spokes, and a small stock of brass nips in both lengths....

I'm in a similar situation here, and i've sold more re-built wheels than quick spoke replacements... i'm just about out of 8-10 sp. rears now... i'll build up a few more for the spring rush... they are the wheels that sell most often, although i might build up an 11 speed or two, also... 7 speeds are EASY to come by... i part out old, neglected,
MTB's and road bikes to get those, in both Freewheel and Freehub styles! Older Road freewheel wheels are just piling up... HUB failures are more common, IMO.... spoke failures are less common, by far here... and the RIM is usually bent as the spokes fail, so... once again, Pre and Rebuilt wheels... just swap their tire on, check the brake adjust and shifting, and they get to finish the ride! they typically hand me the old, damaged wheel... REBUILDER parts!

XCSKIBUM

Lots of good advice here from numerous posts.

Well since there is only 2 bicycle (repair) shops within 75 miles (1 at 18 miles and the other is 25 miles away) on this side of the border, I'm hoping that those "riding by" will be return customers. Those driving by will also hopefully notice my sign and check out my services. This isn't really a "tourist area. Most of those "riding" or driving by are somewhat local and I have wondered over the last several years where they get their bikes serviced.

Good advice on the "re-built" wheels and I will keep that in mind.

That being said, I'm just getting started and do not have any wheels cores on hand at the present time. I will keep my eye out for some rebuilder wheel cores.

I have decided to only buy the straight 14g 310mm spoke blanks in bags of 50 both black and silver. For DB spokes I am ordering 5 ea pre-threaded silver spokes in 10mm increments from 301mm to 260mm. I can trim to length and extend the threads if needed. That will free up nearly $200 to stock up on some inner tubes, rim tapes, etc.

Kapusta

IF you decide that keeping stocks of all 4 color/gauge combos (black-silver / straight-butted) is too much inventory, I would eliminate the second color before eliminating one of the guages.

I other words, I would just stock silver OR black, in both 2.0 and 2.0/1.8 guage.

If I am on a long trip, I am not going to give a crap about the color, but I would prefer that the guage matches the rest of the wheel.