Looking for cheap source of spokes
 

I bought some spokes online last year and can't remember the place.
They were Sapim 14g ss and cost 50 cents each including nipples.
I think it's a pretty popular source, could anyone out there jog my memory?
Thanks.

Dan's Comp: https://www.danscomp.com/

I've used the BikeHubStore based on advice here.

the BikeHubStore

I don't think that they are $.50 per spoke.

Is it possible that you got them from Niagara Cycle Supply? They had some low prices on many items, however, they are no longer in business.

Cheap spokes. I see decent prices on Ebay frequently. Of course, my idea of inexpensive might not be the same as any else's. For example, at a local bicycle shop, the stainless steel butted spokes set me back $151.00 CND plus 15% sales tax....
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...69e763f032.jpg

The spokes on this set of wheels set me back $0.00...
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b03585b940.jpg

Years ago, as I harvested parts from bikes, for different reasons, I started saving spokes. Stainless steel spokes, straight gauge, butted and double butted. To be saved, the spokes had to be taken from a little used wheel and neither the wheel or the spokes could show any damage.

DansComp used to sell Sapim straight guage for a VERY good price, IIRC 35c each or so. Their website no longer carries spokes, sadly.
Niagara Cycle changed they're name/restructured. They are now The Bike Shop.com

I know I bought some spokes from them last year, but I can't find anywhere on their site that indicates they sell them... ? EDIT: nesteel scooped me!

Ebay seller childhood_dreams has double butted stainless at less than $50 per 72. That's not a bad deal. Add $10 for nipples.

I think danscomp is no more in the spokes biz.
I have used the ebay seller Lee Kilpatrick AKA childhood_dreams (search ebay for this handle) or email him at

lkspoke@yahoo.com

He definitely has Sapims but now sells some other Taiwanese spokes as well, rolls threads and cuts to your spec. Never been disappointed.

Rats, it looks like these are no longer sold there. I used to find it with a google search of "danscomp sapim spokes," but the relevant search results point to empty pages now. I guess it's been a while since I've purchased spokes from them.

I’ve recently purchased Sapim DB stainless spokes and nipples from eBay seller Sunny_Spokes located in Leesburg, VA.
Quick service, correct sizing, about a buck per spoke including nipples.
Dan’s has been purchased, no longer selling spokes.

Nice spokes on a tight budget are kinda tough correct lengths . This is why allot of bike guys save nicer spokes and nibbles off vintage wheels tell us the length and guage you need chances are a BF member has the spokes you need.

As someone who has been around bikes for 40+ years I can't believe what spokes cost these days. I remember when a regular set of spokes cost under $5 and DT Stainless spokes would run $12-$15 per wheelset. I never thought I'd see the day when needing to respoke a wheel would condemn a bike to the parts pile. $50 to $100 for a set of spokes is insane.

kroozer I recently used prowheelbuilder.com for spokes. Slightly over 50 cents but good price still.

https://www.prowheelbuilder.com/sapi...mm-spokes.html

I think pillar are often the cheaper alternative to sapim, no?

Well if you go back 40 years...

https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inf.../1980?amount=1

Come to think of it ... I haven't received a Danscomp catalog in quite a while. It was sorta interesting leafing through and checking out the latest Vans and bmx gear.

Yojimbos garage on ebay

this is a timely thread (for me).
I have a cheap coaster brake rear wheel with a discontinued ALEX DC19 rim. It's always bugged me I don't have a matching front wheel.
So I can get a nearly matching front wheel really cheap! https://www.treefortbikes.com/Qualit...t-On-Alex-DC19
- just a bit more than just buying the spokes alone! But then the hub and spokes don't match the cheap rear wheel with a coaster brake.
So I keep thinking I'll build my own wheel from scratch - which I've only - sort of - attempted once.
My OCD-ness needing matching wheels is in a major conflict with my cheap-ness. So far my wife is winning out by putting the coaster-brake on any spending since I just re-built an old MTB that also needs new tires (a whole 'nother topic of my LBS being completely out of 26in tires....).

cheers

That’s my go to for Wheelsmith DB spokes - about a buck each.

Yellow Jersey. One wheel of spokes $30. One flavor only - Hoshi 2.0/1.6 sold together with DT nipples.

I recently used Lee Kilpatrick and had excellent communication and service.
His lesser-known brand is Pillar, which he feels are similar to Sapim but a bit less expensive.

I’ve always used Universal in Portland for spokes and just about everything else that I can’t get used at Bike Works where I volunteer (Bikeworks.org), or purchased from good folks here at C&V Sales.

I use DT spokes that are $0.99 for silver DB Comps, $1.45 for silver DB Revolutions:

https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...p?category=198

In General..
 

Buy them by the box , 50 or 100 count ,, is less per spoke.. than you buying by each .. just by the number for your wheel ...

Sooo, what's the best going rate for a box of 50 or 100 stainless 2.0 non-butted spokes? What are the length increments available (or do you need to have a spoke thread die roller machine and configure the lengths yourself)?

you would not want a die cause you don't want to CUT threads. You'd want a thread roller head for a machine you own (or borrow if you can find a lender) like a Hozan, Phil Woods or Cyclo

+1.

I use Wheelsmith DB spokes which can be pretty pricey. Found the best price and selection to be at Modern Bike. Bags of 50 average about $0.71 per spoke. Comparatively, Universal is $1.00.

I have been buying boxes of DT spokes for about $60 per 100 spokes from 365 cycles. Boxes of nipples are cheap as well. The covid thing has changed my buying process but it has me buying from around the country at the best prices available.

I don't buy into those inflation calculators, they don't match up with the real world when it comes to actual products.
The bottom line is a bicycle is only worth so much to the average person. Tell your everyday customer that its going to cost $150-$200 to rebuild two wheels and they look at your like your a thief.
The last time I bought bulk spokes was about 12 years ago, I was paying $19.99 per box for DT stainless straight gauge spokes and about half that for Asian stainless spokes. I rarely used the cheap ones due to so many broken spokes over the years with no name brand spokes.
Now they want $46 from the same source. Back in 1988, (the only older receipt I found, I was paying $7.99 a box for the same spokes.
These are spokes made from steel, not gold or silver. Part of the problem is the cost of shipping, but even so, I called to order about 9 different sizes the other day and they only had two of them. I was told that the other sizes had to come from different warehouses so there would be additional shipping costs. I canceled the order.
I'm not paying $18 to ship two boxes of spokes four or five times.

I've also tried local bike shops but it seems wheel building isn't a needed skill these days to own or work at a bike shop. Many won't even fix tires citing its a liability issue.
40 years ago just about every bike shop had a Phil Wood spoke machine and/or every size spoke in stock, and a couple of cases of tubes and tires on hand.

So is that a box of 100? From where if you don't mind?

My last couple of spoke orders have gone to http://www.wheelbuildingparts.comThey sell 14gauge Sapim "Leader" spokes for as little as $0.28 without nipples. Can't recall if they offer every length or just odds or evens. Other spokes (DT, butted,) are priced about the same as Treefort or Colorado Cyclist etc. The service is good, shipping costs are reasonable. For nipples I've been buying DT 12mm nipples from Treefort or Nashbar. Boxes of 100 nipples for about $.06/nipple plus shipping which I think is $1.50. Someone sells nipples by 500 (maybe Treefort and Wheelsmith nipples) at even a better price. Used to buy from Rose bikes in Germany but had some issues with poor packaging resulting in broken boxes and lost spokes and nipples. One time they made good, the next time they told me to #sand .