rosefarts

How cool of an idea are these. Definitely a pain to build but I love that someone thought about this.

In the rock climbing world​​, ​​​a super light 8mm runner of this material is stronger than a 1” nylon runner. This is long tested technology that has been in use there for 20 years.

Of note, a well used but not rotten nylon sling is as strong 10 years old as the day it was new. The UWMHPE is half strength.

I’m not a beta tester but I really want to ride these. Sounds so fun.

https://berdspokes.com/

https://youtu.be/XTSJ2gmrkpo

I’m sure I’m too cheap to find out.

Darth Lefty 

Long running thread on MTBR. Started out with a guy eager to duplicate the Berd spokes. He got a C&D from Berd about their patent, which is mainly about how the spokes attach at the ends, but the thread continued. People have also had trouble sourcing the correct cord which seemed to be some kind of embargo arranged by Berd, but lately seems like the pressure is off or people are sourcing it overseas. I tossed out a lot of free ideas but never actually built anything. In the last year a guy in England has gone through and tried a lot of the old ideas for real and done a great job, and posted some videos, which brings it all to reality.

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/make-yo...pokes.1091276/

Darth Lefty 

Since this video in the spring, the person who posted it has discovered one problem he has, one the Berd patent avoids, is chafing between spokes at the hub. He has also tried some funny loop shapes for spoke ends going between two holes, that I really don't understand what he's trying to accomplish.

Darth Lefty 

oh and sorry to point this out, your title acronym is out of order. UHMWPE: Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

rosefarts

Dang. I tried to edit the title and nothing changed.

chaadster

You can get a taste of the “fiber spoke lifestyle” much more affordably with Spinergy wheels.

Though a different material than Dyneema, PBO is similar and shares many of the same properties with regards to bicycle wheels, like lower weight and higher tensile strength than steel spokes, and better vibration damping.

Because of the target market, Spinergy wheels aren't as light Berd, but they cost 1/3 of what Berd do.

Darth Lefty 

Berd has a couple of things making their spokes expensive. One is the time it takes to make the bury splices. That's time consuming and I can see how some special hand tools or experience could speed it up but not how a machine could do it. Another is the time it takes to build a wheel since the cord takes a set and has to be re-tensioned a few times over a few days. Finally is that it's just weight weenie stuff and they can charge by inverse of weight. I don't think the material itself is costing a lot per spoke

rm -rf

Not exactly aero for a road bike.

Ha, I started watching the youtube link.
His wheel weight comparison:
1. "they are pretty much like the best alloy wheels you can get". 2040 grams.
2. the Berd wheels: 1410 grams.
I bought some moderate priced aluminum wheels back in 2005 or so. 1550 grams. They replaced my original inexpensive stock wheelset, which was around 2100 grams.
~~
nice ride review. "that feeling just I don't know, feels different"

GhostRider62

I have a Dyneema tent and backpack, light and strong. It is also used for personal protection like in plates.

I am not sure what they are made from but the Farspot Ventoux use some sort of composite spoke that is about 4 mm x 1.2 mm. Very strong. A light fell off the rear into the spokes and steel spokes would have broken but these carbon spokes sheered the light into two pieces. One dislike is the whooshing sound almost like old disc wheels and the hubs are crap.

rosefarts

Fwiw, wheels are a lot heavier now than 2005. The hubs are heavier due to disc brakes, the wheels are wider, and the wheels are generally stronger.

That said, it was a stupid comparison. I really wanted him to have identical wheels with the only difference being the spokes.

I still find the idea pretty interesting. Does anybody remember the Tioga MTB disc that was so friggin cool when I was 14?