Another wheel day (and so on).
I received a rear wheel built with a PowerTap hub from a customer.
The rim is a Mavic CXP33
Built with Sapim black race spokes, 32H in a 6/6 JIS lacing pattern,
but one spoke on the non-drive side is missing,
and two spokes have been replaced with what's called Starbright #14 plain spokes.
Mixing spokes with different weights on one flange side isn't ideal,
but they must have been out of stock on the correct spokes.
This so-called Starbright attracts strongly to a magnet
but the other one didn't stick to the magnet at all.
When I took them apart and measured, they were exactly the same length.
The exact history is unclear,
but since the black race was repaired twice with silver Starbright,
I'm guessing it was done at the same shop (nearby or a regular place).
That means their Starbright inventory has spokes with different magnetic properties mixed in.
If all spokes in each lot (like a bag of 100) showed one property or the other, that would be fine,
but if they're mixed within a single bag, that's a problem.
I doubt that's the case though...
Anyway, either way, I wouldn't use such crappy spokes!
The spoke marks are on all the flange holes,
so this wheel has been built at least twice or more.
It's built. Since the rim is an XR200, this is Nomu Lab Wheel #5.
PowerTap Elite Plus hub, 32H, semi-comp four-cross Italian lacing.
I'll do the wiring later.
Before the rebuild it had black spokes, but silver spokes are fine too.
I cut those so-called Starbright spokes to the same length and compared them.
Looking closely, the finish is different.
The one that doesn't attract to the magnet looks more stainless-like,
and you can tell the difference with the naked eye, but it's almost impossible to see in a photo.
The one that attracts to the magnet snaps to it with a bang when you bring it close,
and no matter how much you swing the magnetized rod, the spoke won't come off.
As for the one that doesn't stick to the magnet, to be precise, it's not completely unaffected—
there is a very slight reaction.
But unless you're very careful picking it up, it just drops off.
I received a rear wheel built with a PowerTap hub from a customer.
The rim is a Mavic CXP33
Built with Sapim black race spokes, 32H in a 6/6 JIS lacing pattern,
but one spoke on the non-drive side is missing,
and two spokes have been replaced with what's called Starbright #14 plain spokes.
Mixing spokes with different weights on one flange side isn't ideal,
but they must have been out of stock on the correct spokes.
This so-called Starbright attracts strongly to a magnet
but the other one didn't stick to the magnet at all.
When I took them apart and measured, they were exactly the same length.
The exact history is unclear,
but since the black race was repaired twice with silver Starbright,
I'm guessing it was done at the same shop (nearby or a regular place).
That means their Starbright inventory has spokes with different magnetic properties mixed in.
If all spokes in each lot (like a bag of 100) showed one property or the other, that would be fine,
but if they're mixed within a single bag, that's a problem.
I doubt that's the case though...
The spoke marks are on all the flange holes,
so this wheel has been built at least twice or more.
It's built. Since the rim is an XR200, this is Nomu Lab Wheel #5.
PowerTap Elite Plus hub, 32H, semi-comp four-cross Italian lacing.
I'll do the wiring later.
Before the rebuild it had black spokes, but silver spokes are fine too.
I cut those so-called Starbright spokes to the same length and compared them.
Looking closely, the finish is different.
The one that doesn't attract to the magnet looks more stainless-like,
and you can tell the difference with the naked eye, but it's almost impossible to see in a photo.
The one that attracts to the magnet snaps to it with a bang when you bring it close,
and no matter how much you swing the magnetized rod, the spoke won't come off.
As for the one that doesn't stick to the magnet, to be precise, it's not completely unaffected—
there is a very slight reaction.
But unless you're very careful picking it up, it just drops off.