from Rookie’s keyboard
Hello, friends
I haven’t posted in a while primarily because I started a programming course. I plan on improving my work skills.
But today I am back with another post. I will compare titanium and standard double-butted spokes. If you want to know my opinion upfront…I don’t think most people need titanium spokes since the pros are marginal from a practical perspective.
The Advantages of Titanium Spokes
- Lighter
One of the most notable pros of titanium spokes is their weight. They are lighter and can potentially reduce a bike’s weight by about 76 grams (2.6 ounces) per wheel.
But double-butted spokes aren’t far behind as they’re slimmer than plain gauge spokes in the middle.
I am sorry, but a total weight reduction of 152 grams doesn’t make a significant difference for recreational cyclists like you and me.
This is why I see titanium spokes as more suited for professional riders who want to “max out” their setup and receive complimentary parts through sponsorships.
- “Meteorological Toughness”
Titanium components can be left exposed to water and salt for an enormous amount of time without experiencing any corrosion because the material forms an external protective layer in an aerated environment.
Stainless steel is not nearly as resisted (although still pretty good) and will rust on a long enough scale. Extra moisture would speed up the process.
- Attractiveness
Titanium looks “gangsta”. And many cyclists will consider that a good enough reason to adopt the material whenever possible.
The Cons of Titanium Spokes
- “Give me money”
36 double-butted spokes of acceptable quality can be acquired for USD 20-30. Titanium spokes are pricier and could cost you USD 100-180 for a set of 36.
I don’t know about you, but to me, that is a massive difference given the imperceivable benefit that titanium spokes provide.
Ti spokes are therefore reserved for riders who don’t mind spending top dollar on their builds.
IMO, average cyclists would do better investing the money in another component or an important accessory (e.g., lights).
- Good luck finding them
Ti spokes are a premium product and therefore scarce. Where I live most bike shops don’t offer them.
- Low Elastic Modulus
The modulus of elasticity /Young’s modulus/ characterizes a material’s elastic properties. Materials with a higher modulus of elasticity tend to flex less and are harder to deform. Titanium has a modulus of elasticity of approximately 116 GPa, while steel has a modulus of about 200 GPa.
In other words, titanium experiences more deformation than steel, and some riders find titanium wheels a bit too flexy. Personally, I can’t feel a difference, at least not a massive one.
- Poor Structural Density
Titanium isn’t a particularly dense material (just like aluminum). It’s strength-to-weight ratio is impressive, but it’s low density could be an issue.
If a titanium part has to match or exceed the strength of a steel element, it will have to be thicker/wider too. One kilogram of titanium is stronger than one kilogram of steel, but twice as big too.
In our case, this is bad because wider spokes lose their aerodynamic properties. In other words, if minimal air drag and strength are the goal, steel wins.
- Softness
Titanium is softer than steel and can’t take the same beating. For that reason, titanium spokes are more likely to get scratched and cut upon direct contact. Good luck finding titanium spokes on BMX and dirt jump wheels.
- Thread Galling
Titanium spokes + aluminum nipples = thread galling = abrasive wear occurring when two metals are in contact with one another.
To avoid this issue, pair titanium spokes with brass nipples.
Ironically, since brass nipples are heavier than aluminum models, the total weight of the wheel will approach that of a wheel made with steel spokes and aluminum nipples.
Double-Butted Spokes For The Win
Here’s why I’d choose DB spokes:
- Light + Available Everywhere
Double-butted spokes are very light (lighter than some Ti-spokes) and always cheaper. You can have a decent DB spoke for 1 dollar.
- Strong, Light, Aero
As I already mentioned, titanium demands extra volume to match the strength of steel.
If a titanium spoke is made as thin as a steel one, it will be too brittle.
The technical properties of steel allow double-butted spokes to be as strong or stronger than titanium models while also being lighter and slimmer. The narrow profile makes them more aerodynamic too.
The Disadvantages of DB Spokes
DB spokes technically have the following cons (in practice most of the points below don’t matter)
- Corrosion
Titanium simply doesn’t corrode. That said, stainless steel is still good enough for most people’s needs. A spoke is much more likely to break at the elbow from regular use than from rust.
- Thread Galling
Stainless steel spokes can also experience thread galling. Hence the recommendation is to use brass nipples instead of aluminum ones even when building a wheel with stainless steel spokes.
- Non-Custom Length
In contrast to plain gauge and single-butted spokes, double-butted spokes cannot be cut to a custom length and rethreaded, as their threaded sections are designed to be thicker than the rest of the spoke. If they are cut to a new length, the final result will be a super weak spoke.
- Too simple
Stainless steel spokes look ordinary compared to their titanium rivals.
TL: DR;
The biggest pros of titanium are its excellent corrosion resistance and strength-to-weight ratio.
Titanium spokes can make a wheel a bit lighter, but wheels made with double-butted spokes are often very similar in weight.
While titanium spokes are nice, they are also pricey and don’t provide a big performance improvement.
Most people won’t notice a significant advantage from using titanium spokes. Double-butted spokes are usually cheaper, often stronger, and easy to find.
Until next time,
Rookie
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