3 ms·
I'm not sure if you realize that you're agreeing with me. Go ahead and apply enough force to the hub to exactly cancel out the preload. Then when the bottom sp
by mitthrowaway2 4y ago
I'm not sure if you realize that you're agreeing with me.
Go ahead and apply enough force to the hub to exactly cancel out the preload. Then when the bottom spoke has zero tension, cut it, and observe that the bicycle is unaffected.
Is your position that the load is then being carried by a spoke that doesn't even exist?
If so that's fine, but it is a stretch to call any other view a misconception.
- ndsipa_pomu 4y agoI don't believe we are agreeing. In your scenario, I'd expect the wheel to either collapse or to spread the load to the remaining spokes below the hub. It's not a separate system where you can remove a spoke without affecting the whole structure (though you can remove some spokes and the wheel will still function, but won't be as strong). The easiest way to test it is to pluck the spokes when no-one is sat astride a bike to determine the rough tension/pitch of the spokes (choose just one side if it's the rear wheel as spokes will be at different tensions for the different sides if the wheel is dished). Then get a friend (or enemy) to sit on the bike and again pluck the spokes to see if the extra load has resulted in an increase of tension in the upper spokes (i.e. hanging from the top of the rim) or whether the lower spokes have a decrease in tension (i.e. supported by the bottom spokes with a compressive load).