Black Spokes for Black Rims.

Black spokes might be out there but painted rims are about the worst thing you can do , they can hardly can make it through a tire installation. The spokes have to go thru too much abuse during installation I think thats why you never see it. Get a nice strait , trued rim, make sure all the spokes are good and pc the whole thing at once. i have did a few times and it works fine and doesnt crack or chip around the nipples.. They can be recoated if anything ever happened or needs adjusting but that is hardly ever needed..

Thanks for your reply.

That all makes sense. I didn't think of powder coating. I don't know if technology has improved in recent years, but my previous experience with powder coating is that it invariably gets chipped, then water gets in under it and the finish gets ruined - without the ability to touch the finish back in as with paint.

If I use the powder coating option, is it possible (sensible even) to get the rim and spokes sand-blasted to key or remove any chrome? I don't suppose blasting would cause any significant damage or weakening to the spokes, but I had better ask that in case I've overlooked anything.

Yea, i here that stuff all the time but its always been pretty strong if its done corretly . We beadblast or sand all chrome before powder coat, just to take the gloss off it so it sticks better. Theres really no need to touch up cause it hardly ever chips and touching up paint isnt like it comes out perfect anyway. whatever the case its about 3 times as durable ANY paintjob. I was powder coating today and dropped a heavy kicker arm from about 4 ft. on the concrete. Not a mark. paint would have been destroyed.

Okay, that sounds good. Powder coating it is then!

Thanks again!

All black rims and spokes look cool.....but how the heck do you tighten the spoke/nipples afterward....that's where i lose ya with the powdercoating....you don't lace up a wheel and never have to tighten spokes again.....

POR15... that stuff dries hard as a rock. I have never used it on spokes, but many other things.

If you powdercoat the spokes and rim seperately you wont be able to get the spokes trough the spoke holes on your hub when you're lacing it...

Around this parish they just paint them after building them, works
on most low buck restos.

I build the wheel, install it put some miles on it, check and tighten as needed then powder coat, never had a problem.

You could go with stainless spokes / nipples. There's a chemical process that blackens stainless, look at Caswell's website.

I would just paint after assembly and touch up as needed. You can't adjust that wheel once it's been powder coated the way I see it. Post pics once you get it done though. It should look pretty nasty.

I would powdercoat the rim and the hub, using clear powder over black powder, which is damn near indestructible. Then if I absolutely had to have black spokes, I'd paint them so they'd still install easily and would be able to be touched-up easily later.

Actually the first thing I'd do would be to talk with Justen at Twisted Nipples Wheel Craft and get his advice. He's on here, but I can't pull his username outta my extremely fucked up memory.

Edit: twowheeledhell is his username. It took me a minute but I found it.

You can parkerize spokes. Ok sure, if you had to you can tighten the spokes after pc. How often do you have to do that?

You should check to see if your rim is true every time you replace the tire and some will say even more often than that. Also, powder coating wheels before lacing is no big deal at all, and to me a wheel powder coated after lacing looks half-assed and backyard.

Talk to the people at Black Bike Wheels regarding powder coated spokes. They offer a ton of colors, will sell you spokes, plated (in various hues) nipples, and will even build a wheel for you from your parts if you don't feel comfortable, but still want to be a little different.

Having a custom spoke wheel that doesn't look like dog ass isn't rocket science, it just takes time and planning.

It's not for everyone. Its a cheap better alternitive to paint. The hostility isn't nessecary

Not that I'm building show bikes, but I have powder coated rims and the always seem to chip. Im pretty sure its because of the coating is harder then the surface.

I ended up painting the last set and it works well enough for me.
The nice thing is when it chips, you can touch it up vs. having to spend another 100 bucks for powder coating.

Talk to the people at Black Bike Wheels regarding powder coated spokes. They offer a ton of colors, will sell you spokes, plated (in various hues) nipples, and will even build a wheel for you from your parts if you don't feel comfortable, but still want to be a little different.

Having a custom spoke wheel that doesn't look like dog ass isn't rocket science, it just takes time and planning.[/QUOTE]

I got my wheels from black bike and they are a really nice quality.mine are black wheel with polished hub and nipples with black spokes
No complaints.at the time I lived on lake travis and my delivery guy was a dick
Two times one of my wheels was damaged on delivery(even tho they were packed very well)and black bike fixed them and payed for shipping.the rim was bent pretty good and no chip.well made but pricey,I didn't buy another part for my bike for the rest of the year.hope this info helps

Loffer said:

It's not for everyone. Its a cheap better alternitive to paint. The hostility isn't nessecary

Click to expand...

It wasn't meant to be hostile, I was stating my experience, opinions, and available options for the original poster. I love spoke wheels, especially when they're built well and differ from the norm.

Loffer said:

Black spokes might be out there but painted rims are about the worst thing you can do , they can hardly can make it through a tire installation.

Click to expand...

You can do it, but you've got to be careful.
Use those plastic rim protectors when mounting the tire, some tape or a piece of tubing on the spoke ends or something while installing spokes. A pain to be sure, but once it's done it's done for a long time.