tink20seven

Right, well, I've done the searches both here and elsewhere, and the word on the street is that there simply aren't any colored spokes to be easily had for 700c wheels.

Intent nonetheless on having red spokes, I've begun to think about other options.

Now, lets say I was to just have some regular spokes powder coated the color.

Do you think there would be enough room to then thread them through the holes in the hub?
Or would the additional layer of paint make lacing the wheel impossible without drilling the holes out and possibly weakening the strength of the hub wall

another idea would be to spraypaint the spokes while laced. But I don't see that ending well for me...

thoughts? ideas? places where I can buy them in red?

Al1943

Sounds like a bad place to add weight. Powder coating might interfere with the nipple/thread interface, there would be no need to drillout any holes. Paint would just chip and fall off.
Black spokes are available, don't know about red ones. Why not go with red rims and hubs with shiney stainless spokes?

Al

ken cummings

Powder-coaters can avoid the threads. but why? I had a bike shop friend who gussied up his new bike with multi-colored nipples and other bike bling-bling. Was stolen the same day.

spunkyruss

Simply giving your spokes a red rattle-can paint job might help you avoid suffering this fate.

mx_599

to be quite honest....i do think you'd be better off spray painting them. powder coating can be pretty thick. plus do you even know someone that would powder coat them? i don't know if one layer of powder coating is ok. have one done and test it out. i would think they could do one for nearly free

unless you have a connection, PC will be expensive too! plus i don't think it will be the best solution for your application

russiankdi

if you have an air brush, you can spend the time and put a very thin layer of paint on the spokes.

mx_599

second thought...i think this is a bad idea. the powder coating will not allow for a good seat at the head of the spoke. then as it chips away spokes will be loosening. i do think there would be clearance problems threading the spoke through the hub.

however, i think this could work another benefit of spray paint vs powder coating is that you'll be able to do future touch-ups on an assembled wheel! you cannot easily touch up powder coating

here is how i would do it.

1) get whatever spokes you want
2) roughen the surface of each spoke with sandpaper
3) clean spokes with something...alcohol, thinner, etc..
4) obtain a styrofoam block of sorts...or like what florists use to hold flowers type thing
5) stab the threaded end of spokes into the foam...maybe 20 at a time or more (do some extra spokes for spares)
6) spray with multiple light coats of quality spray paint so you don't have a dribbling mess
7) build wheels!!!

sand paper ......$3
spray paint.......$8
foam blocks......$10
wheel set of your dreams.....priceless

go for it!!

you need to show us all when done!!! send a pic to my email because i don't come here much. i hope this helps

zonatandem

There are colored spokes available!
There are 'rainbow' hued and black titanium spokes. Have a set of Topolino 700c wheels and the spokes are gold toned carbon fiber.
Rather than paint, get them anodized.

russiankdi

anodize chips very easily, and scratchs. i have a little gas remote control car, it has a cooling head that is anodized, simple little rock with scratch the surface

crusty_pedals

painted spokes would suck! just building the wheel, you would scratch all the paint off just putting the spoke through the hub flange. then it'd look bad (the whole reason for red spokes is to look cool right). powder coating would cause infringement on fitting, therefor causing the same problem, but probably with more resisteance getting it through. i tried getting phil wood to anodize some spokes for me a couple weeks back. maybe if enough people asked anough that could happen. anyways, rattle can and powder coating aren't the way to go. so no go for now man, sorry.

mx_599

i don't think too much paint would scratch off on butted spokes

Deanster04

If colored wheels are a must then you could get some small shrink fit tubing in a variety of colors. Build the wheels and if you don't like the color you could use a razor and cut the tubing off. Just a thought.

tink20seven

thanks for all your ideas.
i'm glad a bunch of you turned down the powder coating.
it was a dumb idea anyways.

but i'm not done yet.

lance had a frame done up for him with yellow spokes.
and i saw a guy on the trail the other day with blue

i know it's out there and something leads me to believe that it can be done without fear of the chip/scratching that I would get with a rattlecan

auto paint?

i'm so hooked on this idea, it's not even funny

thanks again.
tink <3 the forum

mx_599

do what i said...i don't think it will get all scratched off going through the hub holes while it is being laced

ettsn

If you want white, black or almond (?), the best paint i've found for painting metal is Aplliance Epoxy in a can. $5-6 at Home Depot and you're in business. That stuff is tough as nails.

-Paul

dooley

I would imagine you can get them powdercoated, but you'd need a quality shop. As for how well it would last, I reckon it would be alright, sure it would disappear where the spokes cross and at the heads, but only where there's metal to metal contact, it's pretty tough and flexy.

WhiteRabbit

I'd vote for either anodized or better yet, alodyned. Alodyning penetrates the surface rather than sitting on top of it, so it doesn't flake off.

fmw

Too bad you don't need yellow. My topolinos have yellow spokes but they aren't metal.

juicemouse

Both anodizing and alodining are almost exclusively ALUMINUM treatment processes. Alodining is more chemical / corrosion resistant than anodizing, but anodizing is far more durable / scratch resistant. Anyway, spokes are usually made of stainless steel, so these processes are essentially irrelevant.

Either durable paint or powder coat should work alright for the OP's application. I'd just mask off the spoke's threads and heads before painting so they don't interfere with the wheel build.

WheresWaldo

Primo has colored spokes, they look like they are coated, but I am not sure. They are only available in 14g straight spokes.



I would think that if you want to do it yourself, I would probably mask off 1/2" on both ends and use silver spokes. It would probably look really cool, like chromed seatstays on a custom painted frame. That would avoid the issue of paint where the spokes seat in the hubs. Then you could use cheaper chrome plated brass nipple or silver alloy nipples to complete the look.

dooley

Not available for regular wheels ^ they're a BMX company.

powers2b

Try these:
https://www.marwiusa.com/default.aspx...bid=4&taxid=34

Enjoy

duckliondog

Use a Sharpie and reapply as necessary. I do it.

tink20seven

Just as an update:
I spoke with the guys at Primo

Turns out they send batches over to Taiwan to get powder coated.
They might be willing to throw in some longer sizes on their next order.

The problem will be getting rid of them.
So,,,,

Anyone interested in ordering some spokes?
If so, what do you think we should ask him to paint?

for example, if we had to pick, what type of spoke (size, material, guage) is most generic?

geo8rge

electroplating?