Frank -

On Sun, 4 Aug 2019 08:44:41 -0700 (PDT), Tom Kunich
wrote:

On Saturday, August 3, 2019 at 9:07:16 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 8/3/2019 11:22 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 8/3/2019 10:13 AM, Mark J. wrote:
On 7/30/2019 9:22 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at 10:19:45 AM UTC-4, jbeattie
wrote:
** Spokes in general have gotten ridiculously expensive.

I've noticed that, and wondered about the economics. Is it
due to the takeover
of machine built wheels, reducing the demand for "craft"
wheel building and so
reducing the economies of scale? And does the much wider
variety of spoke
designs also contribute?

Just curious. As with groceries, I can afford them. I just
wish my next
wheel building project would somehow, by coincidence,
require some of the boxes
of spokes I already own.

I've been wondering the same thing.* I've assumed that fewer
retail sales of spokes makes the "sunk" or inventory costs
of stocking varied lengths more and more prohibitive (or at
least /unattractive/ to dealers/distributors).

I am seeing more and more shops with spoke threader/cutters
(two in my town!), but that just swaps labor charges for
inventory costs.

Mark J.

More than that.
Our industry distribution network has been crucified such that timely
delivery for small quantities such as a box of spokes is unreliable when
even possible.

The last several times I've bought spokes, it's been via Ebay. Some guy
(or guys) seem to have a business cutting and rolling to size.


--
- Frank Krygowski

Me as well. While this means that fewer and fewer places can supply spokes in actuality there are fewer people using them. Wheelsets as from Fulcrum are so cheap that you don't gain anything by making your own wheels.

Probably 5 or 6 years ago I asked the largest Shimano importer in
Bangkok about wheel parts, rims, spokes, hubs, and he said that they
no longer imported them as there was no demand.

About the same time I broke a spoke and the wheel went all
wopplejawed and rather than take the time to fix it I went down to my
LBS and bought a set of the cheapest Shimano wheels that they had. It
is five years later and the damned things are still round and no
wobble.
--
cheers,

John B.