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Date: 08 Aug 2007 09:51:56
From: damyth
Subject: spoke identification
Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:

- 14/15 butted, round
- Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
- The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
not shiny)

What's the quality/durability of these spokes?





 
Date: 09 Aug 2007 23:16:40
From: damyth
Subject: Re: spoke identification

Marcin J. wrote:
> damyth wrote:
> > Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
> > attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
> >
> > - 14/15 butted, round
> > - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
> > - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
> > not shiny)
>
> Nirosta.
>
> > What's the quality/durability of these spokes?
>
> 2.0-1.8-2.0mm, 3 years' all-around use in fullsusp. mtb under 62kg rider -
> no problems.
>
> --
> Cheers
> marcin

PS.

Nirosta = NIchtROstende STAhl
google German-English translation: "No rust steel"



 
Date: 09 Aug 2007 22:57:13
From: damyth
Subject: Re: spoke identification
On Aug 8, 9:51 am, damyth <mdk.10.dam...@spamgourmet.com > wrote:
> Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
> attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>
> - 14/15 butted, round
> - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
> - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
> not shiny)
>
> What's the quality/durability of these spokes?

OK, after much searching on the web, and for the sake of posterity,
it's possible these spokes are made by "Chun Nan" from Taiwan:
http://www.messingschlager.com/cnspoke/
The rightmost aero spoke pictured on that page has "N" stamped on the
spoke head. The middle butted spoke has a stylized "Cn" logo stamped
on the head however, which does not match mine. My only thought is
that the stylized logo is more recent than the "N," but perhaps the
spokes are still from the same manufacturer.

The English web site for Chun Nan is here:
http://www.cnSpoke.com




  
Date: 10 Aug 2007 13:39:19
From: Marcin J.
Subject: Re: spoke identification
damyth wrote:
> On Aug 8, 9:51 am, damyth <mdk.10.dam...@spamgourmet.com> wrote:
>> Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
>> attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>>
>> - 14/15 butted, round
>> - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
>> - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn
>> (i.e. not shiny)
>>
>> What's the quality/durability of these spokes?
>
> OK, after much searching on the web, and for the sake of posterity,
> it's possible these spokes are made by "Chun Nan" from Taiwan:
> http://www.messingschlager.com/cnspoke/
> The rightmost aero spoke pictured on that page has "N" stamped on the
> spoke head. The middle butted spoke has a stylized "Cn" logo stamped
> on the head however, which does not match mine. My only thought is
> that the stylized logo is more recent than the "N," but perhaps the
> spokes are still from the same manufacturer.
>
> The English web site for Chun Nan is here:
> http://www.cnSpoke.com

I doubled most of your search I think and yes - you are right. It seems that
Nirosta stands for stainless steel in German (sometimes in English too
http://www2.bsn.de/Cycling/tubulars.html ;) and is derived from the brand
name of stainless steel produced by Krupp:
http://www.nirosta.de/index.php?id=99&L=1&backPID=76&begin_at=25&tt_news=35
(in English)

But... my confusion comes from Polish Wikipedia (Polish is my home
language):
http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szprycha
At the bottom you can see a list of spoke manufacturers including Nirosta
(identified by "N" logo). Moreover there are a lot of shops offering Nirosta
spokes in bicycle wheels (e.g.
http://www.volkswagen-bikes.de/trekkingbike_ladies.html?&L=1). Nirosta is
still Krupp's registered brand name (my guess). Thus when you see something
described as "Nirosta" especially with (R) behind it, it's probably made
from Krupp's steel. However I can't find "Nirosta" spokes offered separately
nor "Nirosta (R)" used in the spoke context.
Obviously the above dissertation doesn't answer the main question: "who
stands behind N?" It may not be connected with "Nirosta" at all. "N" spokes
are offered frequently with nowadays vehicles so it seems unlikely they are
NOS (older production). CnSpoke use Cn logo for some years. Perhaps "N"
spokes are produced by Krupp or someone else from their steel or more likely
they are OEM brand only of a bigger spoke manufacturer (cnSpoke?). Hmmm...
there are some bike shop workers they should know where these spokes come
from ;)

--
Cheers
marcin




 
Date: 09 Aug 2007 22:49:35
From: damyth
Subject: Re: spoke identification
On Aug 9, 12:55 am, "Marcin J." <xc-ri...@wp.pl > wrote:
> damyth wrote:
> > Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
> > attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>
> > - 14/15 butted, round
> > - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
> > - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
> > not shiny)
>
> Nirosta.
>
> > What's the quality/durability of these spokes?
>
> 2.0-1.8-2.0mm, 3 years' all-around use in fullsusp. mtb under 62kg rider -
> no problems.
>
> --
> Cheers
> marcin

No, I don't think this is correct. I don't speak German, but I
believe "Nirosta" is a trademark name for stainless steel by
ThyssenKrupp.

http://www.nirosta.de/Breitband.13.0.html

You'll notice on many German bike web sites they talk about "Speichen
DT Nirosta..."



  
Date: 10 Aug 2007 17:28:51
From: A Muzi
Subject: Re: spoke identification
>> damyth wrote:
>>> Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
>>> attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>>> - 14/15 butted, round
>>> - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
>>> - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
>>> not shiny)

>>
>>> What's the quality/durability of these spokes?

"Marcin J." <xc-ri...@wp.pl > wrote:
>> Nirosta.
>> 2.0-1.8-2.0mm, 3 years' all-around use in fullsusp. mtb under 62kg rider -
>> no problems.

damyth wrote:
> No, I don't think this is correct. I don't speak German, but I
> believe "Nirosta" is a trademark name for stainless steel by
> ThyssenKrupp.
> http://www.nirosta.de/Breitband.13.0.html
> You'll notice on many German bike web sites they talk about "Speichen
> DT Nirosta..."

As I recall "N" is Chun Nan Jin Ji in Taiwan, perhaps with "Nirosta"
stainless steel or at least the name licensed??

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971


   
Date: 11 Aug 2007 10:06:21
From: M-gineering
Subject: Re: spoke identification
A Muzi wrote:

> As I recall "N" is Chun Nan Jin Ji in Taiwan, perhaps with "Nirosta"
> stainless steel or at least the name licensed??
>

Nirosta (NOn RUsteing STEel in German) might have been trademarked, but
its use in the German language is as common as fridge or speedometer in
English
--
/Marten (I'd rather use Brevettato's) Gerritsen

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl


 
Date: 09 Aug 2007 09:55:30
From: Marcin J.
Subject: Re: spoke identification
damyth wrote:
> Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
> attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>
> - 14/15 butted, round
> - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
> - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
> not shiny)

Nirosta.

> What's the quality/durability of these spokes?

2.0-1.8-2.0mm, 3 years' all-around use in fullsusp. mtb under 62kg rider -
no problems.

--
Cheers
marcin




  
Date: 09 Aug 2007 19:16:26
From: jim beam
Subject: Re: spoke identification
Marcin J. wrote:
> damyth wrote:
>> Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
>> attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>>
>> - 14/15 butted, round
>> - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
>> - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
>> not shiny)
>
> Nirosta.

thank you.

>
>> What's the quality/durability of these spokes?
>
> 2.0-1.8-2.0mm, 3 years' all-around use in fullsusp. mtb under 62kg rider -
> no problems.
>



 
Date: 08 Aug 2007 11:32:09
From: joseph.santaniello@gmail.com
Subject: Re: spoke identification
On Aug 8, 6:51 pm, damyth <mdk.10.dam...@spamgourmet.com > wrote:
> Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
> attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>
> - 14/15 butted, round
> - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
> - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
> not shiny)
>
> What's the quality/durability of these spokes?

Here is a post with links to photos of those spokes:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/msg/465f51b3595d29bc

Mine didn't last long at all, and while I weighed over 225lbs, I think
the spokes were of somewhat dubious quality.

Joseph




  
Date: 08 Aug 2007 19:58:09
From: jim beam
Subject: Re: spoke identification
joseph.santaniello@gmail.com wrote:
> On Aug 8, 6:51 pm, damyth <mdk.10.dam...@spamgourmet.com> wrote:
>> Who/where is the manufacturer of spokes with the following
>> attributes? I see these spokes often on oem wheels on bikes:
>>
>> - 14/15 butted, round
>> - Head stamped with "N" (w/o quotes)
>> - The thin center butted section looks ground, rather than drawn (i.e.
>> not shiny)
>>
>> What's the quality/durability of these spokes?
>
> Here is a post with links to photos of those spokes:
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.bicycles.tech/msg/465f51b3595d29bc
>
> Mine didn't last long at all, and while I weighed over 225lbs, I think
> the spokes were of somewhat dubious quality.
>
> Joseph
>
>

those things bear remarkable similarity to wheelsmiths. apart from the
letter used and the lack of polishing on the butted section of course.