[jacquesm]

Yes, as well as the spoke end becoming embedded, stretch and the spoke nipple becoming embedded (typically: harder spoke nipples vs aluminum wheels). So make sure when you get a new bike to check this after your first couple of rides and then again after 6 weeks or so when more subtle effects start to kick in.

[wiredfool]

What (specific) type of deformation are you seeing? Elastic deformation, plastic deformation, or creep?

Elastic deformation is not a time dependent property, and should be the regime in which the wheel is operating.

Plastic deformation is (also not time dependent) where you have gone beyond the yield point of the material, and have permanently changed the shape, even after unloading the part. All of the plastic deformation of wheel components should happen at build time.

Creep is when a constant load causes additional time dependent strain. There shouldn't be anything in a wheel that creeps, but it's possible that some plastics or epoxy/composites could creep.

[jacquesm]

> All of the plastic deformation of wheel components should happen at build time.

I suspect this is true, except that parts being what they are (always with small inconsistencies) and the spoke nipples riding inside the rim and j bends in the spokes riding inside the holes in the hub tend to 'find their spot' after being exercised for a while. I've made it a pretty hard rule to re-check after 6 weeks and invariably something has shifted. This probably indicates that my wheel building technique could be better, then again, I've never had a wheel that I built fail - so far - and over the years have done between 100 and 200, some of them for very heavily loaded bikes (tandem trekking bikes).

Most recent wheel was actually this weekend, I'll be sure to give it another really good look to see if I missed something that might cause this which I can catch at an earlier stage.

My typical wheels: double walled aluminum rims, quality spokes and nipples (and the latter seem to be hit-and-miss, I've had bad batches of nipples more than once in spite of re-ordering the exact same kind, but I noticed it immediately during assembly), typically Shimano hubs.

[analog31]

I have to admit that my stress relieving method is pretty much ad hoc. I take the wheel off the stand a couple times and press the axle against the floor. I grab the spokes and squeeze. I pluck the spokes and listen.

Usually I put the wheel back on the stand after a week or two of riding. A really good builder shouldn't need to do this, but part of this whole exercise is to evaluate and improve my skills as I build more wheels. And I'm not building racing wheels, but trying to do the best possible job is part of the learning process.

[jacquesm]

Pretty similar here. And I trust my own wheel building skills more than the kid at the bikestore (and once upon a time I was that kid... respoking wheels and patching tires for pocket money).

[jimnotgym]

I have never had these kind of problems with dtswiss spokes and nipples and quality rims. Handbuilding is so labour intensive why would you compromise on materials like this?

[jacquesm]

Interesting. I've had this happen even with good materials and I totally agree that compromising on materials makes no sense. Even so, it doesn't hurt to check things periodically so they don't sneak up on you.

I recently re-spoked my s-pedelec because I didn't like the spoke brand and nipples used, that thing is too heavy and too fast to take any chances with.