Sapim CX RAY J Bend Bladed 14|21|14g - 2.2|0.9mm Spokes
The Sapim CX-Ray is the spoke that every other aero spoke gets compared to, and after twenty years it is still the one we build the most high-end wheels with. It starts life as a 2.0mm Sapim Laser and is then cold-forged into a flat 0.9 x 2.2mm blade through the middle, which does three things at once: it cuts drag, it makes the spoke easier to hold while truing, and it work-hardens the steel to a middle-section strength of around 1600 N/mm², which is why the CX-Ray is the strongest and most fatigue-resistant spoke Sapim makes. At about 272 grams per 64 it is also the lightest bladed spoke you can buy. Made in Belgium.
This page covers the J-bend Sapim CX RAY J Bend Bladed 14|21|14g - 2.2|0.9mm Spokes. We do not sell spokes loose. Pick the rim, hub and nipples in the configurator and the spokes are cut to length and built into the wheel here in Georgia.
Design and construction
A CX-Ray is a double-butted spoke first: 2.0mm at the elbow and the thread, drawn down to the equivalent of 1.5mm in the middle, then forged flat. The blade is narrow enough at 2.2mm to pass through a standard hub flange hole without slotting, which is why the CX-Ray works on almost every hub we sell. The threads are rolled, not cut, so the grain of the steel runs unbroken, and the head and elbow are cold-forged from Sapim's own 18/8 stainless.
The flat section is what gives a CX-Ray wheel its character. Aerodynamically it is a real gain over a round spoke at road speeds. For the builder it means every spoke can be held with a blade tool while the nipple turns, so there is no wind-up and the wheel comes up true and stays there. Lengths run from 182 to 310mm in even millimeters, in black or silver; Sapim also makes the CX-Ray in straight-pull for hubs that need it.
One detail worth knowing: a bladed spoke has to be oriented as it goes through the flange so the blade lies in the plane of the wheel. We do that by hand for every spoke, and it is why a CX-Ray wheel built here looks as tidy as it rides.
How it rides
A wheel on CX-Ray spokes feels lighter than the scale says, because the weight comes off the outside of the wheel where it matters most. There is a little more compliance than a 2.0/1.8 spoke gives, which reads as comfort on rough roads, and no loss of lateral stiffness on a properly built wheel. Cross-wind stability on a deep rim is slightly better with a blade than a round spoke.
We build CX-Rays into road, gravel, cyclocross and cross-country wheels for riders of all sizes; for very heavy riders, low spoke counts or e-bikes the stiffer Sapim CX-Sprint is the right blade.
Specifications
| Gauge | 14/21/14G |
|---|---|
| Profile | Bladed |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Spoke head | Jb-b |
| Finishes | silver, black |
Which version this is
What this listing covers: the a 14/21/14g butted section CX-Ray in the J-bend pattern, flat-forged into a blade. A J-bend spoke has the elbow formed into the head and drops through a drilled flange, which is the older and far more common pattern. It fits almost any hub, replacements can be found in any decent shop anywhere in the world, and the elbow is the part that eventually fails - which is why it is seated properly and the wheel stress-relieved before it leaves us. If your hub has drilled flanges, this is the one you want.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Sapim CX RAY J Bend Bladed 14|21|14g - 2.2|0.9mm Spokes is cut to length for your build; the configurator reads the rim's ERD and the hub's flange dimensions and works out the length. J-bend CX-Rays fit any standard J-bend hub with 2.3 to 2.6mm flange holes, which covers every J-bend hub in the catalog.
We pair CX-Ray spokes with Sapim Polyax alloy nipples on light wheels and brass Polyax nipples on carbon rims and everyday wheels; the configurator offers both.
Sapim spokes, and how we choose them
Sapim has been drawing spoke wire in Belgium since 1918, and the range is built around one idea: the same wire and the same head, drawn to different middles. A Leader is 2.0 mm all the way through. A Race is 2.0 mm at the ends and 1.8 mm in the middle. A Laser takes the middle down to 1.5 mm. A CX-Ray is a Laser that has then been flat-forged into a blade, which is why it is light and aerodynamic without being a fragile spoke. Every one of them keeps a full-diameter head and thread, because those are the two places a spoke actually fails.
Treat it as what it is. One test, five pulls per spoke, measuring yield load on a straight pull in a machine rather than a laced wheel under a rider - and it does not capture fatigue life, which is what actually ends most spokes in service. It is also not new; it predates Snyder closing. But it is a real measurement, on real samples, by someone with nothing to sell, and it is part of why Sapim is what we reach for.
These are the spokes we build with day in, day out. We stock the whole working range in both J-bend and straight-pull, in the lengths our builds actually call for, so a wheel is not waiting on a spoke order. If you are not sure which model your build wants, tell us the rim, the hub and roughly what you weigh and we will tell you which one we would use.
An independent spoke strength test
ProWheelBuilder's part is picking the right spoke for the wheel and lacing it, and we will tell you honestly which one we would use.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Sapim makes the CX-Ray in Belgium; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. We cut CX-Ray spokes from the measured ERD of the rim in hand, lace the wheel by hand, hold every blade straight as we bring the tension up with a gauge, stress-relieve it and true it before it ships.
The configurator recommends a spoke gauge and count from your bike type and weight, and only shows spokes that fit the hub you choose.
Spoke length is where most wheel problems start, so we do not trust a catalog ERD. Every rim is measured in the shop before spokes are cut, the hub's flange diameter and center-to-flange are checked against our own database, and the two are run through the same calculator we publish on this site. A spoke that is a millimeter short pulls the nipple threads; a millimeter long pokes through the rim bed. We cut to the half millimeter.
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty. Sapim Spokes warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship. The duration, conditions and claim process are set by Sapim Spokes and can change without notice, so ask us and we will confirm the current terms before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. Our one-year wheel warranty applies to any wheel we build around this part, alongside whatever the manufacturer offers. Inside that year, broken spokes are replaced no matter how they broke, and the wheel labor is ours - truing, re-tensioning or a full rebuild. A rim or hub failure that the maker covers, we claim for you and see through; one the maker declines, we answer with an eligible replacement at 25% off current retail. Shipping both ways is yours, and components you supply yourself fall outside this cover.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
CX RAY J Bend Bladed 14|21|14g - 2.2|0.9mm Spokes questions
Should I take this in J-bend or straight-pull?
Whichever your hub takes - it is decided by the hub, not by preference. A J-bend spoke drops through a drilled flange and is what the large majority of hubs use, which also makes a replacement easy to find anywhere. If your hub holds the spoke head directly with no drilling, you need the straight-pull CX-Ray, which is a separate listing.
Is the CX-Ray really faster?
Yes, measurably, at road speeds; the blade cuts drag compared with a round spoke. The bigger everyday benefit is that a bladed spoke is easy to hold while truing, so the wheel is built and stays straighter.
CX-Ray or CX-Sprint?
CX-Ray for most riders and most wheels; CX-Sprint for heavy or powerful riders, low spoke counts, deep rims and e-bikes, where its wider 2.25 x 1.25mm blade adds stiffness.
Does the CX-Ray fit my hub?
The 2.2mm blade passes through a standard 2.3 to 2.6mm flange hole, so it fits nearly every J-bend hub. The configurator only shows compatible spokes for the hub you pick.
Why is the CX-Ray the strongest Sapim spoke?
Cold-forging the blade work-hardens the steel to around 1600 N/mm², which gives it the best fatigue life of any Sapim spoke despite being one of the lightest.
Do I choose the spoke length?
No. The configurator calculates the length from the rim's ERD and the hub's flange geometry; we cut and thread the spokes here.
Which spoke should I pick?
The configurator recommends a spoke from your bike type, rider weight and rim; a stronger spoke is offered when the build calls for it.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
