Bike Spokes?

Question

I'm doing a lab report and can spokes (like on a bike) be slightly stretched by the weight of the rider if sat on?

Answer 1

I don't really understand the question, but it sounds like you're asking if the weight of the person on the bike stretches the spokes?  When a wheel is built the spokes are tensioned so that they pull with equal force all the way around the rim.  The tension in the spoke is what gives the wheel rigidity, both lateral and vertical. When the bike assumes the weight of a rider, there is more of a compressive force on the spokes, rather than a stretching.   If you could build a wheel with just 4 spokes when you put weight on that wheel in the vertical direction, the spokes will bend.

Bike wheels are built with enough strength in the spokes that they almost never fail, at least not catastrophically.

Answer 2

yes they do get stretched by the rider but it is so small

for example a 280mm spoke might stretch to a 281 or 282mm after years of being under proper tension