Wire wheel are radially stiff and provide very little suspension compliance compared to even high-pressure bicycle tires. Wire wheel Wire wheels, wire-spoked wheels, tension-spoked wheels, or "suspension" wheels are wheels whose rims connect to their hubs by wire spokes. Although these wires are generally stiffer than a typical wire rope, they function mechanically the same as tensioned flexible wires, keeping the rim true while supporting applied loads. The term "suspension wheel" should not be confused with vehicle suspension. Wire wheels are used on most bicycles and are still used on many motorcycles. They were invented by aeronautical engineer George Cayley in 1808.
Wire wheel by striking a wing of the nut with a special alloy mallet or "knockoff hammer". Some jurisdictions, including West Germany, prohibited eared hubcaps. Some manufacturers (e.g. Maserati) preferred to hold the wheel on the splined hub by capping with a single conventional unwinged nut requiring a special large spanner. In the 1960s even lighter cast alloy wheels became usual—at first with splined hubs and knock-off caps—and now predominate. New versions of wire wheels are still made but often with standard hub bolt patterns covered by a center cap to fit without adapters. At one time, motorcycles used wire wheels built