Stokid A child stoker, particularly one using a kidback tandem. I coined this term in November, 1995. Straight gauge Not butted , i.e., a tube which has the same wall thickness from end to end, or a spoke which has the same thickness fron end to end. Straight Spokes Originally, spokes didn't have the elbow, and they were straight from one end to the other. This required a special type of hub, which was harder to manufacture than conventional hubs.
Straight spokes are also harder to lace up, and tend to revolve when the nipple is turned.
Since no bicycle technology ever disappears entirely, straight spokes get re-invented from time to time, but have not met with commercial success in the last hundred years. A stress riser is a notch, crack or other irregularity in the surface of a part which creates a starting part for a crack or tear. A similar effect occurs with other materials, including those used to build bicycle frames. Good design avoids placing stress risers in heavily loaded areas of the frame. See my article on English 3-Speeds.