Discussion
Broken a spoke, drive side on my rear wheel.
It looks like it's difficult to buy spokes singly in any case, so how much will a LBS charge to fix? I'll bring the wheel in bare..
Would you ride on it? 1 mile, 10 mile, 20 miles? It's an Alexrims wheel, I think from a Rockhopper or similar, so probably not exactly high budget
It looks like it's difficult to buy spokes singly in any case, so how much will a LBS charge to fix? I'll bring the wheel in bare..
Would you ride on it? 1 mile, 10 mile, 20 miles? It's an Alexrims wheel, I think from a Rockhopper or similar, so probably not exactly high budget
I buy spokes from www.cyclebasket.com - I've built up a few wheels using ACI DB spokes and not had one break yet.
If you want to fix it yourself your local shop should sell you a spoke for no more than £1. You'll need to remove the cassette to get to the spoke so will need a chainwhip, lockring tool and spoke key. Spokes are sol din boxes of 72, 100 or 500 so not normally available mailorder individually.
Session said:
If you want to fix it yourself your local shop should sell you a spoke for no more than £1. You'll need to remove the cassette to get to the spoke so will need a chainwhip, lockring tool and spoke key. Spokes are sol din boxes of 72, 100 or 500 so not normally available mailorder individually.
This.But if you intend on breaking them often, it is worth the investment.
You also need to measure your spoke pretty accurately as they are not of standard size generally.
Ask the LBS to cut you one to size.
How old is the wheel?
Can you true it on your own?
I'd take the whole wheel in and get them to true it as well (normally be included in the £10-£15 for the spoke replacement), might save a few more spokes in the next few months and provide a much better wheel all round at the end of it.
Can you true it on your own?
I'd take the whole wheel in and get them to true it as well (normally be included in the £10-£15 for the spoke replacement), might save a few more spokes in the next few months and provide a much better wheel all round at the end of it.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 22 July 10:50
Often the end of the spoke pokes proud through the end of the nipple, so you might not get a screwdriver on.
Typically when building a wheel you would whizz all the nipples on a few threads with a screwdriver then do the actual tensioning with a spoke key.
Get a new nipple with your spoke, so dont worry too much about damaging the old one. If needs be a very small adjustable spanner will get the old one out.
Get a couple of spokes, a handful of nipples, and a spoke key to suit.
Bear in mind that your wheels could have upto 4 different spoke lengths (front, rear, drive side/non drive side) depending on what they are. Spares are always useful and they are not dear.
Typically when building a wheel you would whizz all the nipples on a few threads with a screwdriver then do the actual tensioning with a spoke key.
Get a new nipple with your spoke, so dont worry too much about damaging the old one. If needs be a very small adjustable spanner will get the old one out.
Get a couple of spokes, a handful of nipples, and a spoke key to suit.
Bear in mind that your wheels could have upto 4 different spoke lengths (front, rear, drive side/non drive side) depending on what they are. Spares are always useful and they are not dear.
The main thing to addres sis why the spoke broke i nthe first place. Generally it is indicative of either too low or too high tension in the wheel. Being a fairly new wheel off a Rockhopper I'd say the tension is too low as all of Specialized's wheels are shockingly poorly built (except higher end Roval ones anyway). I'd say you need to increase tension on wheel by adding a half turn on each spoke too but the only way to check it properly is with a tensionometer which is an expensive specialist tool and decent bike shop should have.
Dammit, another one 
Weirdly, it broke as soon as I took the tyre off to fix a puncture, and the wheel is now out of true (cycling 8 miles home was interesting)
Could it be because I'm running 1.5" City Jets at 80psi? I've done about 100 miles since replacing the previous two spokes.
New wheel time, or just keep replacing them? At £2 each, I'd be up to a new wheel quite quick!
Weirdly, it broke as soon as I took the tyre off to fix a puncture, and the wheel is now out of true (cycling 8 miles home was interesting)
Could it be because I'm running 1.5" City Jets at 80psi? I've done about 100 miles since replacing the previous two spokes.
New wheel time, or just keep replacing them? At £2 each, I'd be up to a new wheel quite quick!
Just get a second opinion down at your LBS, used to use my mtb for a winter commute on 1.2 110psi tires and was prone to a spoke or two when tackling the pot holes & kerbs at speed on a hard tail during the daylight saving months. The tension in the spokes from your previous discription didn't seem too high so may be it just needs good true and tension check.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 10th August 08:55
john_p said:
Dammit, another one
Weirdly, it broke as soon as I took the tyre off to fix a puncture, and the wheel is now out of true (cycling 8 miles home was interesting)
Could it be because I'm running 1.5" City Jets at 80psi? I've done about 100 miles since replacing the previous two spokes.
New wheel time, or just keep replacing them? At £2 each, I'd be up to a new wheel quite quick!
take it to a good bike shop ,spokes usually break when they are over tight or laced wrong/out of dishWeirdly, it broke as soon as I took the tyre off to fix a puncture, and the wheel is now out of true (cycling 8 miles home was interesting)
Could it be because I'm running 1.5" City Jets at 80psi? I've done about 100 miles since replacing the previous two spokes.
New wheel time, or just keep replacing them? At £2 each, I'd be up to a new wheel quite quick!
If you still fancy doing a full true and tension check on your own have a look at this simple guide.
http://bicycletutor.com/wheel-truing/
http://bicycletutor.com/wheel-truing/
Thanks for that video, very useful.
I think I had the tension right (from the pitch of the 'twang')
However, last time, I didn't squeeze/pre-stress the spokes at the end, so I wonder if this may have caused a failure. Could that explain why the spoke broke as soon as I took the tyre off and laid the wheel down on the floor?
I think I had the tension right (from the pitch of the 'twang')
However, last time, I didn't squeeze/pre-stress the spokes at the end, so I wonder if this may have caused a failure. Could that explain why the spoke broke as soon as I took the tyre off and laid the wheel down on the floor?
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