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broken spoke...what to do?
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Hi, I broker a spoke on my front training wheel. I dont know how, I was riding and thing just popped. Luckily i was close to home because the wheel was noticeably wobbeling after that.

My question is, do i take it to the bike shop and have them replace that one spoke? Is that a proper fix? Do all the spokes need to be replaced so they are the same? No experience with this at all so I would appreciate the feedback

Thanks
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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You can replace just the one spoke. I'm no expert, but I have heard that once you break 3 or more you should replace them all. The rationale I was given is that once multiple have broken you just end up perpetually chasing them as they will continue to break one at a time.

Thankfully I haven't had to test this yet, but I do have a wheel where I've broken 2 so far...
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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Replacing a spoke on a basic 32 or 36 spoke wheel is no big deal, you just figure out the length you need and look at another spoke so you get the bracing right. Put a little grease on the threads so they don't seize and true it up. I don't have any experience with fancy low spoke count wheels though.

I agree with a prior poster about multiple spokes if you keep breaking spokes, the wheel was probably not built very well.
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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Make sure you ask the shop to check the tension on all the spokes. Some shops will do this anytime they repair a wheel, others won't unless you ask them to. There's a reason a spoke broke, and very often it is because the tension on the wheel is off. If they just replace the spoke and true the wheel, they may not fix the tension issue and you could back looking for another spoke in no time.
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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I broke a spoke at mile 74 of a century ride. I didn't have the wobble you experienced, so I twisty tied (like a bread bag twist) the broken spoke to the next spoke and finished the ride. Took it back to my LBS and the lead mechanic's advice was this: If you break one spoke, it could be a fluke. When you break the 2nd or 3rd it's time to rebuild the wheel.
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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I started breaking spokes on my rear. Got it replaced. Then another broke. And another. Just get it rebuilt.
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [lhpoulin] [ In reply to ]
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Find a good shop that will check wheel tension, have them go over the wheel and replace the broken one. Should be fine. Shop I work at we often get spoke replacements and the first thing the head mechanic does is check tension then see if the wheel has developed any deformities he thinks might re ocur. If not he just replaces the broken one, if he finds something that might be a problem he will advise a new wheel.


Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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You need a new bike. Broken spokes are caused by the bike, not the rider nor the wheels. I'd post how but it is way too technical unless you are a bike mechanic with a Materials Engineering PhD.

Or, take the wheel to your LBS and get them to look at it.

BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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Broken spoke? Stop riding Easton wheels and you won't have that problem anymore.


All the advice on here is sound. You can replace one spoke at a time. If it happens again on that same wheel in the near future, then maybe it's time to worry about having your LBS re-tension the wheel. For now, it's probably ok to have them do the one spoke and true (straighten) the rim. It takes longer to get the tire, tube and rim strip on and off then swap out the spoke.
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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I had a spoke break on my front wheel this past Saturday too - snapped in the middle of the spoke. When I took it to my LBS the mech rubbed each spoke, which were pitted. He asked if I used the bike on a trainer, when I said "everyday" he asked if I wipe down the wheel after each session. His opinion was that if you don't wipe down every part of the bike after each trainer session the sweat will corrode the spokes. I now have a new cleaning routine after I finish each trainer session.
Just my PSA.
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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If you want to learn how to fix it yourself, you certainly can, and it isn't that hard to do. But if you don't care to know, just take it in and get it fixed. Worry about a full rebuild if more start to break or if the wheel is just plain worn out anyway.

The only bike I broke spokes on is my winter bike. It take s a beating with so much salt and grime. So I learned how to replace those spokes myself and true things up.

Ian
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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cell1122 wrote:
Hi, I broker a spoke on my front training wheel. I dont know how, I was riding and thing just popped. Luckily i was close to home because the wheel was noticeably wobbeling after that.

My question is, do i take it to the bike shop and have them replace that one spoke? Is that a proper fix? Do all the spokes need to be replaced so they are the same? No experience with this at all so I would appreciate the feedback

Thanks



I would want to know where it broke. Usually, if nothing catastrophic that you know of has happened, it's the sign of not enough tension or poor strain-relief during wheelbuilding. Do you know the origin of the wheelbuild?

AndyF
bike geek
Last edited by: AndyF: Sep 3, 14 12:07
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [AndyF] [ In reply to ]
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Not sure what you mean by orgin of the build. Its the wheel that came with the bike when i bought, its a shimanoo R500. If you mean what country it was assembled in or something then i have no idea. The spoke broke right at the end where that little piece connects to the rim, now that little piece is in between the tire and rim and chakes around and you can hear it.
Im just going to take it to the shop and have them replace it
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Re: broken spoke...what to do? [cell1122] [ In reply to ]
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cell1122 wrote:
Not sure what you mean by orgin of the build. Its the wheel that came with the bike when i bought, its a shimanoo R500. If you mean what country it was assembled in or something then i have no idea. The spoke broke right at the end where that little piece connects to the rim, now that little piece is in between the tire and rim and chakes around and you can hear it.
Im just going to take it to the shop and have them replace it

I just fixed a broken spoke on an R500 on Sunday, as a matter of fact. In my case, one of those aluminum nipples was the culprit, but it might've been caused by transporting the bike in the trunk of a car.

AndyF
bike geek
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