Am I walking home? Broken spoke.

[confusedcyclist]

Fitted a set of mudguards over the weekend to my Giant Defy 1.

Noticed a lot of rubbing on way home last night, but didn't have time to sort it our last night. Should have left it at home, but couldn't resist the temptation to see if I could sort it once I got in to work (arrived 10 mins early).

While spinning the wheel I clumsily got my gloves caught in rear spokes and one has come off near the inner hub. Will I be able to limp home on the bike, or will I be walking?

I loosened the break and so not getting any rubbing, unfortunately Bradford doesn't have any decent cycle repair shops so not even sure I can get it repaired on the way home.

 

[young Ed]

how far is home?
Cheers Ed

 

[mcshroom]

How many spokes? Basically the more there are the less effect losing one spoke will have.

I'd expect you should be able to ride home as long as it isn't rubbing on the frame. Tie/tape the broken spoke to one of the others to stop it from flapping about and getting caught in things, take it easy and try to avoid any potholes.

If you have a spoke key then you may be able to straighten it out a bit by changing the tensions in the spokes round it.

 

[confusedcyclist]

10 miles ish from home, I could take a detour via shipley, as there's a shop there but would rather just get home and get it sorted on Saturday.

Originally 28 spokes, now 27

No spoke key, sadly wasn't prepared for one to go. Haven't seen a broken spoke since I was 10 years of age tbh.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

A lot depends on your weight (and not just what you weigh, but what you are carrying with you), your riding style, the state of the roads and how badly out of true the wheel is. If you are careful then you may be able to get home with the bike - it sounds like you have already ridden it without knowing it was broken as it is.
Also have you been able to remove the broken spoke - if not, you will need to secure it somehow - this is usually done by wrapping it around another one so it can't jam anywhere.

You may also find (not knowing what wheels you actually have with the bike) that the spoke is not a standard one, so a bike shop would not necessarily stock it (they all vary in length and some are bladed, rather than round etc).

 

[confusedcyclist]

Thanks, I was thinking of dumping what I can at the office, glad I have a spare bike at home. Pretty sure I on;y just broke it this morning at work being clumsy with my fingers while spinning the wheel.

I'll take it super slow, rather annoyed with myself that this was self inflicted, but you live and learn!

 

[upandover]

Others may disagree vigorously, but I don't think you need a decent bike shop, just any bike shop. A spoke and a true isn't a big job. A local shop did mine for me in about 15 minutes so I could get the 17 miles home. If you're worried about quality you can always get someone to check it after. You know your area though - not me, so just a thought...

S

 

[John the Monkey]

Admittedly the SCR series rather than the Defy, but Giant's rear wheels had a bit of a reputation for breaking spokes (usually on the drive side).

I've ridden ten or so miles sans one drive side spoke, but taken carefully, and picking my way around lumps and bumps carefully!

If the wheel keeps snapping spokes, you might need to get the spoke tensions balanced properly.

 

[summerdays]

Others may disagree vigorously, but I don't think you need a decent bike shop, just any bike shop. A spoke and a true isn't a big job. A local shop did mine for me in about 15 minutes so I could get the 17 miles home. If you're worried about quality you can always get someone to check it after. You know your area though - not me, so just a thought...

S

I disagree , when Mr Summerdays broke spokes on one of his bike, usually one each time, he found the local shops didn't stock a spare spoke as it was bladed and black (so he could of had a silver one maybe), so it will depend on what kind of spoke it was in the first place. He was getting to the point where he was going to change wheels as it was becoming annoying when he stopped commuting by bike due to moving house.

He usually cycled home with the missing spoke, and sometimes carried on using it till the weekend when we could take it to the shop which did stock the right spokes.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Just called only shop that does repairs within 5 miles of work. They said I would be waiting at least 24 hours for any wheel repair, looks like I'm on the MTB this week

I will be jumping in the car with the rear wheel and taking it to my trusty LBS if time allows. I like to fix all my own stuff, but definitely don't have the tools for this job.

Something to think about for future breakdowns I guess.

 

[robjh]

one spoke gone on a 28-spoke wheel wouldn't worry me too much, you can certainly ride home. I would probably avoid wheelies, bunny-hops and bmx tricks but other than that you should be OK. The better trued the other spokes are, the less chance there is of further damage.

 

[evo456]

I will be jumping in the car with the rear wheel and taking it to my trusty LBS if time allows. I like to fix all my own stuff, but definitely don't have the tools for this job.
.

It's not too demanding for a single spoke as long as you haven't messed with the tension of the other spokes. Chain whip, cassette removal tool, spoke tool and a spare spoke is all you need. You can true the wheel in the frame by tightening the spoke. until you get an even gap between the brake blocks.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Do I need the chain whip/cassette tools if the broken spoke is not on the drive side?
That said, I can pick up those tools for just over £20, was quoted £10-15 by the local shop, so might be worth fixing at home and acquiring those tools.
Would just have to wait for delivery...

Edit: Ordered them anyway, better to have them laying about for routine maintenance anyway. Just need to pick up a replacement spoke.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I've done a few spokes now (London roads, 95kg, standard wheels on sub £1000 bikes) part of this may be that I've ridden home with a broken spoke so have done around the 18-20 mile mark in total, depending on when it broke on the way in, a couple of times I guess, although nobody has highlighted that as being the thing. Sometimes I've had a couple of broken spokes within a month, LBS reckoned that when one went it meant another near by was probably going to go too, it doesn't seem to have caused any on going damage to the wheels. Disks do make coping with it easier though.

Tape, or otherwise attach, the broken spoke to the one next to it. Ride knowing you're down a spoke.

A chain whip and sprocket removal tools are useful things to have. Last spoke I did I had a spare at home and _just fixed it_ it was quite a nice feeling actually. Without the whip it would have been a much bigger pain. I must admit I've never really got my head around keeping spokes the right tightness though.

 

[Smurfy]

I disagree , when Mr Summerdays broke spokes on one of his bike, usually one each time, he found the local shops didn't stock a spare spoke as it was bladed and black (so he could of had a silver one maybe), so it will depend on what kind of spoke it was in the first place. He was getting to the point where he was going to change wheels as it was becoming annoying when he stopped commuting by bike due to moving house.

He usually cycled home with the missing spoke, and sometimes carried on using it till the weekend when we could take it to the shop which did stock the right spokes.

I've heard odd spokes are all the rage in some quarters