Broken Spoke....yet again

[runner]

This is the fourth time this year I have snapped a spoke in the rear wheel of my Giant Defy 1...I think I will have to get the complete wheel rebuilt with stronger spokes...the question is can I still
ride the bike with a broken spoke, I cut it off today and seemed ok on my commute home this evening...but will it do any damage to the wheel? If not I may wait a little while before going to the expense of a complete wheel build...what do you think?

 

[doog]

I wouldnt unless you have decided to bin the wheel . I did the same (spoke) and had to ride 15 miles (all be it with a tent etc on the back) . It knackered the wheel completely.

If you are going down the new wheel route, get a rear wheel with 36 spokes. Something like this that will take a hammering

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.M-Part-Shim..._medium=Product_Search&utm_campaign=Froogle02


or a hand built job from spa

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/brands/spa_cycles_touring_specialists.php

 

[amasidlover]

Well, I have another anecdote (bearing in mind evidence is not the plural of anecdote!)... I had 3 broken spokes in a 36 spoke rear wheel, I have no idea how long they were like that for it must have been somewhere between 0 and 500 miles and I then rode another 50 miles before I could get them fixed. This was with a lightly loaded panier, but equally I weigh 12-13 stone. It was repaired 200 miles ago and is still true - so you might get away with it for a little while.

Also, from what I have read stronger spokes may not be necessary, it could be if it was a machine built wheel that the spoke tensions weren't very even and that's what is causing the breakages - would be worth getting whoever repairs it to check the spoke tensions.

 

[gaz]

4 spokes this year? DAMN that is unlucky.

I've ridden with two broken spokes on a 36 spoke wheel. Even then I could feel the wheel was a bit dodgy and took it easy.
I wouldn't advise doing any long distances on it and certainly nothing heavy going.

 

[goo_mason]

I had the same problem with the rear wheel on my Giant SCR2 when it was new almost 4 years ago. It was breaking spokes weekly. In the end, Halfords got me to send the wheel back so they could get it rebuilt (the bike was sourced through them on our Bike2Work scheme). The 3 day turnaround turned into weeks, before they finally owned up to our HR Bike2Work Coordinator that they'd lost the wheel. They sent me a replacement (which wasn't from an SCR2 and had a 7-speed cassette on it, so I was glad I'd removed & kept the one from the original wheel), but by that time I'd bought a set of Mavic Aksiums so that I was able to ride my bike!

Is the wheel one of the standard AlexRims they fit on standard Giant road bikes? I really don't think the wheel build quality is up to much on them - I'd just get myself a decent new wheel and avoid any further inconvenience & spoke-snapping.

 

[runner]

I had the same problem with the rear wheel on my Giant SCR2 when it was new almost 4 years ago. It was breaking spokes weekly. In the end, Halfords got me to send the wheel back so they could get it rebuilt (the bike was sourced through them on our Bike2Work scheme). The 3 day turnaround turned into weeks, before they finally owned up to our HR Bike2Work Coordinator that they'd lost the wheel. They sent me a replacement (which wasn't from an SCR2 and had a 7-speed cassette on it, so I was glad I'd removed & kept the one from the original wheel), but by that time I'd bought a set of Mavic Aksiums so that I was able to ride my bike!

Is the wheel one of the standard AlexRims they fit on standard Giant road bikes? I really don't think the wheel build quality is up to much on them - I'd just get myself a decent new wheel and avoid any further inconvenience & spoke-snapping.

It is the standard alexrims wheel on the bike...if I was to go the new set of wheels what would you recommend without breaking the bank? what about these?
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+...paign=googlebase&utm_term=Factory+Road+Wheels

 

[cyberknight]

4 spokes this year? DAMN that is unlucky.

I've ridden with two broken spokes on a 36 spoke wheel. Even then I could feel the wheel was a bit dodgy and took it easy.
I wouldn't advise doing any long distances on it and certainly nothing heavy going.

I had 1 going every week for a month , had to have the whole wheel rebuilt .

 

[goo_mason]

I liked my Aksiums, but shortly after they were a year old, the rear started getting a wobble & there were quite a few loose spokes. I put it in for a truing (bladed spokes are a bugger to true yourself), and they couldn't because the rims had cracks in them. I may have just been unlucky. I replaced them with some Shimano RS20s, which are still going after over three years. I had to get the rear trued at Christmas, but tbh they're near to being replaced as the rims are almost down to the wear indicator so no disrespect to them. They've been fantastic! Three years of commuting up to 80 miles a week on Edinburgh's potholed streets and not a minute's bother.

 

[Broadside]

It is the standard alexrims wheel on the bike...if I was to go the new set of wheels what would you recommend without breaking the bank? what about these?
http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/Bike+...paign=googlebase&utm_term=Factory+Road+Wheels

I just bought the Aksiums from Merlin in Dec, I'm very happy with them they do run very smooth but the bearings in my old Alexrim 500 were knackered. I can't say they have made a huge difference to my bike though, I'm only 12 stone so I don't think wheel flex on cheaper wheels (Alexrim 500) is really an issue for my weight, I never noticed them flexing. Now on my Raleigh Europa 80's road bike (pub bike) wheel flex is horrendous...

My point is that if you're not heavy then I don't think you will notice a big difference in moving to Aksiums for stiffness. I am still working out if they feel better when climbing and accelerating, I would say they are a bit better but that is mostly in an attempt to justify the cost to myself!

 

[PpPete]

Aksiums and, at a similar price point, Fulcrum 7, have good reputations, but they are still near entry-level factory built wheels which pander to the current low-spoke count fashion. For about £20 more you can get a handbuilt wheelset with 32 or even 36 spokes from someone like Spa. Or download the wheelpro book and learn to build your own wheels (and repair others). Still the best £9 I ever spent on cycling stuff.

 

[martint235]

I had a similar problem when I first got my Giant. After I had 5 spokes replaced, Giant paid for my LBS to build a new 36 spoke wheel for me. That one lasted until the rim wore out.

I do have a habit of breaking spokes. Last year the same spoke kept breaking, eventually the LBS put a little washer next to the hub on the elbow of the spoke. I've got absolutely no idea what benefit this has as the spoke is still touching the hub at that point. However it hasn't broken since which must be around 3000 miles.

 

[runner]

Prob a silly question ...is it advisable to replace both wheels? ie the problem of broken spokes always happens on the rear tyre...so if i just replaced the one wheel would that suffice?

 

[goo_mason]

You don't have to, but you'd have to bear in mind that the wear on the rims would mean that your old front would wear out before the new rear does. Not a huge issue though, really.

It also usually works out cheaper to buy a pair of wheels than to buy the front & rear separately, so you might want to factor that into your decision too.

 

[Arfcollins]

I had to get the rear trued at Christmas, but tbh they're near to being replaced as the rims are almost down to the wear indicator so no disrespect to them.

Is that what the groove in a rim is for?