Broken spokes, crap wheels?

[Holdsworth]

I have suffered a few of these over the past month or so, all of them on the rear wheel. My usual commute is through the back lanes and there is a stretch that is riddled with potholes and has a bumpy surface. I think that this is what is causing the spokes to break so often.
There is nothing I can do as the only alternate route is the a530 and a51, not again, I much prefer the relative quietness of the back roads.

I suffered a broken spoke on a 30 mile ride on Saturday out near to Whitchurch, I had to ride 13 miles back into Crewe to get the wheel repaired. By the time I got there it was well out of true and neeeded immediate straightening.


It is now fixed but some of the spokes seem loose and move about more than others. I though they all had to be equally tensioned to work properly, should I take back to the LBS to be put right?


My wheels are original, I think, to the bike (90s Holdsworth) and I haven't thought much about changing them since I bought it last year. I don't have much to spend (much less than £100) but I'd like to know if it would be worth upgrading at all?

 

[Smokin Joe]

Find a bike shop who know what they're doing. If they come back with spokes at uneven tensions the shop you are using clearly don't.

Bumpy surfaces don't break spokes (think Paris-Roubaix), crap wheelbuilding does.

 

[PeterD]

I agree with Smoking Joe. Get the wheel rebuilt with spokes properly tensioned by a professional wheel builder. Just replacing a broken spoke and truing the wheel without checking all the other spokes for correct tension is a recipe for disaster.

Find a bike shop who know what they're doing. If they come back with spokes at uneven tensions the shop you are using clearly don't.

Bumpy surfaces don't break spokes (think Paris-Roubaix), crap wheelbuilding does.

 

[PpPete]

Agree - complete rebuild is the answer.
At that age it's almost certainly a 36 spoker, so it's not a difficult job. If the rim & hub are in good condition it's worth having a go yourself. I'd buy new stainless double butted spokes. Download the wheelpro book, borrow a truing stand, or build one yourself a wooden one according to the plans in that book. .... total cost of book + stand is probably less than cost of a professional wheel build at your LBS

Follow the instructions in the book carefully and whilst it may not be quite up to the standard of a professional wheelbuilder you will end up with a robust long-lasting wheel. The first wheel I built (out of recycled components) is still in use today and completed a John o' Groats - Lands End last year....and is still as true as it was when I built it two years ago.

 

[Moodyman]

PpPete is right, but you might want to try all that later when you're more experienced.

For now, get your wheel re-built. I was all to familiar with the 'ping' of broken spokes, until I got my wheels re-built by decent wheelbuilder. No problems since, touch wood ride 120 miles a week with two panniers and me (17 stone).

 

[Holdsworth]

What sort of price would I be looking at for a wheel rebuild, ballpark figure, for either one or both?


The LBS i took it to is usually very good for most things. It was late when I took it in on Saturday and they only just about agreed to repair it the same day so I guess it was a rush job.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Have a go and DIY! For the price of the book and a bit of wood sawing, you will assimilate knowledge to last you a lifetime.

http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

I stress I have no connections to Wheelpro other than a very satisfied customer.

 

[Will1985]

Broken spokes seem to come like buses - the only real way to fix it is for a quality wheelbuilder to re-lace the wheel as Moodyman says.

 

[Holdsworth]

I will take the bike to the LBS and have them adjust the spokes properly, I am not up to the task myself.

 

[Holdsworth]

I took the bike back to the LBS today to get the spokes tensioned correctly. The spokes are now equally taught all the way round but apparently some of the spoke aren't tightening properly. It must be that the threads on some of the spokes or nipples are worn due to age.

It should hold out for a few weeks more or until I can get the cash together for a new bike.

 

[palinurus]

I took the bike back to the LBS today to get the spokes tensioned correctly. The spokes are now equally taught all the way round but apparently some of the spoke aren't tightening properly. It must be that the threads on some of the spokes or nipples are worn due to age.

They do get sort of jammed up after a while.

I'm not the sort of person to talk someone out of getting a new bike... but a wheel rebuild (new spokes, possibly rims and a hub service too- depending on condition) and you should be fine.

 

[festival]

I took the bike back to the LBS today to get the spokes tensioned correctly. The spokes are now equally taught all the way round but apparently some of the spoke aren't tightening properly. It must be that the threads on some of the spokes or nipples are worn due to age.

It should hold out for a few weeks more or until I can get the cash together for a new bike.

It may well be that the lbs have done as much as they could with what they had to work with, but it would have been good if they had explained the situation to you. To compensate for the wear & tear etc they probably couldnt tension it correctly & you may find more will go wrong.
As you are considering a new bike soon so its a shame to have to pay out at this time but if it fails again
ask in store if they have an odd wheel out back that will do a job for you.