Broken spokes

[Banjo]

My scott speedster is about 3 months old and I have done about 600 miles on it.I have 2 broken spokes on the back wheel both snapped next to the nipple.Are spoke breakages just part of life with a lightweight roadbike or could there be an underlying problem?

I have taken them off (luckilly not on the drive side) Any tips on replacing them and retensioning would be appreciated.

 

[Garz]

Depends on how harsh the roads are where you ride, your ability to dodge the potholes and how you distribute your weight on the bike. For example one of the guys I ride with I would regard as quite careless as he would go down kerbs without any softening i.e. not using his body/position to dampen the impacts.

One broken spoke could be freak but two seems to indicate either poor wheel or something more..

 

[bad boy]

I would not be having that, should take the bike back 600 miles is nothing and they should only have done the first free service not long ago.

It sounds as though you had some loose spokes from the off and the wheel was not tensioned properly, I would take it back and get them to do it.

 

[Banjo]

I would not be having that, should take the bike back 600 miles is nothing and they should only have done the first free service not long ago.

It sounds as though you had some loose spokes from the off and the wheel was not tensioned properly, I would take it back and get them to do it.

I think I will take the wheel in and see what they say about it.I am carefull to avoid potholes etc but with our roads in the state they are the odd bump now and then is inevitable.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

fact of life. i had a wheel lose two spokes last week, but as the rim was well past its best i can't say i'm disappointed in it, not at £65 for the set.

 

[jimboalee]

When I bought my SWorks, I took the wheels straight to the LBS and had the tensions checked.

I loosened one spoke to a better tension in the shop and trued the wheel at home to match up the tensions in the other spokes.

No breakages.

Did the same with my Dawes.

No breakages.

Steve Thornhill ( ex Dawes ) built wheels for my Pug.

No breakages.

I built wheels for my remaining bikes.

No breakages.


Chap in Solihull CC went on Sunday run with 'factory' wheels on his Giant.

Two broken spokes.

 

[bad boy]

I think I will take the wheel in and see what they say about it.I am carefull to avoid potholes etc but with our roads in the state they are the odd bump now and then is inevitable.

I do agree but and although I didn't have any spoke breakages I was in a similar position regarding loosing tension etc.

Take it back and see what they say but it shouldn't be happening in all honesty, I understand what your saying about the roads but that shouldn't provide an excuse for the lbs.

 

[accountantpete]

Sounds like the spokes were naff - take it back and see if they will do a deal on quality double butted spokes (these are twice as thick at the ends). It is no good simply replacing like for like spokes as presumably others will break further down the line.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Check the spoke tensions in both wheels. If the tensions aren't uniform all the way round on either wheel then the Factory Wheel Building is at fault.

I bought a track bike with factory built wheels. Worst spoke tensions I've ever come across - appalling really. All my other wheels are built by hand by a good wheel builder. Even my amateur efforts are better than the factory ones

 

[PpPete]

I'm in process of slowly selling off all the wheels that I've not built (or rebuilt) myself.

Have a look at "Dawes Renown" thread to see what bikes that realates to.

I've never broken a spoke yet, but I know if I build them all myself the spoke tensions will be even and the risk of it spoke breakage in future is vanishingly small.

 

[02GF74]

Sounds like the spokes were naff - take it back and see if they will do a deal on quality double butted spokes (these are twice as thick at the ends).

not sure that is the case - double butted spokes happen to be thinner in the middle section - for lightness but same diameter at the ends, at least ones I have come across, whcih is by not means a huge number.

interstingly, the spokes I've had break always have gone at the hub end - at the elbow, the bit turned through 90 degress which is the weakest part of the spoke. strange that yours have popped at the rim.

 

[Banjo]

Being fixed

Took it into the lbs today.Without me even asking they took it off me for repair under warranty.

Maybe just unlucky as they have sold lots of speedsters without any problems apparently

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[bad boy]

Took it into the lbs today.Without me even asking they took it off me for repair under warranty.

Maybe just unlucky as they have sold lots of speedsters without any problems apparently

Thanks for all the replies.

well done mate hopefully they will sort it for you

 

[Chris James]

not sure that is the case - double butted spokes happen to be thinner in the middle section - for lightness but same diameter at the ends, at least ones I have come across, whcih is by not means a huge number.

I think the standard butting is 2 mm / 1.8 mm IIRC

 

[jimboalee]

I think the standard butting is 2 mm / 1.8 mm IIRC

Yup.

14/15 gauge.