Do you take spare spokes when touring?

[rollinstok]

Never took a spare spoke anywhere and never needed one. If the wheels are fit for purpose there shouldnt be any problems.
I can understand riders taking spares if they are on an expedition to remote places though.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Never took a spare spoke anywhere and never needed one. If the wheels are fit for purpose there shouldnt be any problems.
I can understand riders taking spares if they are on an expedition to remote places though.

guess that is some of what we are doing... remote places that is. I was just pointing out that I did not consider Ireland to be "remote" and had to wait a week to get spares shipped to us and that was not soon enough.

 

[dellzeqq]

That's it really.

I have done, and been glad of it, but not for over thirty years. These days I ride posh wheels that go out of line with a bang, giving me just a few yards to get to the side of the road

 

[Ticktockmy]

I always carry spare spokes, for the Drive side, I buy spokes that are slighly longer than require, the cut off the mushroom head, then put a kink in the spoke.
Then if I break a spoke, mind not had a broken spoke for some years now, I just remove the broken spoke, and tyre, then wiggle the kink into the spoke hole, in the hub, tighten up the spoke, and alls well, no need tools other than a spoke key. and at the next LBS if there is one you can get them fixed correctly.

 

[Nigeyy]

I do and I also carry a Fiberfix and a little device similar to a hypercracker and a multi tool that has a spoke wrench on it.

However, for spokes it's no good taking them if you haven't got a spoke wrench (most multi tools do have them). don't take the correct length, or a way of removing the cassette/freewheel for a rear wheel spoke replacement on the drive side (usually this is the first place a spoke breaks due to touring loads on the back and the stress of the drive side).

While I think it's nice to think proper wheels won't have spoke breakage (which they can -it's just a case of getting the right conditions to do so -perhaps overloading and hitting that pothole), I'm of the opinion it's best to be prepared. The other thing to consider is that once a spoke goes, it pretty much weakens the wheel as a whole, and makes it much more likely another spoke will break -let alone the fact you'll have compromised brake performance for a rim brake based wheel.

If spokes (or a fiberfix or a portable cassette remover) weren't so negligible in weight, I probably wouldn't take them as I've only had a couple of spoke breakages -but since they are, I think they are a reasonable risk reducer..... you pays your money, you takes your choice.

fyi: I like Ticktockmy's idea of taking a spoke that is way too long with no mushroom head on it, and being able to double it back at the hub (assuming it doesn't break it or weaken it too much). Maybe then just use tape or wire to keep it in the "U" shape to prevent it straightening out with stress. I might experiment with that idea -though I figure I'd only really be able to do it on smaller 26 inch rims as I'm guessing there aren't too many readily available spokes bigger than say a 27 inch wheel.

 

[Herbie]

How good is the fibrefix? my main interest would be in being able to keep going to a bikeshop for a proper repair, not in trying to use it indefinitely. If I was going somewhere that a bikeshop was unlikely then I'd take proper spare spokes.

When you put your bike in for a service at the LBS do they check the spokes?

 

[Bodhbh]

I don't carry spokes. Few reasons: If I'm honest, messing around with spokes and tensions is one bit of fettling I'm still wary of. The other is, like others have said, since I got some decent handbuilt wheels spokes popping has not being a problem. Third, is when my wheels have popped spokes previously, they've rapidly done it batches of 2 or 3 or 4 and obviously there is some serious problem with the wheel build that an ignormous like putting a couple of spokes in probably wouldn't fix. If I spoke went now, I'd be tempted head to the nearest bike shop and just get them rebuild the wheel from scratch. That said, it's about time I learnt to tension a wheel and I'd probably do that and take some spokes if going somewhere hardcore.

 

[MacB]

When you put your bike in for a service at the LBS do they check the spokes?

Yes, why?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Never toured where I've felt the need. Rather obsessed with hand built 36 spoke three cross rear wheels anyway. Seems to ward off the snappage monster pretty well.

 

[jay clock]

I have half a dozen of the three sizes cable tied to the frame.

Trying to measure them is another story entirely - I find those calculators a bit confusing

I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN! I went to the LBS to buy them with the tourer. Even with the bike in front of him he insisted in using some fancy table to look it up. In the end I had to physically grab a tape measure, measure them, and then just ask for the right sizes!

 

[vernon]

Seeing as my new tourer will have spoke holder braze ons it seems rude not to carry spares.

I have never had spokes break on tour though I have suffered from spoke breakages on my touring bikes. I've managed to soldier on when I've suffered from a breakage and always managed to make it back to base.

 

[Herbie]

Yes, why?

just wondering

 

[Pottsy]

Seeing as my new tourer will have spoke holder braze ons it seems rude not to carry spares.

I suppose you could always use them to carry something else that's long and thin, like your knitting needles or emergency spaghetti strands?

 

[vernon]

I suppose you could always use them to carry something else that's long and thin, like your knitting needles or emergency spaghetti strands?

Spaghetti is hygroscopic and goes limp and in time will fall off.

I don't fancy knitting with size 18-20 needles. It's bad enough trying to knit a pullover with size tens fast enough not to be out paced by girth expansion through eating too many pies.

 

[ufkacbln]

Depends upon the bike.

For the unusual sizes (520, 406 with Rohloff, etc) then I do carry spare spokes, but for the more standard ones I don't

Previously the "emergency spokes" have been unable to fit the smaller sizes. However now the Fiber Fix does alter to suit these I may reconsider