Help! Breaking spokes galore...

[mark2rally]

Hi,
I purchased a Ribble SLe a few months back as I wanted to get back in the saddle, lose weight, get fit - usual stuff. Living in the Surrey Hills and in a village where every road goes downhill steeply, if I wanted to ride and importantly, get back home, I needed to start with an e bike. I'm really pleased with the bike except for one thing. The rims are Mavic Aksium with the rear housing the x35 hub. After about 300 miles I had a spoke break. I replaced it. Then another, and another and yesteday the 4th went. Tota mileage so far around 1600 miles

I want to fix this issue - and it clearly is an issue. Ribbles response (when I eventually got it) was to send the wheel to Mavic to be looked at. My concern is this will take weeks. I order some spare spokes on 1st June from Mavic (via a dealer as you cant buy direct from them). I was told 2 weeks delivery. I still havent recieved them. I've been told the wheel will take 2 weeks to fix....

So I'd like to get the wheel rebuilt. Can I find anyone who will touch it? Nope.

Does anyone on the forum know of a reputable wheel builder who can respoke an emotion setup with a chance of having a spoke life of more than few weeks? Thanks.

 

[snorri]

Where do the spokes actually break? Do they all break in the same place?
It could be that your rim is unsuitable for the larger than normal hub fitted onyour ebike.
If that is the case then a rebuild alone would not help.

 

[richtea]

So I'd like to get the wheel rebuilt. Can I find anyone who will touch it? Nope.

Does anyone on the forum know of a reputable wheel builder who can respoke an emotion setup with a chance of having a spoke life of more than few weeks? Thanks.

I'm having mine rebuilt by Malcolm Borg at the moment. It's an Orbea wheel and the lacing is just 1x, which means they're not strong.
He's never done an X35 wheel before, but he has rebuilt other hub wheels, so it won't be a problem for him, and by the time he's finished mine, yours will be a walk in the park - he'll know the spoke sizes, etc.

However, the bad news is he has a 4 week waiting list.
On the other hand, once it's fixed, you won't need to go back to him again.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

If you bought it recently then you should be able to take it back to the retailer and make them fix it under guarantee

dunno your country etc - but round here it is best to fx nothing under a guarantee period - just take it make and tell them to fix it - they know the law and know how to react to returns
even if youhave tried to fix a few minor point (i.e. spokes) you would still have rights to the product working under reasonable conditions

YMMV - especially under different regimes

 

[fossyant]

The spokes shouldn't have snapped like that - once they start, they all start to go - I suspect a manufacturing fault. I have 4 sets of 'factory' Mavic wheels and haven't had any issues with them - 2 road, 2 MTB.

 

[RichardB]

Definitely a fault somewhere. I've had a Wisper for 5 years and a few thousand miles now. Steep hills, potholes, 110kg+ of rider (to start with), and I generally ride it as fast as it and I can go. No spoke breakages and the wheels are as straight as the day they were made. If 'a few months back' it was new from a dealer, then it needs to go back there pronto. It will still be under warranty, and if it means being without the bike for more than a day or two they need to supply you with a loan bike. Shout Consumer Rights Act 2015 at them. Secondhand purchase, you're on your own. I'd be looking for a good wheelbuilder, as above.

 

[Pale Rider]

Can I find anyone who will touch it? Nope.

Wisper is worth a try.

In common with most other brands, they import their ebikes.

However, they do employ a proper mechanic at their UK premises, who I reckon will be skilled in respoking hub motor wheels.

Company owner David Miall is one of life's good guys, so will likely be prepared to help if he can.

I'm sure I've seen a couple of exchanges online about Wisper repairing non-Wisper ebikes.

The OP's job is only a motor wheel, so should be straightforward for anyone with ebike and wheel expertise.

Wisper is based near Brand's Hatch in Kent, which might not be so far from the OP.

Got to be worth a phone call: https://wisperbikes.com/contact/