Puncture and broken spokes

[ChrisV]

I'm getting fed up of this like!

Put Marathon Plus bomb proof tyres on bike. Tyre flat this morning. Great! They are so easy to get on and off as well!

So, about to fix it there (took the car today) two spokes are broken off at the bottom of same wheel (rear).

I've not been ralleying or anything - bikes are bloody delicate!

 

[cyberknight]

Are you riding in the gutter? you need to be further out to avoid the debris .Have the spokes been breaking a lot ? i had a wheel that kept breaking spokes and in the end i loosened the lot and let the LBS true it from scratch as the factory wheel supplied had not been tensioned right and was creating weak spots , after that it was fine .

 

[fossyant]

Bikes arent delicate at all. Some wheels arent much good as they are factory built and not tensioned properly.

I just got knocked off my road bike at speed recently, and I just needed new bar tape and brake levers (not shifter types). Wheels were fine

 

[ChrisV]

It's a Whyte Suffolk with -

Rims: Alex Black Dragon 24, Deep Section, Disk Specific Road, 32 Hole Rear and 28 Front, Reflective 3M decals

Spokes: WTB PG 15g, Black Sandvik Stainless with Black Brass Nipples

Total so far is 620 miles since end August. A spoke broke on the front a few months ago and today I notice 2 on rear. It's a nuisance!

Commute is mostly road/cycle paths. The bike doesn't get much abuse in terms of rough terrain.

Might have to sell the car to keep the bloody bike on the road!

 

[ianrauk]

I would say it's a badly built, faulty wheel.

 

[potsy]

As above, I have similar Alex dragon's on my CX bike which are just coming up to 6500 miles without a single incident of spoke breaking (touches wood)
Maybe a decent lbs could true them up and get them performing a little better?

 

[ChrisV]

Got it from Velocity 44 in Stirling. Was going to take it back there in the hope they accept it as a fault.

Although I've heard Rock and Road in Bridge of Allan is good so in the long term might be better going there.

 

[ianrauk]

Take it back to where you got it from and ask them to repair & re-tension properly or replace.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Even a fairly low cost wheel when tensioned correctly should be very strong. I'm a heavy bloke and use a heavily laden trailer and have few problems. Take it back, tell them it's not fit for purpose and get it replaced. All new factory built wheels should be routinely checked and properly trued before fitting.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Regarding the punctures, are your tyres inflated correctly? If you haven't got one I would recommend getting a track pump

 

[potsy]

Regarding the punctures, are your tyres inflated correctly? If you haven't got one I would recommend getting a track pump

He only actually mentions the one puncture, maybe the broken spoke has punctured the tube rim side?

 

[Pale Rider]

Spokes: WTB PG 15g, Black Sandvik Stainless with Black Brass Nipples

A mate of mine reckons black spokes break more easily than plain steel ones.

Can't think why this should be so.

 

[ChrisV]

Regarding the punctures, are your tyres inflated correctly? If you haven't got one I would recommend getting a track pump

They were at the correct pressure, 75 PSI or so.

Had the tyres that come with it and had a few punctures so got the Marathon Plus instead. Bomb proof they said, bomb proof!

 

[ChrisV]

Think I might get it fixed, give it a right good clean and lube, then put it away until Spring. Getting seriously fed up of the slog that is commuting!

Or I could move closer to my work I suppose

 

[User6179]

A mate of mine reckons black spokes break more easily than plain steel ones.

Can't think why this should be so.

Most factory built wheels for giant, cannondale , spesh , etc are black with black spokes and they are all pretty rubbish !