Snapped spoke after wheel truing

[mjr]

So in future I should just say no and get a new wheel.

I am a bit sceptical anyway as after the repair he said the rear wheel bearings were on their way out and I should bring it back in when it sounded worse. The bearings are part of a new wheel I think? So I might as well have had a new wheel anyway.

Most bearings are replaceable as long as serviced in good time. It sounds like the mechanic is crediting you with a mechanical aptitude that you may not have.

I think I replace wheels when the rim or cups are shot. Not for broken spokes. YMMV

 

[KnackeredBike]

It doesn't focus well when everything is varying shades of black.

They only gave me a card receipt not a shop one, and because I was with mini-KB who was bleating I just took it.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Most bearings are replaceable as long as serviced in good time. It sounds like the mechanic is crediting you with a mechanical aptitude that you may not have.

I think I replace wheels when the rim or cups are shot. Not for broken spokes. YMMV

He spun the wheel around which sounded like a bike wheel spinning around and said, "See, you can hear the bearings are making that noise".

So I said, "So how will I know when they need to be replaced, what noise will it make then?"

And he said "It will get worse".

I assumed it would be something obvious rather than a gradual thing. I actually used to replace bearings as part of my job, albeit ones in electronics a hundred times larger than bike ones. We used to replace them as soon as they began to wear out, but as I said, my knowledge of bike maintenance could fit on the back of a fag packet.

 

[Banjo]

The bike shop can advise you but its your money and your decision.

You could fork out for a new wheelset then break a spoke on the way home or possibly get another thousand miles out of the old one.

Without seeing the wheel and feeling how it spins on its bearings none of us can give you any real advice.

I have fitted some 32 spoke wheels on my synapse two reasons, they are less likely to break a spoke and more likely to still be rideable with a broken spoke. Trade off is a slightly heavier wheel.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

It doesn't focus well when everything is varying shades of black.

They only gave me a card receipt not a shop one, and because I was with mini-KB who was bleating I just took it.

View attachment 360138

OK then.

1) You'll never know for sure whether it was an old or new spoke that failed. From your first photo, it appears as if the spoke's head is still stuck in the flange. Spoke heads don't fail from fatigue like spoke elbows and threads do, but fail out-of-box. It is a one in a million occurrence and judging from your photo, you should play the Lotto this coming weekend. It may well have been a new spoke that failed.

2) A wheel will immediately go out of true if a spoke breaks. Immediately. Any other observations to the contrary were done under the influence of something.
3) All wheels are under tension, including yours. The wheel went out of true because the balance of tension was disturbed.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Thank you so much @Yellow Saddle and everyone, your advice is very much appreciated.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Went in today, bring back Thursday and they will fix it "for just the labour or for free. But as cheap as possible."

So we were all right really.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Just a conclusion for this, the bike shop agreed to credit the entire cost of the wheel truing as the spoke snapped so soon after the repair. So today I paid £26.80 for them to fit a new wheel and also retrue the old wheel and fit new cones and bearings so I can have it as a spare.

More than fair I thought, well done Pedal Power in Abingdon. Very pleased that I don't have to keep on looking down at the wheel to check it isn't fouling the brakes or frame!