Spokes keep going loose

[johnnyb47]

Hello all.
The other week i had a spoke snap during my mid week ride, but since I've had the bike ( bought it second hand ) i am constantly finding loose spokes on the non drive side of my rear wheel. Obviously every time i find one ,i tighten it back up making sure the wheel stays nice and true. The problem seems to be getting more frequent though. I don't know whether it's down to me putting in a lot more miles in now or if it's a problem with the wheel that's getting worse.This week I've cycled around 130 miles and I've had to retention 2 spokes which had become extremely loose. Later this summer I'm hoping to do a 60/70 mile ride and i would like to get this problem sorted before I attempt it..The last thing i would want is a broken wheel in the deepest darkest of Wales. I was thinking of using some lock tight when other one comes loose and see how things go but I'm always grateful to have some good advice from your good selves here :-)

 

[Smokin Joe]

The wheel needs re-tensioning as it has been built too loose. If you do not feel confident in doing it yourself take it to a good LBS.

The last thing to do is to use Locktite on spokes.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

What the Smoker above said. You need MUCH more tension in those wheels.
Undo all the nipples a little bit, dribble some oil in there and get the tension up until you can play a nice musical note 2 Cs above middle C on the tight spokes.

I'm sure there are a few Youtube videos on Middle C and even high C.

 

[johnnyb47]

Thanks both for your words of wisdom. I will strip my wheel down this weekend and tension up all the spokes a little..I will have a good look on YouTube to get some pointers on how it should be done as well. The wheels are Mavic Ma2sbp with double butted spokes.

 

[PeteXXX]

Personally, I'd take my bike to a local LBS rather than just 'experiment' with the tension. I'm sure that, if you ask, they'd be happy to let you watch them doing it so you can see the process.
Good luck with the 60/70 miler

 

[johnnyb47]

Cheers Pete for the encouragement of my forthcoming ride. I'm trying to get some bigger miles in now that the evenings are lighter in preparation for my planned trip this summer..Only three more chins to loose lol:-).
I think i will have ago at sorting the wheel out my self to honest..My LBS is only a couple of minutes away from me so it i do come unstuck i can just nip it around to them to sort out if i get stuck with it.
Thanks for your advice though buddy.( always appreciated :-)

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Thanks both for your words of wisdom. I will strip my wheel down this weekend and tension up all the spokes a little..I will have a good look on YouTube to get some pointers on how it should be done as well. The wheels are Mavic Ma2sbp with double butted spokes.

If you up the tension a little, you are back to square one.

 

[johnnyb47]

Hmmm. Yes i think i understand what your saying on this. Maybe its a job for someone who's knows what there doing after all.

 

[simon.r]

What the Smoker above said. You need MUCH more tension in those wheels.
Undo all the nipples a little bit, dribble some oil in there and get the tension up until you can play a nice musical note 2 Cs above middle C on the tight spokes.

I'm sure there are a few Youtube videos on Middle C and even high C.

Would you like me to send MrsR round with a range of musical notes?

 

[fossyant]

Get new !

 

[rb58]

The last thing to do is to use Locktite on spokes.

I've no idea whether you're right or not, but the Fulcrum Wheels technical manual shows the final step as being to use threadlock. http://www.fulcrumwheels.com/area/download/download.php?tab=doc&rnd=TzEqV5aqyn&rnds=&rndc=1&rnts=1

 

[johnnyb47]

Would you like me to send MrsR round with a range of musical notes?

View attachment 346850

Wow is that really your better half..She must be a really talented lady to be able to play that :-)

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I've no idea whether you're right or not, but the Fulcrum Wheels technical manual shows the final step as being to use threadlock. http://www.fulcrumwheels.com/area/download/download.php?tab=doc&rnd=TzEqV5aqyn&rnds=&rndc=1&rnts=1

He is right. Those wheels in your example are stupid wheels that do require artificial nipple retention. Because there are not enough spokes in the wheel, each individual spoke has to take a far larger load than reserve tension in the spoke. With a heavier rider or over bumps, the tension in those spokes completely zeros and the nipples can unscrew. Standard wheels with a sensible number of spokes never have the spokes go slack, hence don't require threadlock.
What most people don't understand is that spokes lose tension in the load affected zone and don't gain tension anywhere else in the wheel's cycle. When you don't have enough spokes, they can't share the negative load and go into compression.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Would you like me to send MrsR round with a range of musical notes?

View attachment 346850

I wonder if one can attach and play sound files on this forum. A few notes for reference would be useful.