Spokes!

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The_Cycling_Scientist

Über Member
Location
Cambridge
Hey Boys and girls,

Yesterday I noticed a little klinking coming from my back wheel as I rode home, got to the flat and up the stairs into the light and decided to check the wheel over with a thorough inspection and found as I suspected a broken spoke! (I suspect someone hit it with a pedal at college where I was locked up as it was on the right side to be how it could have happened as my ride there was fine.

Anyway the reason I pester you all with this post you most likely have seen a thousand and one times is do I get a LBS to do the work or is it fairly easy to attempt just the one single spoke replacement? Considering I think the wheel is an original like the bike and around 28years of age (very straight when I purchased the bike too I might add!) I assume once it's fitted it would require the whole wheel to be tensioned up afterwards?

I have read in a few places that a LBS would charge around the £20-40 mark for a referb of my wheel.. or would it just be easier to buy a new rear wheel and transfer my cassette onto the new wheel?

Answers on a postcard...

Cheers :thumbsup:
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
My wheelbuilder only charges a fiver for a new spoke and true-up but after 28 years its probably due for a total re-spoke and a new rim, depends on how good the hub is but the older ones are a lot better quality than some of the new ones unless you spend quite a bit.
I recently had a couple built onto some 1978 Maillard large flange hubs that I'd restored and John is currently building one onto a SA 3 speed for my (delayed) next project. Costs me around £60 depending on which spokes I specify. (plain 14 guage stainless are half the price of butted ones saving £18 on a wheel)
 
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The_Cycling_Scientist

The_Cycling_Scientist

Über Member
Location
Cambridge
My wheelbuilder only charges a fiver for a new spoke and true-up but after 28 years its probably due for a total re-spoke and a new rim, depends on how good the hub is but the older ones are a lot better quality than some of the new ones unless you spend quite a bit.
I recently had a couple built onto some 1978 Maillard large flange hubs that I'd restored and John is currently building one onto a SA 3 speed for my (delayed) next project. Costs me around £60 depending on which spokes I specify. (plain 14 guage stainless are half the price of butted ones saving £18 on a wheel)

See now this is my thought, I think a nice new wheel would be nice in some sense as the 3mile ride home and only discovering the spoke half way probably has put the rim out of shape, my main thoughts is it'll look out of place compared to the rest of the bike... Time to tot up the price of a new wheel maybe?
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
See now this is my thought, I think a nice new wheel would be nice in some sense as the 3mile ride home and only discovering the spoke half way probably has put the rim out of shape, my main thoughts is it'll look out of place compared to the rest of the bike... Time to tot up the price of a new wheel maybe?
You may struggle with the axle length depending on the style of bike, you need to check the OLN distance on the frame as the standard changed 25 years or so ago. Also depends on the rear gear arrangement you have.
 
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The_Cycling_Scientist

The_Cycling_Scientist

Über Member
Location
Cambridge
Oh boy and here's where it gets interesting.. I will keep this from the other half then.. I already got told off when I said it would set me back another big chunk to get it winter ready with Conti hardshell tires and crudz guards so to splash out on a special wheel will make her very displeased! (this was supposed to be a cheaper option than owning a car.. £200+ of spending later she's not too convinced it's cheaper) haha
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Oh boy and here's where it gets interesting.. I will keep this from the other half then.. I already got told off when I said it would set me back another big chunk to get it winter ready with Conti hardshell tires and crudz guards so to splash out on a special wheel will make her very displeased! (this was supposed to be a cheaper option than owning a car.. £200+ of spending later she's not too convinced it's cheaper) haha
I'd just get the spoke replaced for now then. New wheel + crappy weather ain't a good mix, whereas in the spring its a good time for 'shiney'.
Plus by then you'll have saved on the cost of running a car. :becool:
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
28 years?
I've rebuilt/respoked a number of wheels that old.
It's worth doing if the rim isn't worn concave on the brake track and if the hub bearing cups & cones are still good.
The older rims don't seem to wear as fast as newer ones, Whether it's because they are a different alloy or a thicker wall (because they are not box section) I'm not sure.
The one thing I think is worth doing is using stainless steel double-butted spokes. They are said to have better fatigue strength (certainly I've never broken one) than plain gauge, but either is better than the old fashioned dull-looking "rustless" spokes - and won't spoil the appearance of period bike.

Worth learning how to do the job yourself though, Wheelpro is your friend.
 

Venod

Eh up
Location
Yorkshire
Just replace the spoke, assuming everything else is OK its a simple job , just make sure the new spoke is same the length & thickness as the original, assuming your brakes are set central to the rim use these to true the wheel, if it wasn't rubbing on the way home it can't be far out.
 
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Rooster1

I was right about that saddle
I got a couple of spokes replaced over time on an Alexrims 700 C rear wheel. Some of the spokes got damaged evidently. The first minor hassle replacing rear wheel spokes is whether the spoke is on the drive side or not. If it is on the drive side, you will need to get the cassette off - an easy enough job. The next problem is getting the correct length replacement spoke. This is where I failed. I just couldn't find any spec to tell me what length to get. My LBS had a selection of lengths that where paired up with the other working spokes on the wheel. After replacing a couple of spokes, I finally abandoned the wheel as being past it!
 

Shanks

Well-Known Member
Location
Chichester
£200 ha ha you've only just started on that journey. Wait till the N+1 bug really kicks in. Then you'll be planning orders and delivery times based on her work pattern and not when it cheapest!
I'm all for learning everything you can to avoid getting stranded while out but it's a balance, fitting spokes and wheel truing (sp) is a skill that does take some practice. Last week my lbs replaced a spoke and set the wheel while I waited, he finished before I had drunk my coffee and charged me £5 all in. Knowing how would not help me on the road without the spare spoke. And I'd rather support him if I can. So I'd say throw it at your lbs and take the chance to read up on how to adjust gears or brakes correctly while you're on the road.
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
£200 ha ha you've only just started on that journey. Wait till the N+1 bug really kicks in. Then you'll be planning orders and delivery times based on her work pattern and not when it cheapest!
I'm all for learning everything you can to avoid getting stranded while out but it's a balance, fitting spokes and wheel truing (sp) is a skill that does take some practice. Last week my lbs replaced a spoke and set the wheel while I waited, he finished before I had drunk my coffee and charged me £5 all in. Knowing how would not help me on the road without the spare spoke. And I'd rather support him if I can. So I'd say throw it at your lbs and take the chance to read up on how to adjust gears or brakes correctly while you're on the road.
I'd concur. It's not that hard to replace a spoke. Doing the job properly will take a bit of practice and patience. I don't think a rim can be all that bent over a couple of miles. Try replacing the spoke, and using a spoke wrench to get the job done well. Make sure the rim is not out of line, the spoke is not too tight, and give the wheel a try. If you don't feel confident in this, take it to the LBS and see how they do it.
 
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The_Cycling_Scientist

The_Cycling_Scientist

Über Member
Location
Cambridge
Wow great advice folks! I think this will be a few calls to LBS's later when they open. Poor bikes sat there sulking at me every time I leave thinking it's going to get loved then I cheat on it and take the other half's bike to get to work and sulk my way there on the slow heavy basket ridden thing :sad:
Hopefully a good LBS will get it back on the go. I know what the bug is like but this time of year and the lack of pennies has really taken the pinch on my poor wallet..!

Hopefully come new year I will get a chance to treat the bike to a few new bits. I know I do need to attend to finding the best brake pad/wheel combo to optimize the stopping power, really run in my new tires and sweet talk the other half into letting me upgrade a few bits..
I will admit I had a stupid thought and wished it WAS possible.. (as I wrote a week or two back I swapped out a new wheel onto the rear of my other half's bike. it was a bit of a fiddle and we had to get a new freewheel as her old one just fell apart as we removed it) but that old wheel sits there now .. also a 700c wheel I am guessing a idiotic idea of temp fitting one of the spokes that are in good shape would not just fit in as a temp replacement in the place of the broken spoke?
 

Gravity Aided

Legendary Member
Location
Land of Lincoln
Same side, cluster vs non cluster, it should work out, check to see that the end of the spoke does not protrude above the spoke nipple vis-a -vis the inside of the rim, where it could contact the tube. Try to be careful to get the tension about the same as the spokes surrounding. Worst come to worst, you were headed to the LBS anyway.
 
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