Spokes

A girl friend has asked me to look at her front wheel as a couple of the
spokes are broken.

I have never done this before - but I am reasonably competent with diy
and hand tools.

Does anyone have a pointer to any on-line primers which would be a good
start?

Cheers

ACDC

On 02/02/11 23:14, acdc wrote:
A girl friend has asked me to look at her front wheel as a couple of the
spokes are broken.

I have never done this before - but I am reasonably competent with diy
and hand tools.

Does anyone have a pointer to any on-line primers which would be a good
start?

Cheers

ACDC

http://bicycletutor.com/broken-spoke/
http://bicycletutor.com/wheel-truing/

On Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:08:08 +0000
Adam Lea wrote:

http://bicycletutor.com/broken-spoke/
http://bicycletutor.com/wheel-truing/

They're quite good, although I think he misses a few points.
- If spokes are broken because the wheel's had a knock then the rim may
have a flat spot and no amount of twiddling the nipples is going to
result in a good wheel - you need to straighten the worst of the flat
before you start, usually by removing all the nearby spokes and
knocking it out with a soft mallet
- If the spokes have broken because the wheel was built too loose then
it's likely that others will be on the point of failing as they'll
also be fatigued - having replaced the broken ones some others will
likely fail either during the tensioning/truing/pre-stressing or
shortly afterwards. If they were slack because they've worked loose
then they will loosen again, so it may be a good idea to remove all
the nipples and treat them with a light locking agent (that's what the
linseed oil does, but Loctite variants may actually be easier to get
hold of these days - just don't use a permanent one).
- Taking everything apart may be a total waste of effort for a couple
of spokes on a front wheel - as long as the spoke comes out and the
old nipple is a good match for the replacement spoke you can do
everything simply by reducing the tyre pressure. There is a chance
that the rim tape is knackered or displaced, in which case you could
end up causing a puncture.
- Spoke length - this really does need to be pretty much spot-on - you
can't go into a bike shop, ask for a spoke for a 26 inch front wheel
and expect to come away with the right thing. Ideally take in a good
one that you've removed for comparison, otherwise measure from the
inside of the elbow to the end to the nearest millimetre. A
millimetre either way is OK for replacements, failing that go a bit
longer rather than shorter but make sure the end of the spoke doesn't
stick out through the nipple and into the inner tube - if it does then
file or grind it down. Too much longer and you'll run out of thread
before the spoke is properly tensioned.
- Some wheels are seized solid - every time you try to tweak a spoke it
goes ping and soaking the nipples in lubricant doesn't help. With
one of these don't worry if the tension seems low, the more you mess
with it the more trouble you'll cause, so unless you're willing to
replace all the spokes just make sure it has the right number of
spokes in the right places and is something like circular, and expect
it to need replacing sooner rather than later, then it may surprise
you by not failing again.

On Feb 3, 2:29*am, Rob Morley wrote:
On Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:08:08 +0000

Adam Lea wrote:
http://bicycletutor.com/broken-spoke/
http://bicycletutor.com/wheel-truing/

They're quite good, although I think he misses a few points.
- If spokes are broken because the wheel's had a knock then the rim may
* have a flat spot and no amount of twiddling the nipples is going to

Spokes dont usually break as a result of even a severe impact which
bends the rim.

* result in a good wheel - you need to straighten the worst of the flat
* before you start, usually by removing all the nearby spokes and
* knocking it out with a soft mallet

Rims are made of metal not plasticene, metal hammers are in order.

- If the spokes have broken because the wheel was built too loose then

Loose spokes do not lead to broken spokes, if excessively loose
(unlikely) they may lead to large dents on lightweight rims.
Excessively loose spokes though are unpleasant to ride as the wheel
continually drifts down the camber of the road. A wheel in this state
is not generally ridden, therefore loose spokes are unlikely.

* it's likely that others will be on the point of failing as they'll
* also be fatigued - having replaced the broken ones some others will
* likely fail either during the tensioning/truing/pre-stressing or

Fatigue failure of spokes is due to bending of the spoke in and out,
not whether it is tight or loose. It is an inherent problem with
economy wheels using simple interrlace pattern of spoking.

* shortly afterwards. *If they were slack because they've worked loose
* then they will loosen again, so it may be a good idea to remove all
* the nipples and treat them with a light locking agent (that's what the

Not necessary.
* linseed oil does, but Loctite variants may actually be easier to get

Boiled linseed oil is sufficient when applied between spoke and
nipple. The nipple may be warmed with a heat gun or flame and the oil
will be drawn in quickly.

* hold of these days - just don't use a permanent one).

Raw linseed oil or boiled linseed oil is easily available from DIY
shops, chandlers or decorators merchants.

- Taking everything apart may be a total waste of effort for a couple
* of spokes on a front wheel - as long as the spoke comes out and the
* old nipple is a good match for the replacement spoke you can do
* everything simply by reducing the tyre pressure. *There is a chance
* that the rim tape is knackered or displaced, in which case you could
* end up causing a puncture.

It is a good idea to check that a fabric rim tape is intact, without
rust and slackened for spoke replacement.

- Spoke length - this really does need to be pretty much spot-on - you
* can't go into a bike shop, ask for a spoke for a 26 inch front wheel
* and expect to come away with the right thing. *Ideally take in a good
* one that you've removed for comparison, otherwise measure from the
* inside of the elbow to the end to the nearest millimetre. *A

Measure in inches as well, to 32ndths as this is the way some English
spoke manufacturers specify their wares.

* millimetre either way is OK for replacements, failing that go a bit
* longer rather than shorter but make sure the end of the spoke doesn't
* stick out through the nipple and into the inner tube - if it does then
* file or grind it down. *Too much longer and you'll run out of thread
* before the spoke is properly tensioned.

There is very little leeway for spoke length innacuracy when
installing in a single wall rim, it is best to be spot on.

- Some wheels are seized solid - every time you try to tweak a spoke it
* goes ping and soaking the nipples in lubricant doesn't help. *With

Plus Gas works miracles and this is what I use when nipples seem to be
stuck tight.

* one of these don't worry if the tension seems low, the more you mess
* with it the more trouble you'll cause, so unless you're willing to
* replace all the spokes just make sure it has the right number of
* spokes in the right places and is something like circular, and expect
* it to need replacing sooner rather than later, then it may surprise
* you by not failing again.

Something like that.

On 02/02/2011 23:14, acdc wrote:
A girl friend has asked me to look at her front wheel as a couple of the
spokes are broken.

I have never done this before - but I am reasonably competent with diy
and hand tools.

Does anyone have a pointer to any on-line primers which would be a good
start?

Cheers

ACDC

I wonder if Andy's wife knows about his girl friend? Andy didn't
certainly didn't know about this post.

On 03/02/2011 05:38, Marc wrote:
On 02/02/2011 23:14, acdc wrote:
A girl friend has asked me to look at her front wheel as a couple of the
spokes are broken.

I have never done this before - but I am reasonably competent with diy
and hand tools.

Does anyone have a pointer to any on-line primers which would be a good
start?

Cheers

ACDC

I wonder if Andy's wife knows about his girl friend? Andy didn't
certainly didn't know about this post.

I am sorry - what are you talking about?

On 02/02/2011 23:14, acdc wrote:
A girl friend has asked me to look at her front wheel as a couple of the
spokes are broken.

I have never done this before - but I am reasonably competent with diy
and hand tools.

Does anyone have a pointer to any on-line primers which would be a good
start?

Cheers

ACDC


Many thanks for responses. It looks like it can come as complicated as
you want to make it !!

But seriously, it does look reasonably straighforward for what I want to do

On Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:09:53 +0000
acdc wrote:

On 03/02/2011 05:38, Marc wrote:

I wonder if Andy's wife knows about his girl friend? Andy didn't
certainly didn't know about this post.

I am sorry - what are you talking about?

I wondered that too.
I knew an Andy Crawford, but it's not you because he used to work as a
bike mechanic. :-)

On 02/02/2011 23:14, acdc wrote:
A girl friend has asked me to look at her front wheel as a couple of the
spokes are broken.

I have never done this before - but I am reasonably competent with diy
and hand tools.

Does anyone have a pointer to any on-line primers which would be a good
start?

Cheers

ACDC



I have been away for a few days during which I have been able to sort
the spokes out - thanks for the help.