Spare spokes on tour

Chris Bcp

I broke a spoke last time (rear, drive side) but was nearish a shop. So I'm taking spares this time. Wheels are 26 inch 3 cross on Shimano non-disc hubs.

Trouble is there are a number of lengths across a set of 2 wheels. So which lengths to take?

Which spokes are most likely to go? Rear drive side? Forward or rear facing?

Wish I'd never started on this path, I'll only worry I haven't got the right ones now.

jibi

I would look at covering the odds.

The probability is that , as you said, the read drive side is the most likely to go then those are the ones you need to carry, and do you need a cracker too for the cassette.

Or just carry an emergency spoke which can be hung onto the remainder of the old spoke ( bent over) and get you to a shop.

george

amaferanga

You should need at most 3 different lengths, maybe only 2 if the front is within a mm of one of the rear.

Spokes weight nowt so carry plenty (maybe 3 of each length) as quite often when one goes more follow.

And I'd recommend you invest in a hypercracker (http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... b24s71p111) for removing the cassette. Does the job of lockring tool + spanner + chainwhip but weighs appromximately nothing.

Chris Bcp

Good suggestion that tool but how the hell does it work?

Looking at the Mavic calculator and it look like there's only one mm difference between my front spoke and rear left spokes. Does 1mm make much difference?

simon_adams_uk

+/- 3mm on spoke length and you should be fine.

EDIT - THE EXPLANATION BELOW IS BASED ON THE OLD STYLE HYPERCRACKER (NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION) - THE SAME PRINCIPLE SHOULD APPLY!

You place the hypercracker so that its teeth mate inside the cassette lockring with the 'handled' end sitting within the bicycle's rear triangle. As you spin the pedals (NB make sure you're in small front : big rear gear ratio to improve leverage) the hypercracker rotates, hits the stay, and consequently undoes (sp?) the cassette lockring. Hey presto!

They can be a bit fiddly to fit but are a fantastic touring gizmo.

HTH,
S

Chris Bcp

+/- 3mm means one size covers all my needs - hurrah!

And I'm sold on the hypercracker.

Thanks all.

amaferanga

The hypercracker comes with instructions. Its a bit fiddly, but easy once you've done it a couple of times. Before you head off on tour though its a good idea to loosen the lockring SLIGHTLY to avoid any possibility of damaging your frame.

andrew_s

Possibly a bit more obvious is the NBT2, also from Spa. Does the same job, same price, no loose bits to come off and get lost.

The Stein version can also clash with some rack/mudguard mountings (depending on dropout design), meaning a bit of extra spanner work.
In use, the plate with the big hole goes on the lockring, the QR rod threads through the small hole in the other plate, and when the cassette is rotated forwards via the pedals, the bolt joining the 2 plates moves round until it's stopped by the top of the dropout. Further movement of the cassette then undoes the lockring. The problem is that the end of a rack leg can be the first thing the remover hits rather than the top of the dropout, and if so then you have to undo the rack bolt to let the remover past.

Cunobelin

My Airnimal has unusual size wheels (520) so spokes are a problem.

Quick answer is to take spares...at all times.

Take a supermarket carrier bag and cut into a strip the same width as the spoke length, then spray with a little WD40, now lay on a poke, roll, lay on another etc until it is the same diameter as the internals of the seat post.

Now insert and place a handlebar cap into the end of the seatpost.

Fit and forget replacement spokes. Secure protected from rust and will not rattle

Chris Bcp

Good work you lot. Ta.

El Gordo

If your range of spokes is more than +- 3mm then you can always get some extra long nipples and only carry one length.

If you're carrying a hypercracker then before you set off make sure your lockring isn't too tight. There's no need for a lockring to be super tight but they often come out of the factory like that and a hypercracker just dosn't have the leverage to work. So long as the ring is only moderately tightened they work just fine.

Eurostar

El Gordo wrote:

If you're carrying a hypercracker then before you set off make sure your lockring isn't too tight. There's no need for a lockring to be super tight but they often come out of the factory like that and a hypercracker just dosn't have the leverage to work. So long as the ring is only moderately tightened they work just fine.

Now THAT is a tip worth remembering.