Snapping Spokes

steelo

I've been snapping a spoke regularly on my last 4 rides, last ride I noticed the spoke pop when as I 'hopped/rolled' over a mid sized tree root. All have been on the rear wheel and have been 2 spokes on either side of the hub. I haven't been jumping the bike, just aggresive XC riding.

First time I had the spoke replaced by the LBS, last 3 I have replaced myself and re-trued the wheel myself also. I have noticed that the new spokes are double-butted whereas the original spokes are not.

Is it worth getting the rear wheel re-built with all new double butted spokes, possibly even a stronger hub and wheel? Or should I just keep replacing the standard spokes as and when they break?

I am 16.5st.

Bike is - 2007 Specialized Rockhopper Disc.

Wheels are - Specialized/Alex RHD 26 double wall disc rims built on Specialized Hi Lo disc CNC flange and disc mount QR front and Shimano FH-M475L cassette disc QR rear hubs.

nicklouse

spokes snap due to poor wheel build.

i would just get a new wheel buily up. then get the old one sorted as a reserve.

steelo

Is there a hub/wheel/spoke combo that you can recommend?

nicklouse

any well built one.

have a read of the strong wheel sticky.

steelo

Can anyone suggest a website or shop that will sell me a well built wheel. I'm guessing that since my LBS replaced the first broken spoke and 3 more have broken since then they are obviously not a good wheel builder!

I've had a look on CRC and quite honeslty it annoys me as there are so many combinations of hubs and rims and prices that I don't have a clue where to start.

nicklouse

wheelpro.co.uk

give them a call and talk to Roger.

steelo

Cheers for the links.

Is wheelbuilding ensentially getting all the spokes around the hub to be laced uniformly/correctly and tightened to the same tension. i.e. all spokes to be torqued to 'XX'Nm?

In which case, if I bought a torquedriver and made all my spokes the same tension I would be very close to having a perfect wheel? Or is that just the first stage of the build?

nicklouse

nope not as simple as that.

read wheel building on sheldon.

steelo

Yeah i've read the Sheldon Wheel Building page, amazing website - apparently he is regarded a bit of a bike guru in my XC group, i've never heard of the guy before!

I've just read so much about wheelbuilding that i'm getting more and more confused!

I'll plough on though!

supersonic

Sheldon is God!

John Stevenson

In fairness to your LBS, once a wheel has started breaking spokes, there's pretty much nothing they can do.

Factory-built wheels on off-the-peg bikes are usually not properly stress-relieved, a process that prevents failures at the bend due to metal fatigue.

Once one spoke has gone, the others are doomed, assuming it's not a (rare) defective spoke. The only solution is to rebuild the whole wheel with new spokes.

steelo

Thanks for that info. I think that is what I needed to be told!

I have heard that some spokes are stronger than others, can you let me know which would be the most suitable spoke type to go for. i.e. double butted, anodized, stainless?

Also, do you have any advice regarding how much it should cost to re-lace a wheel with all new spokes?

nicklouse

what spokes talk to your wheel builder as (s)he should know.

but for guide DB from DT or Sapim there are different versions available from both you make your choice and pay the money.

colour has no effect. Anodizing is only on aluminium.

most good spokes are stainless.

tmg

I have an 05 Rockhopper, had the exact same issue with mine

Get some new wheels built, dt swiss spokes and some decent rims and hubs, CRC and Merlin do good builds