Replacing rear spokes on tour

ancientbiker
ancientbiker Posts: 66
edited November 2007 in Tour & expedition
Hi All. Replacing a rear spoke on the sprocket side of the wheel seems to need an array of heavy tools which weigh a ton if you are lugging them around while touring. Does anyone have any tips for this job or know of any lightweight bike tools or a kit which can make life easier? Thanks.

Comments

  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    This is what you need:

    http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... b24s71p111
    More problems but still living....
  • Rob Sallnow
    Rob Sallnow Posts: 6,279
    And its still not Campag compatible!?

    :?
    I'd rather walk than use Shimano
  • Cunobelin
    Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
    The Hypercracker is a superb piece of kit, but............................

    There are stories of overzealous use damaging lightweight and aluminium frames.

    However with care they are an essential touring item.

    The other alternative,which is quicker, easier to work with and lighter to carry is an emergency spoke...

    Either universal like the Fibrefix:


    fiber_fix_spoke.jpg

    or speciifc as with the one St John Street stocks:

    emergencyspokesbig_xl.jpg

    In both cases it is possible to replace the spoke without removing the cassette.
    <b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
    He that buys flesh buys many bones.
    He that buys eggs buys many shells,
    But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
    (Unattributed Trad.)
  • Rob Sallnow
    Rob Sallnow Posts: 6,279
    The fibrefix one is a complete waste of time...though I use the tube it came in to store my on-bike supply of sun screen ....I've stuck with the Simpson style.
    I'd rather walk than use Shimano
  • El Gordo
    El Gordo Posts: 394
    Hypercrackers work well but before you leave home make sure that the lockring isn't too tight. For some reason some mechanics like to wind them up to the max which is completely pointless and means the hypercracker will never work (when you need it most).

    Also, getting some extra long nipples means you don't have to carry quite so many spokes of varying length.
  • tatanab
    tatanab Posts: 1,283
    The Stien tool is ok, but it is a bit of a fiddle and I have twisted the out plate when trying it out in the shed.

    More simple and more robust is the "Next Best Thing 2" http://www.m-gineering.nl/indexg.htm (look under "hard to finds"). You can by these directly or you may find that Spa Cycles has some because they bought a batch a year or so ago.
  • ancientbiker
    ancientbiker Posts: 66
    Thanks for the replies everyone. Very interesting. I'll try and get one of the fancy little tools. I'd been trying to dream up a design of my own, and had got to something like the NBT2, but hadn't tried making it. It's good to know that the principal works,. Making sure the lock nut isn't too tight in the first place seems critical.
  • magfos
    magfos Posts: 129
    A friend rode for several hundred kilometres through Vietnam with three of the kevlar string emergency spokes on the cluster side of her rear wheel. The wheel stayed true despite the bad roads and the heavy load.

    They are small, light, easy to use and could find a place in any touring cyclists tool kit.
    check out our website at www.magfos.com for stories and photos of our trips.
    Ride to Live; Live to Ride
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    NBT2 from Spa, £15
    I got one in case I lose my original Pamir hypercracker, but I'll take it next tour as it's smaller.

    Emergency spokes like the Fiberfix are very much a second-best option. If you replace a spoke with a new one straight away, it's a simple permanent fix, but a replacement spoke will need fixing properly before very long.

    Rob Sallnow wrote:
    And its still not Campag compatible!?
    :?
    No call for them.
    That's 'cos Campag is for racers with support cars carrying the spare wheels/bike, and Shimano is for those who venture off the beaten track :D
  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    My plan is to use a Uniglide cassette. It has a threaded small sprocket jnstead of a lockring. You're supposed to take it off with two chainwhips but allegedly you can use a screwdriver and a rock. So the only other tool I need is my Spokey. Theoretically.
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    To get the Uniglide threaded sprocket off, you used to be able to get a tool called a cassette cracker. This was just a hook with a bit of chain on, so it's not difficult to make your own. I used a coathook made of flat aluminium plate.

    There's one shown halfway down this page:
    http://www.bikepro.com/products/freewhe ... tools.html
  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    That's nifty. What an interesting site too, thanks.
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    I use Mavic hubs and they don't use J-bend spokes. It's a straight nail head type and
    does not require you to remove the cassette.

    Dennis Noward
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    dennisn wrote:
    I use Mavic hubs and they don't use J-bend spokes. It's a straight nail head type and
    does not require you to remove the cassette.

    Dennis Noward
    But on the other hand, your chances of being able to buy a new spare spoke in the next bike shop you pass are approaching zero.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    andrew_s wrote:
    dennisn wrote:
    I use Mavic hubs and they don't use J-bend spokes. It's a straight nail head type and
    does not require you to remove the cassette.

    Dennis Noward
    But on the other hand, your chances of being able to buy a new spare spoke in the next bike shop you pass are approaching zero.

    But on the other hand I can buy a few spares and carry them taped to my bike in case
    I need them. Which I recently did on a seven day bike tour. Didn't need them but they were
    there if I did.

    Dennis Noward
  • pq
    pq Posts: 27
    Rob Sallnow wrote:
    And its still not Campag compatible!?
    Confused


    All you need is a marchisio lock ring. Campag thread, shimano splines. Parkers do them.

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