alex dh spoke nipple failure on Rockhopper and Myka

carrock
carrock Posts: 1,103
edited November 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
My wife and I have specialized mtbs- Rockhopper Comp and Myka

Both have Alex DH rims and stout hubs

Both bikes are less than a year old

Got the bikes out of the garage fopr the fiurst ride of the year- both rear wheels had 2 broken spokes in each

Seems as though the nipples have sheared- the spokes themselves seem ok

Is this a problem with these rims I wonder?

p1000998o.jpg

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    more like a poor wheel build.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    last winter (2008/9) I had a similar problem (2009 rockhopper) I had a rear wheel spoke go (it was the nipple), took it to my LBS (where I had bought it) - the manager convinced me it was my fault, I must of hit something or similar, so I paid to have the spoke replaced. First ride out and an ominous 'ping'. another had broken. Took it back to the shop, and when I went to pick it up the mechanic had rebuilt the wheel using brass nipples, and showed me the aluminium ones he had removed, most of them were badly corroded. He said Spesh were aware of the problem, and put it down to the 'wrong' salt on the roads (Councils were running out of stocks and using a different variety) sounded bogus to me, but as they picked up the tab I wasn't too bothered.
    I checked my front wheel when I got home but this seemed ok.
    Whatever they try to tell you it's a known problem with the aluminium nipples, get them to replace them with brass,
  • carrock
    carrock Posts: 1,103
    well I'm sending the wheels back to the dealers to sort. I am the wrong side of 16 stone, but my wife is about 10 so don't think we've both overloaded the wheels. And our road bike wheels are fine

    Not impressed
  • sskelly
    sskelly Posts: 79
    Went for a ride on my Rockhopper last night and one of my nipples had failed. Anyone else contacted specialized over this?
  • V5ade
    V5ade Posts: 192
    This is really annoying. I kept loosing spokes in the rear wheel of my Rockhopper, and after ther third repair (that I had to pay for) my lbs convinced me to buy a pair of Hope hoops. It now looks like this is a design fault......
    Somewhere in the Surrey Hills :-)
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    I think it is a design fault. Poor nipples, and weedy 15 gauge plain gauge spokes. Built by a blind man.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

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  • andituk
    andituk Posts: 122
    Just lost some spokes in my rear wheel for the third time. Definetly a design fault.
    2009 Specialized Rockhopper Comp
    2009 Giant Trance X2
    Blog
  • RevellRider
    RevellRider Posts: 1,794
    As far as I know, Specialized have been using alloy nipples in their wheel builds.

    And not good alloy nipples it seems
    Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon.
  • Komiko
    Komiko Posts: 1
    Just to add...

    I had the same problem with my 09 Rockhopper. Took it back to the bs and even though I bought the bike 16 months ago, they contacted Spez UK who agreed to cover the cost of brass nipps and rebuild.

    :D

    Thanks to the photo's and descriptions of the fault guys - saved me the cost of rebuilding.


    Cheers

    Pete.R

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