Bladdy Shimano R500s

prj45

So I thought I'd give them a go, the Shimano R500s that came with my bike (had replaced them with some mavics which are currently off for a true).

Done about 60 miles on them, got 18 miles into the ride home today...

PING!! *clatter clatter clatter*.

Spoke had sheared right off at the hub.

Now I'm not bothered about the wheel, but the spoke that made a break for it has left some lovely marks on my stunning black paint job right through to the metal underneath.

Rode the rest of the way home veeery slowly with the spoke tucked up behind the others an my back brake's quick release lever fully open to stop the rims rubbing.

Grrr...

Aidy

Strange.

Mine have done some serious mileage, and hit a fair few potholes, and really the only thing that I've had issues with is the freehub.

rjsterry

Sounds like a duff spoke for it to shear off that spectacularly. Broken a few spokes, mostly shearing the head off at the hub, and never had the spoke flick out and scratch the paintwork.

irideredthebike

This does sound odd.

I have put over 6000km on mine without a problem and they rarely require even minor truing.

I have broken spokes on other wheels, but that is due to an odd spoke configuration and my weighing 90kg.

yenrod

I've had mine for about 2yrs now i think and the front is waving VERY slightly 'out of true' when I 1st got them the back wheel is a bit flexible BUT I've never seen a pair of wheels like these. I use these as my main training wheels and they are CHEAP yet can take SOO MUCH !!! Even for weight they aint bad OK if you WANT LIGHT try carbon wheel yet whats the cost of them ???????? 1000's and the rest...I rotate 2 pairs - training and 1 pair of race wheels...

They are a nice circumfurance to fit tyres too also !!!

If I 'had' to ride on pair...these would come to mind 1stly as they've been soo reliable for so cost too - amazing.

MY other 2 pair of wheels are handbuilt too & they've needed truing ! the R500's aint.

SimonLyons

Very bad luck.
At least black ought to be an easy colour to match. I have a black paint pen from Halfords.

prj45

I should add I guess I am 21 stone (133kg), so I figure I've put them through a bit more than the designers ever considered.

Still my Mavic open pro rims stayed straight for a couple of years, wore the bearings out on those before any sign of wobble or spoke snappings. However, I just destroyed a rear Aksium in about four months.

Roastie

Bad luck dude. I rode my R500s very hard. The front never needed truing. The rear broke a spoke, but only after nearly 10k, including a loaded tour. Treated them with disrespect too, dirt tracks, bunny hops, potholes in the dark. Never had a single problem, not even with the freehub. For the price, I think they are brilliant. My only gripe is the 20H front rim. Why not at least 24H - they you'd have half a chance of finding a cheapish replacement rim when it wears out (the hubs area good too, so they last ages).