Planet X Model B wheels - a mysterious problem
pete99
Posts: 43
I know all about the cheap/light/strong bike component conundrum so I was never expecting these to be bombproof, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same problem – spoke nipples repeatedly coming off the rear wheel.
It happened for a third time today. I was setting off from lights, standing in the pedals but not really pushing with loads of power, when – 'Ping! Rattle! – another spoke comes loose as the nipple detaches and starts rolling round the middle of the rim.
My very reputable bike shop has re-attached spokes twice and tried to tighten everything up, but to no avail.
I'm using the bike for commuting but it's not being thrashed and I'm a pretty light (67kg) rider who never breaks wheels. let alone frames.
What do I do? Give up and get a new back wheel? If so any tips for a similar/less weight (950g) wheel which might be a bit more robust and won't cost vast sums?
In the interim I'm going to email Planet X to ask what's going on....
It happened for a third time today. I was setting off from lights, standing in the pedals but not really pushing with loads of power, when – 'Ping! Rattle! – another spoke comes loose as the nipple detaches and starts rolling round the middle of the rim.
My very reputable bike shop has re-attached spokes twice and tried to tighten everything up, but to no avail.
I'm using the bike for commuting but it's not being thrashed and I'm a pretty light (67kg) rider who never breaks wheels. let alone frames.
What do I do? Give up and get a new back wheel? If so any tips for a similar/less weight (950g) wheel which might be a bit more robust and won't cost vast sums?
In the interim I'm going to email Planet X to ask what's going on....
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Comments
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How long have you had them? Alloy spokes corrode so when you replace one, another one will become the weak link and break.0
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I've only had the wheels a year and they're used more or less entirely in the dry (I've got another bike I commute on when it rains). Wheels are completely untarnished.
All three nipples have come loose within the space of a few months.0 -
Have you done a search on here? I was looking for a new set of wheels around the model B price range recently and I read a thread where someone else had a very similar problem.0
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I'm a big fan of the Model Bs so it pains me a little bit to say that I had my latest back wheel last no more than 1000 miles over last winter - several cracks in the rim around random spokes, with most nipples also corroded. I don't know if the two things were related. It had to put up with some rough roads but I don't remember subjecting it to (several) rim-cracking pothole impacts. Planet X replaced the wheelset under warranty so no complaints there.
Got some Open Pros now.0
