Spokes Keep Breaking

peter_booker2003

Went to Llandegla last Saturday, Broke a spoke then. Got it fixed the same afternoon. All has been fine until today when after my ride another spoke snapped. As i was putting it on the car, I heard a ping. Realised what it was and it was the spoke snapping. It snapped about 2/3 into the spoke, near the hub.

All has been fine until today.

I have read that it could be TOO much tension i.e overtightened.

What do you guys reckon?

Cheers

supersonic

The spokes are fatigued. They will all need replacing, and the wheel rebuilding. Make sure the builder stress relieves them.

peter_booker2003

Thanks Supersonic.

Do you reckon I should get the wheel rebuilt or just get a new rear wheel? The wheel is a WTB Laserdisc Trail rim.

Chunkers1980

THe wheel is not going to suddendenly die, just replace the spokes as and when they break.

Spokes and a wheel build will be in the region of 40-50 pounds depending on where done and the quality of the spokes.

New MTB wheel sets go from about £50 upwards.

rhext

Chunkers1980 wrote:

THe wheel is not going to suddendenly die, just replace the spokes as and when they break.

Spokes and a wheel build will be in the region of 40-50 pounds depending on where done and the quality of the spokes.

New MTB wheel sets go from about £50 upwards.

Disagree with this: either get the whole wheel rebuilt or get a new one. Once one goes, the rest will not be far behind. Each one that goes will cost you £8-£10 for a new spoke and re-true, and by the time you've had 3-4 of them replaced you might as well have got it all redone. Not to mention not being able to rely on the wheel. Ask the LBS whether they recommend re-using hub/rim...although if you're not that fussed about what make it is, I'd just do an internet search and see what's cheap this week.

mrmonkfinger

peter_booker2003 wrote:

Thanks Supersonic.

Do you reckon I should get the wheel rebuilt or just get a new rear wheel? The wheel is a WTB Laserdisc Trail rim.

Worth saving if its dent-free IMHO.

What hub does the wheel have?

Plyphon

Chunkers1980 wrote:

THe wheel is not going to suddendenly die, just replace the spokes as and when they break.

The issue is, a wheel is only as strong as it's weakest spoke.

All spokes stretch, but unevenly. One will go, then you'll replace with a new, unstretched spoke.

This increases the pressure on the rest of the older spokes, meaning another one will go.... and another... and another... and you'll keep replacing them and putting more pressure on the already stretched spokes.

It's honestly a lot better to just respoke the wheel.

Chunkers1980

Not in all cases.

The 2 broken spokes could have been from external factors that led them to fail.

If you replace a spoke you do it to a tension it to make the wheel round, makes no difference if the spoke it streched or not.

Depends if you know how to build wheels I suppose.

supersonic

Spokes stretch elastically, they don't remain that way, so if is done up the same as the others ie even tension no harm will come of it. It doesn't put extra tension on the other spokes.

While it could be two rogue spokes, the usual reason is fatigue from the wheel builder not stress relieving the spokes. This means that usually all will be weakened, and riding them causes them to fail.

cycleclinic

My general rule is three spokes have gone then the wheel probably needs rebuilding.

Plyphon

I just remember once on my BMX 1 spoke went... and I replaced it...

Then another...replaced...

Then another...

By the 4th I had ran out of replacement spokes.

By the time I got it respoked - 8 had snapped.

All within about two weeks maybe.