Wheel Spoke Screw Loose

dinyull
dinyull Posts: 2,979
edited September 2013 in Workshop
Out on my ride on Friday I noticed a rattle from my front wheel. Turns out one of the screws connecting to a spoke had un-screwed itself and was loose inside the wheel.

I managed to fish out the screw and fix, tightened the spoke fairly tight.

Out yesterday and again noticed a rattle from the front wheel. Same spoke has worked itself completely loose again. Have once again fished it out and tightened it as much as I can but obviously worried it's going to happen again tonight.

Wheel didn't make any noise indicating any loose spoke's when I set off yesterday whereas previously the spoke that has worked completely loose was making a noise when 'flexing'.

Is it just a really straightforward case of making sure it's tightened enough, or is there something else I should be doing?

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    What wheel? How many spokes?
    left the forum March 2023
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    Ritchey DS Pro - 20 spoke.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    I see, so not that easy. If the wheel is true when you tighten it, then it means all the spokes are undertensioned (or the rim is bent). That suggests all the spokes need to be tightened a bit (half a turn to one turn) but truing a 20 spokes wheel is not so simple if you've never done it
    left the forum March 2023
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    Ah, excellent. Just managed to get my bike fixed at the weekend and something else 'goes'.

    Cheers for your help, would you recommend a trip to LBS?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Dinyull wrote:
    Ah, excellent. Just managed to get my bike fixed at the weekend and something else 'goes'.

    Cheers for your help, would you recommend a trip to LBS?

    Depends on the LBS, most likely not
    left the forum March 2023
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    Brilliant, haha!

    What would you recommend - is it something I's be able to tackle with park tools vid's etc?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Dinyull wrote:
    Brilliant, haha!

    What would you recommend - is it something I's be able to tackle with park tools vid's etc?

    I think you need to tighten all the spokes. Try half a turn for each spoke. then you need a way to assess if the wheel is true... if you turn the bike upside down, you can use the brake pads as caliper to check if it's true. If the spokes are bladed, you might need a spoke holder (or a piece of wood with a slot) to avoid them winding up.
    left the forum March 2023
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    Thanks for that, I'll give it a go tonight.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    How are you tightening the spokes?
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    I unpeeled the rim tape and used a screwdriver.

    Haven't done anything with it yet and held up on my ride last night and commute this morning but going to borrow a spoke spanner and give them all a half turn.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Dinyull wrote:
    I unpeeled the rim tape and used a screwdriver.

    Haven't done anything with it yet and held up on my ride last night and commute this morning but going to borrow a spoke spanner and give them all a half turn.
    It's not easy to load tension with a screwdriver.. I suggest you get hold of a decent spoke key and tighten the culprit until the wheel is true-ish as a first measure
    left the forum March 2023
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    Yeah, think that's where I went wrong 1st time around. Mate has a spoke key so will give it/them the once over.

    Thanks for the help!

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