Is it common for front spokes to break?

craker
craker Posts: 1,739
edited October 2013 in Workshop
Popped a spoke last night on my model b, drive side on the rear. The wheel dished and jammed against the chainstay (lucky for me I had a spoke key and contorted the thing back into a rotatable form).

Now two days before I had tried to reclaim a KoM on a hill hereabouts (I only KoM downhills btw). At the age of forty something doing that sort of speed on a hill (topped out at 47) just fills me with fear eg overheating bearings, badly adjusted QRs, handlebar failure could all lead to instant demise. So what about popping a front spoke? I can't recall it happening, certainly on wheels that appear maintained and corrosion free. But that would put a dampener on your day surely?

Comments

  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Front wheels are under significantly less stress than rears, it's pretty unlikely for a front wheel to fail.
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  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Not impossible, but less likely.
    Corrosion is not the issue, metal fatigue and cleaning regime have nothing in common
    left the forum March 2023
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    While I have had wheels go out of true or had damaged rims due to impact I have never broken a spoke in 20 years. Get a bike shop to take a look at the wheel or even replace it if that's what you need to regain confidence in your bike. Also I do regular checks to make sure everything is running smoothly, properly adjusted and tightened up properly. This comes from my twenty years of mountain biking often in the middle of nowhere.

    But I do know what you mean about being fourty and have a more risk averse approach to riding. When I was in my early twenties mountain biking I used to go down some really steep long rocky drops. I recently walked up one such trail and had no idea how I managed to get down in one piece !!

    Generally if something in cycling is worrying you it is for a good reason and you either practice / train to get over it or just ease back a bit. I have a KOM for a varied section near me and always aim to improve my time but I am too old now to take extreme risks and if a car, dog , person, horse etc gets in the way then I ease off immediately and keep safe.

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