Broken spoke

monkeyeatsps3

So one of the spokes on my rear wheel has come off on one end (the one that should be attached to the rim) and something is now rattling around the wheel.
How do I fix it?

garyk72

Take it to your LBS.

Bobbinogs

Take the tyre and tube off and then see if you can remove the rim tape intact. Then, the you should be able to find the end of the spoke that has broken off. Hopefully you will be able to get a replacement spoke but if they are factory built wheels you may be unlucky. Also, some spokes are only available in multi-packs which can be a real pain. Make sure you measure it well, and then measure it again prior to any order.

To refix the spoke should be an achievable task, you just need a spoke key and a bit of patience (pop the wheel on the bike, move one of the brake blokes close to the rim and then adjust until it spins true, don't forget to ping the spoke every now and then to check tension and I find that the odd squeeze of two spokes helps to even out things too).

Don't forget to put rim tape back on prior to tube/tyre. It can be bought at a very reasonable price if you need to cut off the old tape.

dennisn

Bobbinogs wrote:

Take the tyre and tube off and then see if you can remove the rim tape intact. Then, the you should be able to find the end of the spoke that has broken off. Hopefully you will be able to get a replacement spoke but if they are factory built wheels you may be unlucky. Also, some spokes are only available in multi-packs which can be a real pain. Make sure you measure it well, and then measure it again prior to any order.

To refix the spoke should be an achievable task, you just need a spoke key and a bit of patience (pop the wheel on the bike, move one of the brake blokes close to the rim and then adjust until it spins true, don't forget to ping the spoke every now and then to check tension and I find that the odd squeeze of two spokes helps to even out things too).

Don't forget to put rim tape back on prior to tube/tyre. It can be bought at a very reasonable price if you need to cut off the old tape.

I don't recommend the above advise. Not knowing how to even start to fix it is not a good sign that the OP will ever get the wheel back into proper true and even spoke tension. The OP needs to get proper tools and study a wheel building manual before he attempts working on one. There is not enough room on this forum to TELL someone all he needs to know to get a wheel back together.

dee4life2005

A broken spoke is something that you're likely to encounter at some point due to the rubbish state of the roads in the UK these days. So knowing how to sort it yourself could save you a few bucks in the long run ... as is knowing how to true your wheels.

Depending on the wheelset, fixing a single spoke shouldn't pose any great problem and using the "move brake block close to the rim" trick suggested above should be all that's needed in order to re-true the wheel.

If the OP isn't confident in tackling this themselves then definitely take it to the LBS, but I'd be asking them if I could watch them repair it so that I knew the process for next time.

Bucksspeedyboy

I suggest the OP looks on UTube for videos showing how to replace a spoke. I had my first spoke go a couple of years ago and after my LBS quoted about £20 to replace it, I figured I''d better learn how to do it myself as more spokes were likely to snap in future (which indeed they have).

I agree that the correct tools are needed (spoke key and tools to get the rear cassette off), I worked out what I needed from UTube. But I have not yet 'had to study a wheel-building manual'.

cycleclinic

It is not hard to replace a spoke. Spoke fail through fatigue if more fail then get the wheel rebuilt. £20 to replace a spoke is far too much it not more than a wheel true.

Give it a go but a good LBS will charge you a tenner or less and it should be done the same day (it may take only 10 minutes and that includes evening out tensions) You are paying for the skill not the time so much.