Had to happen eventually (spokes!)

larkim

Got the call I'd been expecting for a few months "Dad, the bike's broken, I can't ride it home".

After a little persuasion to try some brute forcing (his description was that the wheel was catching on the reach mech) I got a call a few moments later saying he'd exhausted all options and needed picking up instead of riding home.

Anyway, upshot is it seems that his rear mech caught in the spokes and has bent at least one of them, throwing the wheel out of true and irreparably bending the mech. Mech needed replacing anyway, so that's OK and I think I can manage that.

Spokes, I've never touched. In principle, seems fine - but how do you know what length and size of spoke to buy?

Bike is Spesh Hardrock Disc 2011, spec is here - http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec024137 - which shows "2mm" spokes, stainless, 14g. Do I measure the length of the spokes?

Searches like http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/s?q=2mm+spoke seem to throw up little help, so I turn to my favourite group of experts. Oh, and I've posted on here too :twisted:

Help, as ever, gratefully received!

Matt

cooldad

Easiest thing, seeing as you've got to put one in, is take one out (from same side) and take it to a shop.

larkim

Logical! Just spotted it's on the cassette side too though so I'll need a few more tools.

The Rookie

Cassette and disc have to come off regardless of which side or you cant feed the new spoke through. A plain guage spoke from an LBS or Halfords shouldn't cost more than a quid.

Remove spoke, measure, go buy, fit, tension to the same as the other spokes (guage this by the noise when you 'twang' them) and the wheel will be close to true.

Check the mech hanger, that may well be bent as well!

larkim

Cheers - in the interests of expediency, LBS are sorting this out for the princely sum of £10 plus £1 for a spoke. Can't complain.

I've checked the hanger, to the eye it still looks true, but now that I've put the new rear mech on I'll be able to check precise alignment when I get the wheel back on Tuesday. Looks straight for the time being though, thanks for the pointer.

veronese68

cooldad wrote:

Easiest thing, seeing as you've got to put one in, is take one out (from same side) and take it to a shop.

Last time I did this they were so relieved that I'd taken the spoke in, rather than just asking for a spoke with no idea about size, that they gave me the spoke foc.