Do I need more spokes?

BlueFountain
BlueFountain Posts: 3
edited September 2018 in Road buying advice
So I had an issue of my bike spokes in the back constantly breaking and wobbling so eventually the bike shop suggested I swapped it out to an XLC Inverno 29er (32 spokes).

It helped. But I still seem to have issues of the back tire wobbling far before it should be needed to go in. I looked around and saw some info saying more spokes can help, but no real info on how many spokes to go with as it always seems to end with it varying on riding style and not just user weight. Also looking around a little online it seems hard to find anything beyond 32h (though I did find a 144 spoke or something crazy like that), and I'm not fully sure if just more spokes would help. Basically this tire business confuses me and I just want to be able to ride without constantly needing to true the wheel -_-

To add I'm just under 200 pounds currently, and I often do ride a bit rough (fast, fairly sharp turns, and while I try to avoid it will occasionally run over a stick or jump onto/off a curb)

Comments

  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Just what kind of biek is this
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    200Lbs ~ 98Kg - so on the heavier side - but not overly heavy. (sorry to be personal - but it's key)

    The number of spokes doesn't always mean that it's the best wheel for your weight - they need to be the right spokes and correctly tensioned - I'm not a wheel builder - but if you're finding your wheels are going out of true then they're not built right or have poor quality components. I'd search on here for wheel building and look to buy a custom wheel that will be specced for you - it'll be a bit more expensive in the first place, but will last a lot longer.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    Slowbike wrote:
    200Lbs ~ 98Kg -
    .

    200Lbs = 90.7 kg actually
    left the forum March 2023
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Slowbike wrote:
    200Lbs ~ 98Kg -
    .

    200Lbs = 90.7 kg actually

    I blame my eyesight .... ;)
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    32 spoke wheels only go wrong for 90kg riders if they are not built right,
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • BlueFountain
    BlueFountain Posts: 3
    It’s a 2010 Crosstrail Specialized.

    Slowbike – I know. Was up to 230 for a while though. Hoping to keep dropping.

    Now that I think about it last time I rode it actually was when I was around 215. When I first got it I was about 180 at the time I think and I don’t remember having an issue at the start. But various stressors and weight gain and all that… Then moved for a year to a place where biking wasn’t that possible (I mainly bike for commuting, but work was too far).

    Based on the comments though… I think I’ll try to lug it to a bike shop, get it trued up as I’m not great at doing that myself yet, and see if it holds back up as I MAY currently be around a weight that it might. And if not, well I’ll look at a custom wheel set up over the winter and pray its not too pricey ^_^’

    Thanks!
  • PaulLCFC
    PaulLCFC Posts: 24
    Running over something is not always avoidable. Missing a stick in the road may put you under some lorry wheels. But curb jumping and bashing up curbs with 200lb on won't be good for you back wheel.
  • moonshine
    moonshine Posts: 1,021
    Once spokes start to break regularly, the wheel really needs to be rebuilt. Each time a spoke breaks, stresses and tensions in the wheel shift around and lead to another spoke break, so you get into a cycle of replacing broken spokes over and over again.

    A properly built wheel with 32h should be OK but it would be worth speaking to a good wheelbuilder about your needs

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