Broken spokes

Woodmonkey
Woodmonkey Posts: 412
edited September 2013 in MTB workshop & tech
I've just broken my 4th spoke in as many months, I'm fixing them myself as per zinn, the wheel runs true when I'm done and all the spokes seem to be under decent tension. What are the possibilities?
Have I reached the limit of my home mechanic skills,
Am I just a fat b@st at 15 1/2 stone)?
Could the oem voodoo spokes not be great (the replaced ones haven't broken)?
Anything else?
pity those who don't drink, the way they feel when they wake is the best they will feel all day


voodoo hoodoo

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    once one has gone and then followed by others it shows that the original build was poor and it really needs a rebuild with new spokes.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Woodmonkey wrote:
    I've just broken my 4th spoke in as many months, I'm fixing them myself as per zinn, the wheel runs true when I'm done and all the spokes seem to be under decent tension. What are the possibilities?
    Have I reached the limit of my home mechanic skills,
    Am I just a fat b@st at 15 1/2 stone)?
    Could the oem voodoo spokes not be great (the replaced ones haven't broken)?
    Anything else?

    Some cheap plain guage spokes are unbelievably nasty. I have a plastic tube which used to have a poster in it but now has all the odds and ends spokes thrown in it for the day I need a spare spoke. I have a bundle of nice double butted black Alpina spokes that came from a scrapped Merlin cycles wheel that my mate killed and another bundle of no name spokes that came out of a cheapo wheel I scrapped. The difference is amazing the Alpina all nice and even with the heads all at the same angle and relatively straight with just a slight bow from the build. The cheapo spokes look they were run over by a bus kinked and the heads at all funny angles and shapes.

    The Alpinas will be re used in a wheel one day, the cheap and nasty will probably get used for fishing dead things out of the U bend and to retrieve lost screws from under the work bench.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • I'll look into rebuild but I'm thinking they prob aren't worth spending the cash on. Might just stick a new spoke on and save the cash towards some shiney new ones
    pity those who don't drink, the way they feel when they wake is the best they will feel all day


    voodoo hoodoo
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Replacement spokes are only 30p each (Alpina DB from sdeals.com) - replace all the spokes, retension and retrue the wheel and you'll have learnt a valuable skill. Plenty of guidance online. No need for any fancy trueing stands etc - simply use the frame and forks.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Monty Dog wrote:
    Replacement spokes are only 30p each (Alpina DB from sdeals.com) - replace all the spokes, retension and retrue the wheel and you'll have learnt a valuable skill. Plenty of guidance online. No need for any fancy trueing stands etc - simply use the frame and forks.


    Good price but limited sizes nothing suitable for a 26'' wheel
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • Sounds like a plan, might still get the new ones as the original aren't too great and I've wanted to upgrade them for a while, then have a crack at rebuilding them.
    pity those who don't drink, the way they feel when they wake is the best they will feel all day


    voodoo hoodoo