New Spokes or New Wheel? 700c

[shall666]

Hi,

I just lost my second spoke in as many weeks on my 700c roady rear wheel. Is this a sign that my wheel, which has done about 1000miles, is due for replacement?

Can I just keep replacing spokes and how can I tell if the whole wheel is shot?

[cyclerUK]

1000 miles is not a lot for a road wheel.
Obviously depends on how you treat them.
To me a wheel is good until it's physically damaged (dented rim) or the rim is worn through due to braking.
Replace the spokes and have the wheel re-trued and tensioned.
If you can do the truing yourself then fine but don't forget to stress relieve the spokes.

See Sheldon:- Scroll down the page.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Also see:-
http://bikeride.com/broken-spoke/

[DaveM]

If there's no physical damage to the spokes, it's probably a sign that the wheel isn't properly tensioned (or is underbuilt for how you ride). Having the wheel properly tensioned may help. Getting it respoked comes down to cost. It might be cheaper to get a new wheel than replace the old one. But either way. Have someone hand check the spoke tension either way though.

[RobAR]

Where did the spoke break? Did the head break off of the nipple at the rim? Did the spoke break at the J-bend at the hub? As Dave asked - any damage to the spokes from the chain getting between the spokes and the cassette and chewing them up?

[nfmisso]

I am a BIG guy; and have broken spokes in several wheels. Due to economic considerations, I built an inexpensive truing stand, and learned how to replace spokes and rebuild wheels.

After a bit of research, especially on Peter White's website, I use Wheelsmith spokes exclusively, high tension and stress relieve - result, no more broken spokes. All my wheels are 36 spokes, except one rear wheel which is 40 spokes.

[shall666]

Thanks for all the advice guys,

The spoke snapped very clean just after the J-bend at the hub.... No interference from chain as far as i know, i don't think the chain has ever come off actually.

Think i might try the whole home made truing stand thing, the retail ones are tre expensive!! Especially when a spoke is just a couple of pounds at most...

Thanks all

[nfmisso]

(04-05-2011, 02:03 PM)shall666 Wrote:  ........The spoke snapped very clean just after the J-bend at the hub....

Fatigue failure caused by insufficient spoke tension - no question.

Most likely more on the drive (chain) side will fail in the next few tens of miles.

I strongly recommend replacing all of the drive side spokes with top quality stainless steel parts (Wheelsmith is my preference, other prefer DT), and re-tensioning and stress relieving both sides.

[RobAR]

nfmisso. How you get so smart?!

[nfmisso]

(04-05-2011, 09:35 PM)RobAR Wrote:  nfmisso. How you get so smart?!

thank you

experience last summer had a similar spoke failure, replaced spoke, a couple days (less than 25 miles) later, another spoke failed.....

after that I built my truing stand, researched spokes, found Sheldon Brown and Peter White the most credible sources of information in my opinion. Rebuilt the wheels with Wheelsmith DH13 spokes on the drive side, and Wheelsmith SS14 on the non-drive side - that is now my spare rear wheel. I scored a very nice set of sealed bearing wheels 36/40 14ga. stainless spokes, Araya/Suzue; with properly tensioned spokes - they are on the bike now. The rear one went on first, and few weeks later I had a spoke failure on the front (!?!!?) wheel. The Araya/Suzue front wheel went on then. The wheel with the failed spokes got 36 new Wheelsmith SS14 spokes, and it is now my spare front wheel.

I get my DH13 spokes from Peter White, and the SS14 from an ebay seller in Arizona. Peter White sells custom lengths. The ebay seller has a huge inventory.