Too many broken spokes

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mr fish 06 Jun 21:35  

Joined: 06 Jun 2011

Posts: 6

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Hello one and all im newish to biking "again" Bought a specialized crosstrail last year then had discs in my neck go so not a lot of riding last year but got the all clear so started riding end of april trying to do 100 miles a week with commuting and leisure rides.....but in the last 400 miles i have had 4 spokes break in the rear wheel, does anyone else have this bike or this problem?

cheers keep up the great posts


txbnet 07 Jun 10:19  

Joined: 29 Jun 2010

Posts: 129

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My Profile 		Hello Mr Fish

I've had three broken spokes over three months in my Ridgeback hybrid back wheel. I had the wheel rebuilt with stronger spokes prior to doing LEJOG but still managed to snap one half way up. Its a pain when it happens, but I've been told by several bike shops that it could happen anytime to any wheel.

I've been able to fix one broken spoke myself and get going again by carrying two or three spares strapped to the mudguard stays, but if it happens on the cassette side, I'm knackered!

I also carry a magic spoke which is a kevlar thread that you fasten through the broken spoke hole and tighten to get you on the road again as a temporary measure. They're quite expensive (about £14), very fiddly and not all that useful to be honest.

As long as you can ride with the brake released to your nearest LTB then you have to adapt!





My Latest Route: Jan 2011 Whitley Bay to Bellingham

mr fish 07 Jun 20:50  

Joined: 06 Jun 2011

Posts: 6

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Thanks for the feedback all 4 have been the cassette side I would'nt mind if i was going off road or abusing the bike but on tarmac when the bike is advertised as go anywhere i expect more.....anyway the wheel is in the shop and they said they were going to contact Specialized for me so fingers crossed


dudley 08 Jun 13:21  

Joined: 16 Jan 2009

Posts: 498

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My Profile 		have the rear spokes replaced with Stainless Steel?

also, if the wheel is a few years old, the spoke nipples can react with an aluminium rim, causing accelerated corrosion, which is often the cause of broken spokes. If there is a white powdery residue where each spoke meets the rim, this may be a contributing factor

My Latest Route: Nov 2009 Forth Estuary Circular

mr fish 08 Jun 13:36  

Joined: 06 Jun 2011

Posts: 6

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The wheel is one year old and all standard no corrosion anywhere, the guy in the shop said it was very clean I feel I may have to replace all spokes ...But would like to give specialized a chance to sort it out first (crossing of fingers) I have had cheap bikes in the past with put a single problem with spokes


24Spokes 08 Jun 21:50  

Joined: 31 May 2011

Posts: 7

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One of the problems facing all purchasers of bikes is that the very nature of the bicycle business means that the manufactures have to reduce their cost as much as possible to be competitive. One way that many bike manufacturers reduce their cost is to use a wheel set that is not top of the line. The spokes will fail if ridden hard or if the weight of the bike and rider exceeds the design limit of the wheels.

I lost three spokes on the rear driven side of my Trek 2.1 road bike. After talking to my LBS and many experienced riders, I saw that what I described above is exactly what Trek did. They put an entry level wheel set on the bike. I upgraded to Rol Volant RT wheels about one year and 6,000 miles ago and have not broken a spoke. I weigh 190 pounds so I am well within the design parameters of the Rol. These wheels are not expensive and Sean, the owner, is super to work with. Here is a link to the Rol website: http://www.rolwheels.com/

No affiliation with Rol; just a very satisfied customer!

Ride Safe!
Charlie


mr fish 09 Jun 08:54  

Joined: 06 Jun 2011

Posts: 6

Bike:

Thanks for the advice I may have to do exactly what you are saying if this continues to be a problem ....however if a bike is advertised to do a certain job it should be fit for it ...it seem as a cyclist i am expected just to put up with it or spend more money which is what im struggling to head around.....


Pesmo 12 Jun 09:38  

Joined: 17 Jul 2010

Posts: 74

Bike:

My Profile 		I have had to upgrade the rear wheels on both my bikes as they couldn't take my weight/loads without breaking spokes near the cassette. Its a surprisingly common problem. I ended up spending about £90 0n each rear wheel and ensured that they had more spokes to a higher specs than the original and most inportantly that the rim was a high quality double butted item.

Incidentally, If anyone does carry spokes with them on a tour and they have flat bars, store the spare spokes inside the handlbar tube, you won't lose them or bend them that way.


rilin 20 Jun 15:08  

Joined: 20 Jun 2011

Posts: 1

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I have exactly the same problem with my specialized crosstrail 2010. I’ve had it only for 3 month (600 miles) when the problem started and now I have a broken spoke almost on every ride. I even bought cassette removal tools to avoid going to the bike shop. I’ve replaced 5 spokes so far and now another one broke and 3 are loose. I would guess that the reason for that are the combination of the entry level wheel set and the disk brakes that are causing the braking energy to be transferred from the disk brakes through the spokes to the rim and eventually the tire where in the conventional v-brakes that force flows only through the rim and the tire. I read in other reviews that some people got free replacement wheel set from specialized. I’ll try working with my LBS to do just that.




AJbiker 28 Nov 13:57  

Joined: 28 Nov 2011

Posts: 1

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Hi I don't know if I've "joined up" yet, but here goes...
Yes I've broken enough spokes. Enough to finally realise where to go to get them:
Mr. Harrison's Cycle and General Store, 71 Main Road, Long Hanborough, and they cost 15p a spoke!!!! Not only that, they advise you, if you do what I did & come with the bike & a tape measure, they'll help you figure out what size, because they come in 2mm increments!! With most shops, you don't get this kind of service...
The easiest thing is do what I do & if the nipple's blown (ripped off rim) then the wheel's R.I.P. but at least you get spare spokes... never buy another wheel for that bike again, at least unless the rim rips again... I do 150 m p week so believe me when a spoke goes it ain't no shakes & you can true the wheels again & again & again & again.....
So anyway tools: only after many years did I buy the small, cheap, BIG MONEY-SAVER... the CASSETTE TIGHTENER (sorry don't have the lingo right now but it's what you use to unscrew your cassette) which is needed for near-fitting side (spoke threaded next to the gears as opposed to far side, away from the gears where anyone can thread them without removing the gears first).
You've got a spoke gone near-side to the gears. So you unscrew it (from the rim), take off your wheel, get your cassette "nut", (it can take a very big spanner to untighten, but if like me you have none, just grab it with pliers) & twist to loosen the cassette head, then take off the cogs. This hopefully helps with getting at the near-side spoke hole. Thread in the replacement THE RIGHT WAY ROUND (this can vary with road bikes!), then re-do the cogs, wheel & all (this part is now done) then (you really have to bend the spoke a bit, don't worry, it's fine) screw into the nipple & then true your wheel (another topic, to do with playing around with all the spokes with small pliers...)



leelee 10 Feb 16:35  

Joined: 10 Feb 2012

Posts: 14

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My Profile 		too tight spokes that is also most pepole who true there own wheels tend to only tighten them and in end they all go one by one as no body slackens any some do
while on spokes make sure your rim is in middle of forks and not to one side as this is common for overtightend spokes /if you do a non handed it will turn if not in middle/correct an happy peddlin
most new bikes need atention from the off