mprince

Your hub is fine, if it was mine I would re-build with all new spokes. Spokes last a long time, but if the initial build was not properly tensioned this would definitely put more stress (less life) into the spokes.

If you are determined to replace the hub, I'd look on a site like Universal Cycles - you should be able to find something there in black, and be able to buy the new spokes there too.

Ilovemyride

Thank you . I really want to right now redo all the spokes but have to find the special size which apparently is 12 spokes @ 274mm one side and 12 spokes @ 278 mm the other with 12 mm nipples, but cant seem to find that yet or at an affordable price and just want to ride . What spoke would you suggest has the strongest head ( mushroom part ). Im thinking of just taking it to an affordable bike guy up the road and have him add the spoke and re tru it.

SethAZ 

I looked back at the photos you posted that show an ordinary spoke hole with an ordinary amount of indentation next to it from a steel spoke shaft being pressed at high tension into an aluminum flange over a period of time, and if that photo is what you were worried about I'd just second what others have already said, ie: the hub's fine.

There's no "special" size of spoke. There's just the right size, and there's a mm or two wiggle room here. The right length of spoke is just whatever length it has to be to go from the hub flange, at the angle dictated by your spoke lacing pattern and number of spokes, into the spoke nipple, with a good amount of thread engagement. There are calculators online where you input lacing pattern, number of spokes, and various figures related to the distance from the spoke holes in the rim (varies by rim) to the flanges of the hub, which will vary by the distance from the flange to the centerline of the particular hub and the height of the flange. These are all figures that are specific to each hub, and hub manufacturers and rim manufacturers list these figures on their websites. Some folks will say they aren't accurate enough and you should measure these things yourself. Take the advice as you will. In my own case for the wheels I've built (not many, so what do I know) I just used the figures from the rim manufacturer and the hub manufacturer, calculated the required spoke length, ordered them, and they came out fine. Perhaps not perfect, but fine.

If you already know what spoke length you need, there are any number of places where you can just order how many you need (I'd order a couple of extras of each length just to have spares). If you just need a couple, this should not cost that much. Most of these places will only list sizes in certain increments, like say only even numbers. So round to whatever size is closest to what you need and go with that. It's a perfectly valid approach to simply remove one of the unbroken spokes from the same side of the hub and measure it and see how long it is, then get more of the same length, if you don't want to calculate it.

Or you can just pay someone else to do it. That's fine, too. Depends on what you want to get out of it. I place personal value in knowing how to work on my bikes, I enjoy learning it and doing it, so I always do the legwork, read the forums, watch the Youtube videos, whatever it takes, and then figure it out and do it. Some aren't into that, and there's no right answer.

One place I've gotten spokes and nipples and such from in the past was bikehubstore dot com. You can choose your spoke type, see what lengths they offer, and place your order. Done.

davidad

spoke brands that have a good reputation are DT, Wheelsmith, and Sapim. There may be others, but these are the ones I know.
More spokes usually make for a stronger more reliable wheel. Spokes should out last the rims and can be reused.
Low spokes count wheels save the manufacturer time and money with no benefit to the end user.

Homebrew01

Replace the broken spoke.
Make sure all spoke tension is good.
Ride.

Ilovemyride

I would love to be able to just add a spoke an go but when they broke the wheel went way wonky and unrideable and feel the rest are on edge to do the same.. Soooo I took your advice and purchased a nice deal from Bikehubstore . He is sending Sapim Force spokes and nipples. So I cant wait. Probably in the future I will get full new wheels, as I have had these now since 2007.
Thanks.

ThermionicScott 

Umm, that's what happens when a spoke breaks. The wheel goes "wonky" and then the new spoke makes it straight again. Spoke heads don't break often, but they do occasionally. Your "feeling" doesn't mean any of the rest are about to break.

Ilovemyride

Yes I can tell they are. The last person who trued the wheel apparently did not tighten evenly . In the past I have had spokes break at the nipple ( a few at a time ) and it actually could still be ridden home . And in all honesty Im still not completely sure the hub is not damaged. But when it broke from the head its something completely different in my view .And the wheel was so badly bent at that point. I spent an hour and half in the dark on the side of the road trying to adjust to just make it slowly home . I hopped on it and it was very bad . I cant trust any of those spokes any longer and possibly not the hub either. To me its not worth ruining everything else on my very expensive carbon tri bike, thats what I said that night. I could have snapped the wheel and fell down , etc .I ruined my 400 dollar Specialized shoes in the whole process as well , so see now what I mean ?. See what happens after the new spokes.

Ilovemyride

I have a question .So I received my spokes in the mail. If the spoke comes thru the top of the nipple slightly when the spoke is barely snugged up , is that ok ? I do have a slight aero rim .

davidad

No. the spoke is too long and you won't be able to bring them to full tension. In an ideal world the spoke should end at the top of the nipple, but usually is a little short.

Ilovemyride

I see your point though I have not installed all the spokes yet. I'm thinking it will be different once there is equal pull / pressure. What do you think ?

Trevtassie

Yep, put both sides in and do a rough dishing and see how it goes.

Ilovemyride

Ok I will today and see how it looks , thanks.

Ilovemyride

Can someone tell me what these holes inside the holes are ? Its only these 2 around the whole rim . Im replacing spokes and came upon this and don't recall them before ?

mprince

Looks like rivets to hold the "pins" at the seam.

Ilovemyride

Ohhhmy . You are looking at the wrong 2 holes , my fault . I am curious about the 2 outer holes , they look like they have a cut in each hole that has me concerned .

Ilovemyride

Maybe they are for some kind of rim tape ?

Andrew R Stewart 

The two nipple access holes with the "added contours" sure look like someone with a drill (or some machine) didn't align where they were drilling very well. As perhaps the small "contour holes" were spaced for a closer spoke count... But given the earlier resistance to what so many suggested I doubt this possibility will be considered. Andy

Ilovemyride

To me it looked like something etched in to edges. Like something was lose enough as to where every bump etched it more.Hope I am wrong and it is still safe.

Ilovemyride

Can someone please comment on the holes that look like they are etching in to the other outside holes ?

mprince

Those small holes are not anything to worry about. There is no "etching", they are clearly drilled. Possibly to support the machine Reynolds used to build the original wheel. In any case, those holes support nothing, they are simply to allow access to the ends of the spoke (just like countless other rims) the only thing those holes touch in use is the rim tape.

Ilovemyride

People must be missing what I am trying to point out .The tiny cut outs are in the corner of only these 2 holes I have pictured , no where else , nothing to do with the normal spoke holes.

ThermionicScott 

Probably to help hold the rim ends together while attaching the rivets. Just put on some rim tape and quit finding things to worry about.

mprince

I know exactly what you are pointing out (based on the clarification of your question), and responded accordingly in my last post. Those "tiny cut outs" are likely a byproduct of the rim manufacturing or wheel building process, and should not be worried about. Have you finished relacing the wheel yet and started tensioning and stress relieving the spokes?

PS - holes don't have corners, if you are going to lose sleep over these rims or hubs, you should get rid of them and buy a brand new set. If I worried about my equipment like you do, I would never even sit on my bike let alone ride it...

Ilovemyride

Wow , great responses . Im on it , almost done. Thank you,