How often do you break a spoke?
08-01-05, 08:36 AM
#1
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How often do you break a spoke?
I do it about once a week! I have had my Cannondale R600 for since the end of last season. In the past two weeks I have broken a spoke twice! My authorized Cannondale retailer says that this is normal and that I am just riding too hard. In reality I am riding on paved roads and I tend to ride very gently.
I am wondering if the problem is that the spokes are not properly tensioned. If this is the case would I be better off having the whole wheel rebuilt or just keep doing it one spoke at a time! I called Cannondale and they told me to talk to my retailer. Sadly he seems more interested in himself to be very concerned with taking care of his customers (unless they are hot chicks with big thingies.)
Any thoughts?
I am wondering if the problem is that the spokes are not properly tensioned. If this is the case would I be better off having the whole wheel rebuilt or just keep doing it one spoke at a time! I called Cannondale and they told me to talk to my retailer. Sadly he seems more interested in himself to be very concerned with taking care of his customers (unless they are hot chicks with big thingies.)
Any thoughts?
08-01-05, 08:42 AM
#2
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08-01-05, 08:46 AM
#3
Keep on climbing
Originally Posted by turkdc
I do it about once a week! I have had my Cannondale R600 for since the end of last season. In the past two weeks I have broken a spoke twice! My authorized Cannondale retailer says that this is normal and that I am just riding too hard. In reality I am riding on paved roads and I tend to ride very gently.
I am wondering if the problem is that the spokes are not properly tensioned. If this is the case would I be better off having the whole wheel rebuilt or just keep doing it one spoke at a time! I called Cannondale and they told me to talk to my retailer. Sadly he seems more interested in himself to be very concerned with taking care of his customers (unless they are hot chicks with big thingies.)
Any thoughts?
I am wondering if the problem is that the spokes are not properly tensioned. If this is the case would I be better off having the whole wheel rebuilt or just keep doing it one spoke at a time! I called Cannondale and they told me to talk to my retailer. Sadly he seems more interested in himself to be very concerned with taking care of his customers (unless they are hot chicks with big thingies.)
Any thoughts?
08-01-05, 08:57 AM
#5
You Know!? For Kids!
I weigh 240 and have not weighed less than 200 since jr. high in the early 80's and have not broken a spoke that I can remember in that time. Wore out the eyelets in a Mavic Titan S rim but never broken a spoke that I can recall, and I used to ride pretty hard. I have never owned high end wheels, only what came on my bikes. I would find a shop with a better wheel builder or try to talk to Cannondale directly about your concerns.
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Last edited by jsharr; 08-01-05 at 09:07 AM.
08-01-05, 08:59 AM
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Fully realizing that posting this will ensure that I start breaking spokes, In 30+ years of riding I have never broken a spoke. I am pretty chunky too.
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08-01-05, 09:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Olebiker
Fully realizing that posting this will ensure that I start breaking spokes, In 30+ years of riding I have never broken a spoke. I am pretty chunky too.
08-01-05, 09:06 AM
#8
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Riding bikes since 1975 and never a broken spoke.
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-=- '05 Jamis Nova -=- '04 Fuji Absolute -=- '94 Trek 820 -=- '77 Schwinn Scrambler 36/36 -=-
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Friends don't let friends use brifters.
08-01-05, 09:08 AM
#9
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I did call Cannondale directly and was slightly dissapointed with the help I got. The 1st woman I talked to kept telling me to take it to the LBS and have the wheel trued. I asked her if it wasn't possible for a wheel to be true, but have spokes that weren't properly tensioned. She said she didn't know anything about tensioning spokes! I got transferred to Mark in tech. He was more helpful and told me that I should have the LBS warranty the wheel. I am going to talk to the LBS guy today and see what he can do. Ideally I can get a new wheel or at least get this one completely rebuilt... That wouldn't be all that bad. I wouldn't mind getting pink nipples instead of the silver colored ones that are currently on the bike...
08-01-05, 11:02 AM
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08-01-05, 11:33 AM
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only on my mtn bikes, never on the road.
08-01-05, 11:41 AM
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I have never broken a spoke.
turkdc, How much do you weigh?
Unless you are overweight I suggest you find another bikeshop.
turkdc, How much do you weigh?
Unless you are overweight I suggest you find another bikeshop.
08-01-05, 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by turkdc
I did call Cannondale directly and was slightly dissapointed with the help I got. The 1st woman I talked to kept telling me to take it to the LBS and have the wheel trued. I asked her if it wasn't possible for a wheel to be true, but have spokes that weren't properly tensioned. She said she didn't know anything about tensioning spokes! I got transferred to Mark in tech. He was more helpful and told me that I should have the LBS warranty the wheel. I am going to talk to the LBS guy today and see what he can do. Ideally I can get a new wheel or at least get this one completely rebuilt... That wouldn't be all that bad. I wouldn't mind getting pink nipples instead of the silver colored ones that are currently on the bike...
08-01-05, 12:06 PM
#15
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never, ever!
Ive had my wheel come really really out of true. As in one of my spokes was going free, although I have i think a 32 spoke wheel which helps. That may something to consider Get a new wheel built that is a higher spoke count so it is easier to deal with if in case something happenes while your riding.
Ive had my wheel come really really out of true. As in one of my spokes was going free, although I have i think a 32 spoke wheel which helps. That may something to consider Get a new wheel built that is a higher spoke count so it is easier to deal with if in case something happenes while your riding.
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08-01-05, 12:20 PM
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The wheel you're describing is indeed completely abnormal! And the wheel can indeed be "true" but have incorrectly tensioned spokes. This would certainly lead to problems, including broken spokes. Occasionally a rim can be so warped that the spokes cannot be properly tensioned. When this happens, it is often time to get a new rim. However, unless you've been in a crash on your new wheels then that shouldn't be the issue. Also, thin aluminum spokes can break more often than steel spokes, due to their inability to handle tensile forces as well. The really thick/wide aluminum spokes featured on some Mavic wheels are a bit better. Another factor is the number of spokes. A wheel built with fewer spokes (say 12, 16, 24, etc...) will require that those spokes each have a much higher tension. So if you're a big guy, have very lightweight wheels with relatively few spokes and are riding fast over rough roads you will definitely break spokes, even if the wheel is built properly! Most wheels built with an eye towards durability will have more spokes, say 28, 32, 36, or 42, and they'll be made out of stainless steel spokes attached to brass alloy nipples. I have a friend who rides a touring bike with wheels built of straight 14 gauge stainless spokes on 42-hole rims built in a 3x pattern. He has never had to even true his wheels in > 10 years!
08-01-05, 12:23 PM
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You have the Gipiemme T3 wheels right? How much do you weigh? I am a big fan of ditching low spoke count wheels if at all possible. That said in the last year I have broken 1 spoke and it was on a 32 spoke 3x laced wheel but it was a machine built wheel ( I bet yours are as well) that I got off of eBay so the build is suspect. I was also towing 70 lbs behind me (trailer bike) and I weigh 218 lbs. Other than that spoke I have never broken a spoke, even back in the late 80s early 90s when I was racing MTBs in HS.
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08-01-05, 12:45 PM
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I have 36 spoke wheels for both front and rear. One broken spoke in 4 years and I never even had to true them before despite the paved roads (there are lots of them where I live). I am 75kg for 1m83.
There is nothing like bomb proof wheels to start having confidence in your bike.
There is nothing like bomb proof wheels to start having confidence in your bike.
08-01-05, 12:59 PM
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I broke 2 spokes on a newly bought bike 20 years ago. The LBS gave me a new wheel and my problem was solved. Other than that, never. So, like others have said, I'd say your wheel is bad and you need to be more assertive with your bike shop.
08-01-05, 02:23 PM
#20
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~7000 miles on the road.
0 broken spokes.
0 broken spokes.
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08-01-05, 02:31 PM
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I broke three spokes in a month once, and it never happened again.
08-01-05, 05:00 PM
#25
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Never broken a spoke on MTB or on roadie but this is my thought:
- either you have poorly tensioned wheels (which surely they checked if you come back every week with another spoke gone?)
- or the spokes they are using are crap.
I prefer the latter as it involves a very easy and cheap solution. Go and buy some DT Swiss spokes and re-lace the wheels. This will cost you around $50 I guess including labour if you're not gonna do it yourself. The spokes cost around $30ish.
If it's the former then you really need to move LBS because that is not acceptable.
- either you have poorly tensioned wheels (which surely they checked if you come back every week with another spoke gone?)
- or the spokes they are using are crap.
I prefer the latter as it involves a very easy and cheap solution. Go and buy some DT Swiss spokes and re-lace the wheels. This will cost you around $50 I guess including labour if you're not gonna do it yourself. The spokes cost around $30ish.
If it's the former then you really need to move LBS because that is not acceptable.