Broken spoke - spoke replacement best practices?
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Broken spoke - spoke replacement best practices?
I had a spoke break on my rear wheel. In terms of repair, obviously the simplest thing to do is to get a replacement spoke, install it, and then bring the wheel to true. I'm aware that while this may be the simplest fix, it may not result in the most robust wheel.
A search on these forums suggests that the best practice is to respoke the entire wheel. I interpret "respoke" to mean to get all new spokes - is this an accurate interpretation? Relatedly, rather than replacing all of the spokes, can I get away with replacing just the affected side spokes and reusing the old spokes from the unaffected side?
The other thing I'm considering is to loosen (but not remove) all of the spokes, install the replacement spoke, and then re-tension (and bring to true) the entire wheel. The thinking is that I'd be reusing all the old spokes except for the single new replacement spoke, and essentially rebuilding the wheel so that it is tensioned properly. Is there merit to this approach?
A search on these forums suggests that the best practice is to respoke the entire wheel. I interpret "respoke" to mean to get all new spokes - is this an accurate interpretation? Relatedly, rather than replacing all of the spokes, can I get away with replacing just the affected side spokes and reusing the old spokes from the unaffected side?
The other thing I'm considering is to loosen (but not remove) all of the spokes, install the replacement spoke, and then re-tension (and bring to true) the entire wheel. The thinking is that I'd be reusing all the old spokes except for the single new replacement spoke, and essentially rebuilding the wheel so that it is tensioned properly. Is there merit to this approach?
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Relatedly, rather than replacing all of the spokes, can I get away with replacing just the affected side spokes and reusing the old spokes from the unaffected side?
The other thing I'm considering is to loosen (but not remove) all of the spokes, install the replacement spoke, and then re-tension (and bring to true) the entire wheel. The thinking is that I'd be reusing all the old spokes except for the single new replacement spoke, and essentially rebuilding the wheel so that it is tensioned properly. Is there merit to this approach?
Good luck on your repair.
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#3
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These older Internet newsgroup posts by the late Jobst Brant may be relevant:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/reusing-spokes.html
https://yarchive.net/bike/spoke_reuse.html
The man knew a thing or two about bikes and their wheels.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/reusing-spokes.html
https://yarchive.net/bike/spoke_reuse.html
The man knew a thing or two about bikes and their wheels.
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My rule is simple. A single broker spoke is a happenstance. 2 is bad luck, 3 time for a new wheel.
I don't mean all at once. Unless there's more to it, a single broken spoke should simply br replaced, and the date or mileage noted.
Normally the interval between broken spokes shortens, so if it's another year before the break, you can expect 6 months or so to the 3rd, and so on.
If you're lucky, and not seeing shortened intervals, you can continue to replace spokes.
It's all a judgement call based on cost and predicted life. I compare it to flat tires get more common as the tire wears. At some point you'll replace a tire that still has serviceable tread, because you're getting too many flats.
I don't mean all at once. Unless there's more to it, a single broken spoke should simply br replaced, and the date or mileage noted.
Normally the interval between broken spokes shortens, so if it's another year before the break, you can expect 6 months or so to the 3rd, and so on.
If you're lucky, and not seeing shortened intervals, you can continue to replace spokes.
It's all a judgement call based on cost and predicted life. I compare it to flat tires get more common as the tire wears. At some point you'll replace a tire that still has serviceable tread, because you're getting too many flats.
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Inspect the wheel carefully looking for the wear spots...often at the bend caused by movement.
Spokes move quite a bit during use. They flex laterally and move at all contact points. A weak spot will break at some point but is not indicative of all the spokes needing replacement.
One spoke is just an easy replacement especially if the break was not at the bend.
If more spokes break over time it is likely time to relace the wheel with new spokes.
Spokes move quite a bit during use. They flex laterally and move at all contact points. A weak spot will break at some point but is not indicative of all the spokes needing replacement.
One spoke is just an easy replacement especially if the break was not at the bend.
If more spokes break over time it is likely time to relace the wheel with new spokes.
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Let me talk my way through an alternate flow chart.
If a spoke breaks in the middle (i.e., neither at the j-bend nor at the top of the nipple), there's probably spoke damage. Carefully inspect all the similar spokes (e.g. outer drive side spokes) and replace any others that are nicked.
If the first spoke breaks at the top of the threads or nipple, or at the bend, replace it. If another one breaks similarly, you can try replacing that as well, but I'd suspect the wheel wasn't properly tensioned. Use a tensiometer or electronic tuner to make sure tension is where it should be (aka bring the whole wheel up to correct tension, then true and stress-relieve it). Often this will stop spokes from breaking for many thousands of miles.
If spokes keep breaking after you've tensioned the wheel, I'll conclude there's a bunch of spokes near failure with too many accumulated stress fractures; replace them all!
If a spoke breaks in the middle (i.e., neither at the j-bend nor at the top of the nipple), there's probably spoke damage. Carefully inspect all the similar spokes (e.g. outer drive side spokes) and replace any others that are nicked.
If the first spoke breaks at the top of the threads or nipple, or at the bend, replace it. If another one breaks similarly, you can try replacing that as well, but I'd suspect the wheel wasn't properly tensioned. Use a tensiometer or electronic tuner to make sure tension is where it should be (aka bring the whole wheel up to correct tension, then true and stress-relieve it). Often this will stop spokes from breaking for many thousands of miles.
If spokes keep breaking after you've tensioned the wheel, I'll conclude there's a bunch of spokes near failure with too many accumulated stress fractures; replace them all!
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A search on these forums suggests that the best practice is to respoke the entire wheel. I interpret "respoke" to mean to get all new spokes - is this an accurate interpretation? Relatedly, rather than replacing all of the spokes, can I get away with replacing just the affected side spokes and reusing the old spokes from the unaffected side?
The other thing I'm considering is to loosen (but not remove) all of the spokes, install the replacement spoke, and then re-tension (and bring to true) the entire wheel. The thinking is that I'd be reusing all the old spokes except for the single new replacement spoke, and essentially rebuilding the wheel so that it is tensioned properly. Is there merit to this approach?
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Thanks for the comments. More context: the wheel came on a used bike I recently picked up (2015 model, unknown mileage but seems to be in decent condition, no non-stock parts). The wheel is your basic stock wheel, nothing fancy. I noticed on the rear wheel there had been already one spoke that was previously replaced (one silver spoke, rest are black). So my recent broken spoke would register as #2. My spoke broke on the drive side, at the J bend.
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If the first spoke breaks at the top of the threads or nipple, or at the bend, replace it. If another one breaks similarly, you can try replacing that as well, but I'd suspect the wheel wasn't properly tensioned. Use a tensiometer or electronic tuner to make sure tension is where it should be (aka bring the whole wheel up to correct tension, then true and stress-relieve it). Often this will stop spokes from breaking for many thousands of miles.
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If I'm replacing two, I'll put a flag near the hub on the replacements and try to true it just playing with the two new spokes' tension. Sometimes it works... Note I've had that happen a couple times on machine-built wheels, which is why I try to get the tension and stress-relief right (read: redone) on new wheels.
When I had the chain dive into the wheel, I de-tensioned everything a turn, replaced the five* nicked spokes, and basically re-built the wheel as a complete unit.
*Should have replaced all nine of the outer spokes, it would have saved time. The nicks I missed took a while to show up.
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My rule is simple. A single broker spoke is a happenstance. 2 is bad luck, 3 time for a new wheel.
I don't mean all at once. Unless there's more to it, a single broken spoke should simply br replaced, and the date or mileage noted.
Normally the interval between broken spokes shortens, so if it's another year before the break, you can expect 6 months or so to the 3rd, and so on.
If you're lucky, and not seeing shortened intervals, you can continue to replace spokes.
It's all a judgement call based on cost and predicted life. I compare it to flat tires get more common as the tire wears. At some point you'll replace a tire that still has serviceable tread, because you're getting too many flats.
I don't mean all at once. Unless there's more to it, a single broken spoke should simply br replaced, and the date or mileage noted.
Normally the interval between broken spokes shortens, so if it's another year before the break, you can expect 6 months or so to the 3rd, and so on.
If you're lucky, and not seeing shortened intervals, you can continue to replace spokes.
It's all a judgement call based on cost and predicted life. I compare it to flat tires get more common as the tire wears. At some point you'll replace a tire that still has serviceable tread, because you're getting too many flats.
Fun aside - I used to build my wheels with the zinc plated Robergel Sports. Back when their beautiful SS spokes were famous for popping heads. On those Sports, quality control was not included. Usually an unusable spoke or two per box. But they were strong and reliable - except 2-3 per wheelset would just break. This was back when I was running 120 BCD 5-speed. A broken spoke simply wasn't an issue. Maybe open the brake a little but completely rideable. Once those two or three spokes were replaced, those wheels went until the rims died.
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We opt to simply replace the single spoke to buy time and put off rebuilding or replacing the wheel. Given the goal of a quick cheap fix, why would now make it more complicated than necessary. Either do it quick and easy or go whole hog, don't try to split the difference.
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Oh no broken spoke. 35mm GR1 measures 38mm and did not rub just so close. Limped and did not have to walk back.
Last edited by biker128pedal; 03-08-23 at 06:54 PM.
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If I have broken more than one spoke I am going to get a new wheel the only time to salvage some parts is if they are high end. Otherwise it just isn't worth your time and money to chase spokes around the wheel. One spoke could be a spot of bad luck or lack of care and maintenance but once you have multiples it is a generally a good sign of a poorly built wheel that will fail. If you know you are cool with new wheels already just go for it and save the headaches and the money on the likely temporary fix.
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I had a rear spoke break on a new bike within the first few month, ~1,300 road miles. I could have had it replaced under warranty, but I hated the sound of the free hub so decided to rebuild the wheel with a DT Swiss 350 hub and new spokes. I really like the rim. I should have checked the tension on the spokes myself when I first got the bike. I suspect it was perhaps not tensioned properly. Or just a random defect in the spoke or build. If I didn't want to replace the hub, I would have just replaced the broken spoke, checked the spoke tensions and went on with life.
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Good suggestions from everybody who commented. So I actually had two wheelsets that each had a broken rear DS spoke; one was a custom wheel my buddy built up and another is a stock wheel from a bike I picked up used.
On the custom wheel I loosened all spokes, replaced the one, and tensioned everything back up. Very satisfying experience getting the tensions perfect and the wheel round and true.
On the stock wheelset I'm debating rebuilding with all new spokes (will probably go with 2/1.8 instead of the straight gauge on there now). It's nothing fancy but for the price of 48 new spokes for both wheels it would be nice to have a solid spare set for road slicks. I plan to pick up something nicer for gravel use first, and save this for a rainy day project.
On the custom wheel I loosened all spokes, replaced the one, and tensioned everything back up. Very satisfying experience getting the tensions perfect and the wheel round and true.
On the stock wheelset I'm debating rebuilding with all new spokes (will probably go with 2/1.8 instead of the straight gauge on there now). It's nothing fancy but for the price of 48 new spokes for both wheels it would be nice to have a solid spare set for road slicks. I plan to pick up something nicer for gravel use first, and save this for a rainy day project.
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My rule is simple. A single broker spoke is a happenstance. 2 is bad luck, 3 time for a new wheel.
I don't mean all at once. Unless there's more to it, a single broken spoke should simply br replaced, and the date or mileage noted.
Normally the interval between broken spokes shortens, so if it's another year before the break, you can expect 6 months or so to the 3rd, and so on.
If you're lucky, and not seeing shortened intervals, you can continue to replace spokes.
It's all a judgement call based on cost and predicted life. I compare it to flat tires get more common as the tire wears. At some point you'll replace a tire that still has serviceable tread, because you're getting too many flats.
I don't mean all at once. Unless there's more to it, a single broken spoke should simply br replaced, and the date or mileage noted.
Normally the interval between broken spokes shortens, so if it's another year before the break, you can expect 6 months or so to the 3rd, and so on.
If you're lucky, and not seeing shortened intervals, you can continue to replace spokes.
It's all a judgement call based on cost and predicted life. I compare it to flat tires get more common as the tire wears. At some point you'll replace a tire that still has serviceable tread, because you're getting too many flats.
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What was the hub you had before? DT Swiss are pretty noisy. Was your previous hub noisier or did you just not like the type of noise?
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On the stock wheelset I'm debating rebuilding with all new spokes (will probably go with 2/1.8 instead of the straight gauge on there now). It's nothing fancy but for the price of 48 new spokes for both wheels it would be nice to have a solid spare set for road slicks. I plan to pick up something nicer for gravel use first, and save this for a rainy day project.
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Odd, your opinion of DT Swiss hubs, my limited experience with my DT Swiss 350 hubs, 18T have been very quiet. Not silent but often I can't hear them above road noise.
In any case, the ones I replaced were embarrassingly loud.
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I'm not sure what hub I replaced, it came on some Bontrager wheels and was listed as "Bontrager Alloy".
Odd, your opinion of DT Swiss hubs, my limited experience with my DT Swiss 350 hubs, 18T have been very quiet. Not silent but often I can't hear them above road noise.
In any case, the ones I replaced were embarrassingly loud.
Odd, your opinion of DT Swiss hubs, my limited experience with my DT Swiss 350 hubs, 18T have been very quiet. Not silent but often I can't hear them above road noise.
In any case, the ones I replaced were embarrassingly loud.
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I don't have experience with anything other than the 18T DT Swiss 350 hubs. Looking online it appears that more teeth is more sound, or perhaps just a higher pitch that sounds louder. I do know from my own experience that they will be quieter right after servicing with new grease and very gradually get louder as they are used. In fact, I think sounding loud may be a sign that it is time to service the hubs. Also, maybe there's a difference between the DT Swiss hub series. Anyway, this is gotten off the thread topic.