mantelclock

Have you ever actually done this? Doesn't sound that viable IMHO.

fietsbob

double bend at the hook end is hard to do in the field .. Takes a pair of Pliers . ie maybe 2 ..

single bend will straighten out under tension.

Maxcar had a Keyhole in the flange , spoke head sized hole in the center of a slot
build would ne 36 hole 3 cross., spokes pull into the ends of the slot that's smaller than the head.

Wilfred Laurier

I have and it does. The only trick is to get the hook bent so it securely holds itself in the hub and can still be installed - more of a hook will hold the hub better but be harder or impossible to install, less of hook is easier to install but potentially less secure at the hub.

PhotoJoe 

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staehpj1

I use a Unior Cassette Cr@cker. It weighs about 1/2 ounce and works fine.

mantelclock

fair enough - the proof is in the pudding, but I'll stick with Fiber fix spokes. Accomplish the same with less hassle.

staehpj1

A zee bend holds better and installs easier. Eldi used to make a tool to make zee bends. I think it is better to pre-bend them at home. This link shows more details and a possible tool to make the bends which are hard to do properly without a special tool.
Z Spokes, all you need to know - Wheel Fanatyk

As I mentioned I just use a Unior tool to remove the freewheel, but zee bend spokes are a viable option.

indyfabz

I wondered the same thing. My LHT is 2011 vintage. The spoke carrier only holds two spokes, So unless the wheels only use two spoke size, the answer has to be "no."

At some point one of the spokes that came in the holder fell off, so I only have one. I haven't broken a spoke since I started touring again in 2009. Because I just wrote that I will probably break one on my next tour. Think I will get a FiberFix just in case.

imi

Sorry fietsbob, I misunderstood your question. If I get it now, is it that a new LHT comes with two spare spokes? If so I would imagine the long one is for the front or NDS and the short one for drive side.... Or maybe I should just go write some poetry

MassiveD

You can also grind the heads so that you can snake the heads in without removing anything, solves the whip issue.

I don't like spoke holders, they are clunky in a look at me way, I have never understood this question about storing spokes. I put them in my bags where they take up less space than pretty much anything else I pack. I don't break spokes because I build proper wheels in the first place, but it is possible, so I do carry extras.

If the situation allowed I would build wheels so that I could have only one spoke length. I even looked into getting a front hub that would allow me to use only one size on my Rohloff bike. That lost steam when I realized how difficult it was to get those spokes in the first place, though I guess really that is a reason to carry spares should they be required.

MassiveD

I guess one can zip tie more spokes onto the spoke holder in an attempt to justify the whole BO's for the smallest easiest to carry and least likely to be needed gear thing.

staehpj1

I have always been able to find one spoke size that will get by in a pinch in all three positions. In the shortest position it might stick through the nipple a thread or two and in the longest it might only be engaged 5 or 6 full turns. I always said I would use a different color of spare spokes when using the wrong size so I would replace them later, but never actually bothered. I have had none of the replaced ones fail at the nipple or puncture a tube so I may not bother changing them in the future either.

Caretaker

Carry a couple taped individually to the down tube, also a hyper ******* type tool for the cassette.

Squeezebox

I have a pack of different colored electrical tape. I'll color code my spare spokes, and 1 spoke on the wheels in case I forget which color goes where. It does feel like overthinking

mje

With all that color, that must be a sight to behold. Can you post a picture?

veganbikes

Paul Hubs and WTB rims came out to be the same DS and NDS both front and rear (or within a mm) I don't have to carry different length spokes like a sucka. However my plan since I don't have a spoke holder on the new bike is to probably just put them at the bottom of a pannier in a newspaper bag (Yes kids they still deliver newspapers) They are hand built wheels so I don't envision needing spokes but you never know.

I believe Phil Hubs would also lead to same all around (or within 1mm of difference) and Phil are Field Serviceable so you know save up that scrillah and get a nice set of handbuilt wheels with Phil hubs. I would recommend Paul hubs for sure as a quality but slightly less expensive model but he cannot source the i9 freehub bodies anymore since they changed their design so no more 130 or 135 Cassette Hubs.

Had the same luck with my All City New Sheriff SL hubs that I just had done up to some other WTB hoops same all around and smooth sexy hubs.

Miele Man

Uniglide cassettes are great if you break a spoke on the drive side. All you need is a short handled chainwhip to hold a big cog and back pedalling the supported bike with the chain on the smallest cog will unscrew it.

Cheers

Wilfred Laurier

I am not disagreeing, but this advice is somewhere between 'useless' and '30 years too late'.

Squeezebox

Geez! it's only 1 little 1/2 piece of tape on 1 spoke on each wheel. Hardly psychodelic. But if I ever do custom built wheels I might spray paint the spokes something weird just for fun. Check out the Art Bikes folks for weird.

fietsbob

I'd highly recommend to all the LHT Owners to actually try them for that size match at home, before relying on them being so in the boonies .

Miele Man

Not if you are still using a Uniglide cassette. There are still a fair number of bicycles being used with Uniglide cassettes. I have three of them.

Cheers

Squeezebox

Kinda sounds like that goes for about any spares of anything you're gonna carry, good advice!

[Snide Remark Warning]
It appears to me that breaking a spoke on an LHT is absolutely impossible, according to the spoke knowledge gods of Elcruxio and Saddlesores. Who cares what the engineers say!!

Squeezebox

Sounds like good advice for anyone carrying spare anything.

[Snide Remark Warning]
I thought breaking a spoke on a LHT was absolutely impossible according to the spoke knowledge gods of Elcruxio and Saddle sores. Kinda up there with getting nuked. After all what do those engineers know. Doesn't PHD stand for pretty hellish dumb.

Squeezebox

I spent some time this am reading an interesting thread on the Tandem forum "gravel tandem project'. It's a Paketa frame, magneseum I believe. Electric shifting, went on about the saddles, very top end everything. Almost $7K for the frame , no fork. Not just custom size but also custom bend stays. Wouldn't be surprised if it cost them $20K. He looks about 5'8" she is 5'2". Nox composite rims. And get this 28 spokes on a rough tough tandem. He did say he would have prefered 32 spokes but not available for 6 months.
So probably the toughest tandem out there, with guess what,,, 28 spokes!!

Doug64

And which one of their tandems is the "rough tough" one?