CliffordK

How exactly are you tightening them? Just tightening the nipples with the fingers? Using a spoke wrench?

If the rim, hub, bearings are all in good shape, you can do the repair yourself. It just takes a $5 spoke wrench. A truing stand is nice, but you can true a wheel on the bike if necessary.

Spokes should be brought up to a moderately uniform tension (with right/left spokes different on the rear). And, the rim needs to be trued and centered, and without hop. You can do a moderate job on the bike.

genejockey 

This.

You need to get a spoke wrench, dude. Take the tire off the rim, center the brakes, spin the wheel and fix any place where the wheel rubs. Then tighten the barrel adjuster till you get rubbing again, and fix that. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Oh, and look closely around all your spoke holes for cracks in the rim. If it's an old bike, you might put a little thin oil where each spoke enters the nipple and let it sit for a while before starting to work, so the nipples will turn.

Having all your spokes properly tensioned is the key, because the way wheels work is that the hub is suspended from the upper spokes as it turns. Loose spokes aren't doing anything, so the remaining spokes have all that much more weight pulling on them.

EDIT: Also, hold onto the spoke while you turn the nipple, so you can be sure you're tightening the nipple on the spoke, not just twisting the whole thing.

mprince

Can't believe I'm responding to a Larry thread, but...your spokes haven't broken YET. If you ride with loose spokes they will break pretty soon. Fix your wheel, a spoke wrench costs $5 and after a bit of research and your time the wheel will be in better shape. Or, take it to a bike shop and pay $10-$15 to get it trued.

LarrySellerz

I have a spoke wrench but last time I used it it didn’t really help (rim was ****ed.) took it to the shop today and they claim they can true it which is surprising to me, but yay.

cxwrench

Incorrect...the hub 'stands' on the lower spokes.

genejockey 

Then the problem would still be that the single tensioned spoke is supporting the load, wouldn't it?

jaxgtr

Larry, I have a Mavic Open Pro 32 spoke Ultegra hub that I only used for a on wheel trainer, it never saw the road. I would gladly give you this wheel to keep you from dying so you can keep posting stuff like this. PM me your address, I will send it to you.

jaxgtr

I just posted my wheel for him to have...

veganbikes

From your posts on this forum it seems like you are doing everything to failure and that is not a good way to live. You need to try having a Positive Mental Attitude.

Also again to those who are looking for good advice, NEVER RIDE YOUR BIKE TO FAILURE. Keep yourself safe but also keep those around you safe. If you are looking to hurt yourself please immediately call this number: 800-273-8255. They can help you.

LarrySellerz

Are you serious about this offer? A new rear wheel is huge... that would be amazing

veganbikes, id wager the majority of the bikes in the world are ridden to failure. This is not dangerous as long as you are attentive and know your bike. Your comment comes across as elitist to me

veganbikes

No it is dangerous. Just because a lot of people do it doesn't mean it is smart or safe. Your elitist comment doesn't really hold any water but you knew that. Yes one should know their own bike and always be attentive but riding to failure well, we all know FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION even if ole' Kranzy never said it and it was just used for the movie...LOL.

jaxgtr

Yes. All it's doing is hanging in my garage as it has been for the last 3 years. PM me your address and I will send it to you so you don't kill yourself over some crappy wheels you fished out of a garbage can.

livedarklions

This is just wrong. People who have to rely on their bikes can't afford to let them fail. Disposability is a luxury. If you're attentive and know your bike, you fix things when it's still cheap to do so, or you figure an affordable strategy to fix the major problem.

cyccommute 

Your wheels have already failed. You are riding them past the point of “failure” to the point of disaster. Your wheels can collapse…even without breaking spokes…and you are on track to experience that. It’s not “elitist” to point that out.

indyfabz

I’d condition my offer on a proof of life photo of them being used by the OP.

Chuck M 

If you are attentive and know your bike, it isn't going to fail because you are not going to neglect it by riding on loose spokes, bent wheels or any other deficiency. Reasonable care is not elitism.

LarrySellerz

why wouldn't I use it? you think im like not real or something?

tomato coupe

You could start a new thread titled "Am I Real?" and present evidence to support your side of the argument. I think there's a chance we could change your mind.

Koyote

You're unreal -- which is different from not real.

jaxgtr

Well, here is my proof of life... Larry, got your PM and responded. FYI to anyone that uses Shipbikes, they are transitioning to using UPS, so their system is down at the moment.

dabac

Ever heard the saying ”for the want of a nail”?
You’re not thinking that through.
Unless you’re planning to sell the bike, it isn’t about putting $200 into a $400 bike. It is about paying $200 for keeping your mode of transportation in working order.
What will it cost you if it fails?
Facing a $2000 charge for hospital/dental care as a consequence of avoiding a $200 maintenance bill doesn’t seem like a good deal.
And who knows what else might happen if you don’t make it to your destination? Lose a job? Lose a deal?

If money is an issue, Learn To do your own maintenance and repairs. Most are well within range of the Average Guy. Or Gal for that matter.

I don’t think anyone can say with certainty from afar.
There’s some merit in the thought that it will keep doing what it does now.
OTOH, wheels shouldn’t be doing what your wheel is doing. Slack spokes don’t contribute (much) to the strength of the wheel. You might not have much margin to total and immediate failure. Miss a pothole, drop off a curb a little clumsy might be all it takes for the wheel to fold.

dabac

I can think of at least three reasons for a wheel to start rubbing against the frame and still be entirely salvageable.
Certainly:


Probably not the failure mode you’re likely to encounter, but it sure was sudden.

genejockey 

It may be true that the majority of bikes are ridden to failure, but they're being ridden by a 250 lb guy who's trying to catch the Spectrum Ride.

And there's nothing more elitist than someone who perfomatively eschews the things he thinks smack of elitism.

dabac

You must have a very ”interesting” idea of what either ”failure” or ”dangerous” means.

This is from my drop bar commuter:

Good luck explaining how this isn’t dangerous.
I suppose you’re right, for a very generous definition of failure. Failure-of-interest, or failure-of-providing-basic-maintenance is a far more common cause for retiring a bike than an actual mechanical/structural failure.

Koyote

I don't think Larry commutes on this bike; rather, he uses it to invade group rides. If his bike fails, the only consequence would be that some riders in California would be grateful.