When should I replace my spokes?
A faulty spoke might break anywhere. If an otherwise undamaged spoke has snapped at the thread or in the straight section between rim and hub, it was probably faulty. A faulty or damaged spoke should simply be replaced.
Can you replace wheel spokes?
Fitting a replacement is easier than you think. Spokes can snap. Not often, and perhaps never if your bike has well-built wheels with enough spokes each to share the load. But even if you’re not very heavy and your wheels have plenty of spokes each to share the load better, they can break.
Why do I keep getting broken spokes?
Bike spokes break most commonly due to wear and tear. A high-frequent cause for spoke breaks is that the rider has hit a curb or pothole, doesn’t maintain the bike well, or the passenger is too heavy for that model. Rougher terrain will also deteriorate the rims faster, which in turn deteriorates the spokes faster.
Do you need to replace the spoke on a rear wheel?
They will only need the wheel, not the whole bike. You’ll need to buy a new spoke of the right length too, the LBS can measure your old one. If the broken spoke is not on the sprocket side then you can usually replace it without needing to remove the sprockets.
What do I need to replace the rim on my bike?
You’ll also need a replacement rim. The new rim must be the exact same size and spoke count as your old rim. Using a dab of grease on a toothpick, grease all of the spoke holes on the new rim. You’ll only need a tiny bit.
What causes a spoke on a wheel to break?
A damaged spoke has usually been damaged by the chain over-shifting off the largest sprocket and will fail near the bend, with obvious gouges where the chain has dug in. A faulty spoke might break anywhere. If an otherwise undamaged spoke has snapped at the thread or in the straight section between rim and hub, it was probably faulty.
Are there moving parts for a bike spoke?
A bike component of such little significance to most riders that it barely even registers as a component. Just the things that hold the rims to the hubs. It is the misfortune of the spoke to have no moving parts, not to be available in a range of anodised colours and to only be made out of one material.
How do you replace a spoke on a bike?
1. Remove the wheel from the bike, then remove the tyre, tube and rim tape, unless your rims are tubeless models with fully sealed rim bed, with no access to nipples from behind. Unscrew the threaded end of the broken spoke from the nipple. Inspect the nipple flats for wear.
What kind of spokes do you need for a wheel?
Liam is the head mechanic at our California location and is a wizard when it comes to building wheels. Keep in mind that different lacing patterns require different spoke lengths. Radial Pattern: A radial lacing pattern, often referred to as 0-cross, sees each spoke move from the hub to the rim without crossing another spoke.
What to look for when buying a new wheelset?
Spoke Count: The last thing to remember when building up your new wheelset is the spoke count for your hubs. When it comes time to ordering your hubs, rims, and spokes, you want to be sure that both the hubs and the rims use the same number of spokes.
How can I tell if my bike rim is loose?
Grip the spokes around your problem area and squeeze lightly, checking for looseness. If you’re not sure what “loose” is, feel your other wheel or the spokes on other sides of the wheel. While not all wobbly wheels have noticeably loose spokes, most do, which will point out the exact spoke where there is an issue.