Mountain Biking - First Post! Question about spokes breaking

Hi all,

This year while riding my 2002 Specialized Hardrock I've had many instances of spokes breaking, probably six times now, and I just broke my last one about an hour ago. Anyway, I've been going to one bike shop to get my spokes replaced. The last time was this past Sunday, and three rides later (today) another spoke pops. I was told that the bike shop owner spent only ten minutes truing my wheel; they only charged me $6 Cdn. I keep going back to them because they charge alot less than another shop across the street, but I'm beginning to wonder whether they lack the art of rebuilding wheels. Can you really tension every spoke on a wheel properly in only 10 minutes? I realize that breaking spokes is part of biking but this was the second time that a spoke broke within two or three moderate rides after they had just replace one, so I'm losing confidence in their ability. The shop across the street charges $20 Cdn per wheel. So I'm wondering, how much skill is required to properly tru a wheel, and whether I'd be better off spending more money?

By the way I live in Toronto in the Davisville area. If anyone knows a good bike shop in this area please let me know.

Thanks.

This is a great forum.

If you keep breaking spokes and you're "just riding along", I would say that the wheel truing is not exactly top notch. I would try the place across the street. Explain to them what has been happening, your riding style, etc. and see what they say. If you're really heavy and tend to sprint alot, that might have something to do with it, but it sounds like a bad wheel build. The only time I break spokes is when I crash...

First off, you can true a wheel and not have propper tension on the spokes. It is actually faster, not safe but faster, that way.

Secondly, are the wheels as old as the bike? If so, have you ever checked and maintained the spoke tension? You should periodically check them, say once every 20hrs of riding if you only ride smooth trails and do not jump (even off big curbs and such). If you are an aggressive rider then you should check the tension, in my opinion, at a minimum of every other ride.

Next, where are they breaking? At the hub or at the nipple?

What I would suggest since your wheels are almost 5yrs old and you have been breaking spokes, is to take them to a good builder and have them rebuilt with good spokes, some thing like the DTSwiss Revolution in a 14/15 gauge. WheelSmith also makes a very good spoke but it seems DT Swiss is carried by just about every shop. Also be sure they use brass nipples.

By doing what I mentioned you will know you have a good wheel set (yes, get both wheels done) and all you will need to do is check the tension from time to time. Who ever builds your wheels should be able to tell you how to check properly.

There should be someone on here who can recommend a good builder
.

:beer:

Hi,

I actually bought a new wheel set a month and a half ago, and it had the DT Swiss 14/15 gauge spokes. The reason I bought it was because my spokes on the old wheel were breaking too often, and now I've had two spokes go on this new wheel set. Its the same double walled Alex rim as the original, but with a different name.

I'm not super heavy, about 205lbs, and I don't ride very aggressively in terms of jumps and stuff. I'd say I ride moderately aggressive trails at the most. I've never checked the tension of my spokes before, I guess it wouldn't hurt to start.

Thanks.

Hi,

I actually bought a new wheel set a month and a half ago, and it had the DT Swiss 14/15 gauge spokes. The reason I bought it was because my spokes on the old wheel were breaking too often, and now I've had two spokes go on this new wheel set. Its the same double walled Alex rim as the original, but with a different name.

I'm not super heavy, about 205lbs, and I don't ride very aggressively in terms of jumps and stuff. I'd say I ride moderately aggressive trails at the most. I've never checked the tension of my spokes before, I guess it wouldn't hurt to start.

Thanks.


So where are the spokes breaking? Also, did you buy them pre-built? If so then they should have been checked out before riding on. The seller might have said ready to ride but I would never trust that.

If you purchased the parts and had some one build them then it sounds like they did a bad job.

At 205lbs you should not be breaking spokes as often as you are. I weigh in at 280lbs and have not broken a spoke in 4 years of DH racing a freeriding and I use a heavy XC rim with the 14/15g spokes.

:beer:

whats a spoke?