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Is there an online guide that gives a quick guide to wheels spokes? I was riding my mountain bike yesterday and a piece of wood got caught in the wheel. The spokes are still intact but they are bent . I want to try to replace them on my own but I have no idea where to buy spokes or what kind I need. Is there a guide or something online with pictures that can help my clueless self out?
caotropheus
04-21-07, 11:19 PM
There are several spoke manufacturers and all the spokes they produce are of equal quality: DT Swiss, Wheel Smith, Sapim and Pillar. All these companies sell their spokes in packages of 50 spokes at least. There are several categories os spokes, strait, doble butted, triple butted, bladed, even more bladed, etc.
If you want to do the job by your self, first measure the spoke length, second check what type the spoke (strait, buted, double butted), third get a spoke wrench, fourth, assemble the spokes in the right order, fifth, build the wheel perfectly trued. After these considerations, wouldn't be easier to take the wheel to the LBS and just let the sharp eye of the mechanic see what spokes do you need and replace the few bent spokes in your wheel and true the wheel on a professional mechanic truing stand? Probably it would be cheaper than a all box of spokes, don't you think?
HillRider
04-22-07, 07:06 AM
I'd also have the mechanic check the rim for damage. If the spokes are bent and/or loose it's quite likely the rim has been bent too.
If you want to tackle it, your LBS will sell you the small quantity of spokes you need cheaper than buying a box of 20 or more online.