View Full Version : I Broke Roark!
The Historian
03-03-08, 10:44 AM
I was coming in home from a six mile ride today and I heard a "snap" from behind me. Now the rear wheel sticks and doesn't want to move. I don't see a broken spoke, but the reflector on the rear wheel is askew now. I tried loosening the QR but the wheel still doesn't want to move. The bike goes to the shop tomorrow. Again. Any idea what might be causing it? Did I cause the wheel to go out of true?
East Hill
03-03-08, 10:47 AM
Oh NOoooooo!
Could your brakes be stuck in the closed position?
East Hill
Tom Stormcrowe
03-03-08, 10:47 AM
Yikes! Axle snapped?
bautieri
03-03-08, 11:12 AM
I don't think there is really too many things it could be. A snapped brake cable would open the calipers, if you can still back pedal the drive train is ok, so (summoning my powers of deduction) its a broken axel or more likely a hub/flywheel assembly. Now that I think about it, if the QR cam is still able to lock the wheel on the drop outs then your axle is probably fine. Looks like you might be getting that new rear wheel sooner than you thought.
Either way that still stinks, I hope you weren't too far from home when it happened and you were able to come to a safe stop.
Bau
beingtxstate
03-03-08, 11:15 AM
:eek: I hope it is in the brakes! Is the reflecter attached at the seat stays crossbar? If so, maybe the cable or brake assembly is messed up somehow? Can you take a couple of pics and post them...maybe another set of eyes can help.
BikEthan
03-03-08, 11:50 AM
I was coming in home from a six mile ride today and I heard a "snap" from behind me. Now the rear wheel sticks and doesn't want to move. I don't see a broken spoke, but the reflector on the rear wheel is askew now. I tried loosening the QR but the wheel still doesn't want to move. The bike goes to the shop tomorrow. Again. Any idea what might be causing it? Did I cause the wheel to go out of true?
If you can back pedal the cranks it's just most likely just a broken axle.
If you can't it's probably a combination of something with your free wheel or free hub (not sure what you have on your bike) and or something with the hub itself.
In the first case you're looking at a new axle, in the second case you're looking at some more work and a new free hub body and possibly a new hub/wheel (which since you were leaning that way anyway probably won't be a big deal).
Sucks though, I hate it when stuff breaks!
cyccommute
03-03-08, 11:59 AM
I was coming in home from a six mile ride today and I heard a "snap" from behind me. Now the rear wheel sticks and doesn't want to move. I don't see a broken spoke, but the reflector on the rear wheel is askew now. I tried loosening the QR but the wheel still doesn't want to move. The bike goes to the shop tomorrow. Again. Any idea what might be causing it? Did I cause the wheel to go out of true?
Squeeze the spokes in pairs on the drive side. If it's a broken spoke it'll become apparent very quickly. A broken axle will give you a very wobble wheel when you try to move it from side to side in the drop outs.
When you say you "tried loosening the QR but the wheel still doesn't want to move", does it not want to spin because it hits the brakes or will it not come out of the drop outs?
v1k1ng1001
03-03-08, 12:11 PM
:eek:
Bill Kapaun
03-03-08, 12:38 PM
Remove the wheel from the frame
Remove the QR completely. If the axle is broken, you'll be able to pull the ends out of the hub. Here's a link to a typical rear hub assembly, so you can see for yourself.
http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/EV/bikecomponents/FH/EV-FH-4400-1861_v1_m56577569830612378.pdf (http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/EV/bikecomponents/FH/EV-FH-M760-2265_v1_m56577569830608936.pdf)
DieselDan
03-03-08, 01:58 PM
Broken axle. If Roark is a Trek 7000, you have a freewheel on it, and those can be prone to breaking axles. Freehub/cassette hubs solved that problem.
My guess is broken axle too.
Bill Kapaun
03-03-08, 03:49 PM
Broken axle. If Roark is a Trek 7000, you have a freewheel on it, and those can be prone to breaking axles. Freehub/cassette hubs solved that problem.
According to his other post-
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=390699
it's a 7.5fx which should be a cassette.
DieselDan
03-03-08, 08:15 PM
According to his other post-
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=390699
it's a 7.5fx which should be a cassette.
Could you have just yanked the axle out of the dropout? If so, remove the wheel, reset in the dropouts, and tighten the QR just a bit more.
The Historian
03-03-08, 10:03 PM
I don't think there is really too many things it could be. A snapped brake cable would open the calipers, if you can still back pedal the drive train is ok, so (summoning my powers of deduction) its a broken axle or more likely a hub/flywheel assembly. Now that I think about it, if the QR cam is still able to lock the wheel on the drop outs then your axle is probably fine. Looks like you might be getting that new rear wheel sooner than you thought.
Either way that still stinks, I hope you weren't too far from home when it happened and you were able to come to a safe stop.
Bau
Yes, I was only a few dozen feet from my driveway.
I didn't have time to do a detailed check of the bike before leaving for work, but the wheel only sticks on one part of the revolution. There appears to be no side to side movement at the axle. A couple of spokes are loose, and the reflector is no longer flush with the spokes, but sticking out. Part of the mounting that holds it to the spokes appears to be missing.
My suggestion is that a spoke gave way, caused the reflector to hit something and break. The combination of the spoke breakage and the reflector cracking produced the snap, and the wheel bent under my Clyde-weight. Anyway, I'll find out tomorrow morning. I believe Trek/Bontrager cover wheels for a year, in case it's bent beyond repair.
The Historian
03-03-08, 10:08 PM
Squeeze the spokes in pairs on the drive side. If it's a broken spoke it'll become apparent very quickly. A broken axle will give you a very wobble wheel when you try to move it from side to side in the drop outs.
When you say you "tried loosening the QR but the wheel still doesn't want to move", does it not want to spin because it hits the brakes or will it not come out of the drop outs?
It doesn't want to spin because it hits the brakes.
Ahh - check the nipples. Maybe you had one or two pull out of the rim.
beingtxstate
03-04-08, 07:24 AM
I didn't even think about the wheel reflector..duh! Well, I hope it is something simple like a broke spoke. I am sure Roark is itching to hit the road again ;)
The Historian
03-04-08, 07:30 AM
I didn't even think about the wheel reflector..duh! Well, I hope it is something simple like a broke spoke. I am sure Roark is itching to hit the road again ;)
Yes, let's hope the bent wheel is fixable. There's a sort of competition between the Neils On Wheels team members. Neil F. is about ten miles ahead of me for yearly mileage, and his commute is going to soon start adding 75 miles a week to his total. I need to keep up with the guy.
bautieri
03-04-08, 08:07 AM
Neil F. is about ten miles ahead of me for yearly mileage, and his commute is going to soon start adding 75 miles a week to his total. I need to keep up with the guy.
Looks like your old pal Excelsior is coming out of storage.
The Historian
03-04-08, 08:09 AM
Looks like your old pal Excelsior is coming out of storage.
Or I practice retail therapy and purchase a mountain bike. I could finally ride Stony Creek!
cyccommute
03-04-08, 08:15 AM
It doesn't want to spin because it hits the brakes.
Spoke.
bautieri
03-04-08, 08:24 AM
Or I practice retail therapy and purchase a mountain bike. I could finally ride Stony Creek!
So...can we expect a new bike post from you later this afternoon? Go in for a wheel leave with a bike :D
Beverly
03-04-08, 09:04 AM
Poor Roark:(
Hopefully it's something minor and he'll be back on the road quickly!
The Historian
03-04-08, 08:48 PM
Poor Roark:(
Hopefully it's something minor and he'll be back on the road quickly!
Broken spoke. Bike will be back Thursday.
East Hill
03-04-08, 09:03 PM
Broken spoke. Bike will be back Thursday.
Phew!
East Hill
The Historian
03-04-08, 09:20 PM
So...can we expect a new bike post from you later this afternoon? Go in for a wheel leave with a bike :D
I looked at some entry-level MTBs at my shop, a Trek dealer. But that's going to wait until my tax rebate check arrives.
Other news:
I've priced a 36 spoke rear wheel build. I'm going to wait a couple of weeks before I pull the trigger on that one.
I'm going to sell the Navigator. I only rode the bike twice since August, once at Stony Creek and once on an overnight tour. It didn't do well at either job. When I got the Navigator, I thought I'd only ride five miles a week on a bike path if the weather was good. I've outgrown the bike.
Also I have some other cycling gear I'm getting rid of - a trainer, a couple of jerseys, etc. The jerseys I'll list here in Clyde land, as Where's Waldo did last summer with his offerings, provided the moderator doesn't object.
The Historian
03-04-08, 09:22 PM
Spoke.
Correct. And it was in the hub, so I didn't notice it was broken.
The Historian
03-04-08, 09:23 PM
:eek:
Yeah, second broken spoke in 1400 miles. Time for the 36 spoke wheel.
Broken spoke. Bike will be back Thursday.
One spoke did that?!
Damn, I had six at once and was able to ride it...well further than I should have.
Beverly
03-05-08, 04:31 AM
Broken spoke. Bike will be back Thursday.
That's great news.
Tom Stormcrowe
03-05-08, 05:16 AM
That's where mine would always break ;) Right at the bend for the hub flange. :(
Correct. And it was in the hub, so I didn't notice it was broken.
Do yourself a favor - when you know which build you're getting tell them you'd like to go on tour at some point and get a handful of extra spokes. They'll be really useful if it happens on the road 70 miles from a bike shop :) Not difficult to learn how to replace and when you do that you'll hone your truing skills.
After popping on all my bikes last year I got better than I'd like at it ;)
The Historian
03-05-08, 05:41 AM
Do yourself a favor - when you know which build you're getting tell them you'd like to go on tour at some point and get a handful of extra spokes. They'll be really useful if it happens on the road 70 miles from a bike shop :) Not difficult to learn how to replace and when you do that you'll hone your truing skills.
After popping on all my bikes last year I got better than I'd like at it ;)
Oh, they know about my touring plans. They've even signed on as a sponsor for my cross country ride in 2009. But yes, I'll get the extra spokes.
bautieri
03-05-08, 08:04 AM
I'm glad it was minor, which mountain bikes were you checking out?
The Historian
03-05-08, 08:10 AM
I'm glad it was minor, which mountain bikes were you checking out?
Trek 820 in particular.
bautieri
03-05-08, 08:14 AM
Nice, I like the navy blue version.
cyccommute
03-05-08, 08:29 AM
Yeah, second broken spoke in 1400 miles. Time for the 36 spoke wheel.
Factory wheels? If you want the toughest wheels you can build, use DT Alpine III...and learn how to build them yourself. It's not hard.
bigwies
03-06-08, 08:39 AM
Broken spoke. Bike will be back Thursday.
Just wondering why did it take your LBS so long to fix a broken spoke? I popped four spokes on my Trek 7100 between Sept and Dec. and each time my LBS was able to fix it for me on the spot. Maybe a ten minute repair.
Good luck with the new 36 spoke wheel and your upcoming tour w/ Neil F.
cyccommute
03-06-08, 08:56 AM
Just wondering why did it take your LBS so long to fix a broken spoke? I popped four spokes on my Trek 7100 between Sept and Dec. and each time my LBS was able to fix it for me on the spot. Maybe a ten minute repair.
Good luck with the new 36 spoke wheel and your upcoming tour w/ Neil F.
Spokes are a pretty easy repair at home...and a useful skill to have on the road.
The Historian
03-06-08, 08:59 AM
Just wondering why did it take your LBS so long to fix a broken spoke? I popped four spokes on my Trek 7100 between Sept and Dec. and each time my LBS was able to fix it for me on the spot. Maybe a ten minute repair.
Good luck with the new 36 spoke wheel and your upcoming tour w/ Neil F.
Because I didn't have time to wait. I was on my way to work. :-)
The Historian
03-06-08, 09:00 AM
Spokes are a pretty easy repair at home...and a useful skill to have on the road.
I have a lot to learn. :D
cyccommute
03-06-08, 09:03 AM
I have a lot to learn. :D
It starts with repairing a spoke and the next thing you know you're the old wise guy telling people how easy stuff is to fix:o;) Personally, I like to build wheels while watching the tellie;)
baj32161
03-06-08, 09:07 AM
Hey Neil...sorry about the mishap. Glad to hear it was just a broken spoke. Good to hear that Roarke will be back up and running soon. I haven't ridden since Lancaster and STILl have my foot in an ambulatory boot, probably for another 3-4 weeks. So how ya been otherwise? I am very curious to see what you are selling, especially the trainer.
Believe you me, as soon as this foot is out of bandages abd I have my orthotics, I will be out and riding again...hopefully i will get to ride with you and NeilF again.
Regards,
Brian J.
BikEthan
03-06-08, 09:25 AM
I have a lot to learn. :D
If you're seriously interested in learning how to work on your own bike you could look into taking some classes. The other option if you're a little more DIY and mechanically inclined would be to get a good repair manual and start wrenching. I did this when I was pretty young (13 or 14) and was building my own wheels within a couple years. By the time I was 19 I was the service manager at my favorite LBS!
bdinger
03-06-08, 10:35 AM
It starts with repairing a spoke and the next thing you know you're the old wise guy telling people how easy stuff is to fix:o;) Personally, I like to build wheels while watching the tellie;)
^^ He speaks the truth! I've actually replaced two or three spokes on my beloved (/sarcasm) Trek, and it's not so bad at all. Having a tension guage and a truing stand definitely helps, but once your figure it out - it's not so bad.
Then again, there is much to be said about bulletproof wheels that you never have to worry about this on.. :)
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