Fifty Plus (50+) - Broke Spoke!

On my first ride over the mountain this year, I made it up the mountain (with surprising ease) and started down the other side. I hit one of the level spots on the way down and then heard some sort of mechanical noise. I thought the chain had slipped, so I continued down the mountain. Later I looked down and noticed the rear wheel wobbling. I pulled over to inspect and found the broken spoke. It snapped in the area of the small button where the spoke goes through the rear hub. I left it like it was and gently rode the 29 miles back to the truck.

The owner (one-man shop) of my LBS got me in, installed the new spoke, and trued the wheel late on a Saturday afternoon. Kudos to my LBS guy!! The wheels are Alexrims B500s, and they have given me excellent service. In 4,200 miles, they have not even needed to be trued.

So now a few questions.

1. How common is a broken spoke?
2. Will they begin to break with some regularity? Hopefully, I'll be riding the mountain several times, and I don't want a surprise on a rapid descent.
3. Is it time for new wheels?

I have heard that the rule of thumb is 3rd broken spoke means a wheel rebuild.
As to the issue of "how common" and "with regularity?" the answer has too many variables. Such as: how many spokes, your weight, the terrain you ride, how hard you ride, etc.

I have several sets of 32 hole Mavic Open Pros that have many thousands of miles with no truing required and never a broken spoke. My Campy Protons have fewer spokes and fewer miles, but still no problems. I'm 6'1" about 210# and consider myself to be somewhat easy on equipment.

1) A lot of variables here. Some include: weight of the rider, number of spokes on your wheels, skill of the wheel builder, quality of the spokes, hub and rims. Years ago, I had a wheel completely taco with less than 100 miles on it as I was pulling out of my driveway going about four mph. The bikeshop claimed full responsibility for a bad build job and replaced the wheel at no charge.

2) Maybe.

3) If I had any doubts whatsoever, I would bring my wheels to a good wheel builder (a decent LBS should have one or know of one) and consult. You might possibly want to rebuild your wheels with new spokes, using your current hubs. Or maybe splurge and get new wheels. My feeling is that a good set of wheels is just about the best investment you can make on your bike.

Spokes break at the bend near the hub when they are loose and bend enough to weaken the spoke. If your LBS guy tensioned the wheel, you'll probably not have more problems. Really depends on why they got loose.

Thanks for the replies, all. The wheels have 32 spokes. I am 6'2" and 165 lbs (thanks to the bike). I try to stay on good pavement, avoid bumps etc. I suppose I fall into the "easy rider" category compared to some of my hammering 50+ brothers and sisters. I am prone, however, to hammer down the mountain when I get the chance.

I've done tech support for some big rides like MS 150. After flat tires, broken spokes are by far the most common mechanical problem.

If all that your LBS did was to replace the broken spoke and retrue the wheel, he returned it to the condition it was in previously. Unfortunately, what it was previously was a wheel that's about to break a spoke. I'm a big believer in checking every spoke for adequate and even tension whenever I replace a broken spoke.

I've done tech support for some big rides like MS 150. After flat tires, broken spokes are by far the most common mechanical problem.

If all that your LBS did was to replace the broken spoke and retrue the wheel, he returned it to the condition it was in previously. Unfortunately, what it was previously was a wheel that's about to break a spoke. I'm a big believer in checking every spoke for adequate and even tension whenever I replace a broken spoke.

x2 - Retro Grouch is right on. The spokes must be evenly tensioned. You may also want to check the hub for scoring. This may end up requiring a new hub as the existing scoring will create problems for any new spoke installed even if properly tensioned.

This entire thread is another great argument in favor of good ol' 32- or 36-spoke wheels, on which one can limp home with a broken spoke. I used to break spokes occasionally in the 1970s, but have not done so in several years. I think insisting on DT butted spokes and knowing how to tension them properly has helped.

We broke many spokes on our bike. It was, however, a tandem bike and the rear wheel has a lot of torque, weight and power compared to a single bike. I would caution that since you rode quite a few miles after the spoke broke it may have weakened some of the other spokes. Keep your eye on it for awhile and if there are no more problems you are probably okay.

Forgotten what bike you are riding but if it is Alex rims- these must be the stock wheel supplied with the bike. They are Machine built and the Build is not that good so surprised you got that milage out of them before the first problem.

What I normally do with a stock wheel is replace it with a hand built one. The stock wheels I do about 100 miles on them Get the wheel builder to tension and true and then use them as a winter/rough weather wheel. (Or they sit on the wall till someone needs a new wheel and they get one cheap).

Hand built Training wheels need not be that expensive- but it is the hand built bit that works. I bought Boreas with a pair of Ultegras- that my wheel builder had tweaked and they are good. The TCR I bought with Mavic Aksiums (Replaced the stock wheels from new) and used them once- and they are up on the wall now. Should get my wheel builder to sort them soon.

Broken spokes are not that conmmon- but once one breaks for no reason- Others will follow. I now have 3,000 miles on the Ultegras and they are due for a retension and re-true but won't get that done till I get the hand built wheels back from trueing.( Had the second true up by me last week so time for the builder to work his magic again.)

And I would suggest finding a wheelbuilder- Your LBS may have one- and see what he can build and at what price. Stock training wheels are something like 36 spokes with Mavic rims and Ultegra hubs. I went cheap and got 105 hubs and no problems.

In 18,000 miles broke a niple (not spoke) on 32H front wheel of our tandem.
Had one front wheel on our Co-Motion tandem go 57,000 miles without any broken spokes/issues, just a few minor truings.
Back wheels on a tandem get a bit more torque with 2 people cranking but have had them last up to 25,000 miles and then rim failed, not the spokes.
Key is to get a good wheelbuilder to build up a set of quality wheels.

I've broken two spokes on my commuter bike, but I've never busted one on my road bikes, whih I started riding in 75.
Go figure.
But I love the advice: "Get a good wheel builder." Like you can tell. Like any one would say "I suck at this, but buy my wheel anyway."