General Cycling Discussion - Bike is two weeks old, and I broke a spoke already?

I can't understand why my spoke cut loose this early in the game. Trek 1.5, and I have put over 100 miles on it so far. I broke a spoke in the rear. LBS did not have one in black, so I have all black spokes but one. They promised to get the right one ordered.

I hit no hard bumps or potholes. Normal little transitions where bridges meet the road, but I usually slow down.

Maybe my 235 weight is too much for these wheels?

Anyway, I'm back in business for now. But I'm a little nervous.

Weight and wheels can be a problem. I too, weigh in at about 230, and have had some wheel problems. I had some wheels built and went with the "lighter weight" option. Wrong concept. Hit a pothole on a downhill run and the inner layer, under the tube, cracked. I have since had the wheel rebuilt with a stronger (heavier) rim. I'm hoping that it will hold up. bk

What is the spoke count?

The wheel may have been poorly tensioned to begin with or it may simply have been a random event.

If the spoke count is low and I were in your situation... (I recently gained 20 pounds sooo I choose not to get a low spoke count wheel for this exact reason) I would say this..

"I am sorry, but I honestly feel like your shop should help replace my wheel set at some discounted price or for free because you knew I was too fat int he beginnign to buy a bike w/ such a low spoke count. "

Not that you are fat..but I would say this for my case. I'm not fat, but definitely not thin and I would use the word fat to describe myself because it throws people off....and I feel would let them know I am serious about my request.

I guess I am not alone,looks like those treks break spokes so easily.I could expect maybe at my 250 lb weight they may start breaking like they did after 1000 miles,but looks like all treks are junk when it comes to their wheels.(they must not stress relieve them,made in china)I relaced a hub on my old wal-mart bike wheels for my terk CC (but no matter how much you weigh the LBS owner doesnt care and will sell you the bike),put it on my trek CC and its all fine.i will never by a wheel from trek.

Stress relieve your spokes

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

How much did you pay for the bike?

loosen them 1/32 turn.

If your bike came with the Bontrager Select, they suck. Find yourself a good wheel builder and get a better set of wheels built and never have issues again. At 235, you should be able to ride most stock wheel, but I would not go below 28 spoke count and would have them re-tensioned around 300 miles and you should be good.

"I am sorry, but I honestly feel like your shop should help replace my wheel set at some discounted price or for free because you knew I was too fat int he beginnign to buy a bike w/ such a low spoke count. "


One of our LBS's will tell you that low spoke count wheels do not have weight limits and are suitable for all riders. I think this is BS but I am not a bike "expert".

I bought a Trek 820 a couple of years ago and have had many problems with the rear wheel. Broken spokes, two broken axels. I finally upgraded to a new wheel with a freehub. To make a long story short; I feel like I've have way too many problems with that bike. For $275 I should have gotten a bike that would last me for at least several years without any "back-to-the-dealer" problems. I've been back to the dealer 3-4 times with an inoperable bike.

"I am sorry, but I honestly feel like your shop should help replace my wheel set at some discounted price or for free because you knew I was too fat int he beginnign to buy a bike w/ such a low spoke count. "

Please, describe a "low" spoke count?

Sorry, but no dealer is going to ask a client to step onto a scale before selling them a bike, nor are they going to order a stronger replacement wheelset to accommodate heavier riders without being compensated, either before or after a sale. A Trek bike sells with the wheelset Trek specs on them. If you're having issues, take it up with Trek warranty, don't expect a shop to pay for it out of pocket.

I paid $925 for the bike. Spoke count? Not many! They are Bontrager SSR wheels.

Unfortunatly, I cannot afford new wheels now.



http://www.gwfweb.com/bicycles/images/trek15t.jpg

Unfortunatly, I cannot afford new wheels now.You might have to buy the rear wheel with more than the spokes on the original wheel,if you plan to slim down riding it,by the time you wear out the rear wheel you will probably have lost 50+ lbs,light enough so the original wheels spokes to not break.

These type of bikes are not for the overweight or obese,and these are radial spokes(no cross),problems

You really should have bought a bike with 32-36 spokes and you could have bought these wheels later when the originals wore out in about 7000 miles.

You will be buying a new wheel,or you wont be able to ride it,I went through every time I ride spokes broke.It gets tiring.



Sorry, but no dealer is going to ask a client to step onto a scale before selling them a bike, nor are they going to order a stronger

I know,because they want to make a sale and their profit,and if problems occur that are not under warrantee,you are stuck with it and will have to either spend money to fix it or fix it yourself and tell everyone you meet how treks suck,like I do.Not good for business though.

I bought a Trek 820 a couple of years ago and have had many problems with the rear wheel. Broken spokes, two broken axels. I finally upgraded to a new wheel with a freehub. To make a long story short; I feel like I've have way too many problems with that bike. For $275 I should have gotten a bike that would last me for at least several years without any "back-to-the-dealer" problems. I've been back to the dealer 3-4 times with an inoperable bike. This is something else,I was going to buy this type of bike two day before my original wheel spokes on my trek CC started to break( I waited),glad I didnt.Went to wal-mart instead,no spoke broken over 500 miles,and the rims are aluminum on the wal-mart bike.Oh yes I stressed relieved them.

My trek CC is still ridable with steel wheels from my old roadmaster mountain bike.The rims are green.

I paid $925 for the bike. Spoke count? Not many! They are Bontrager SSR wheels.

Unfortunatly, I cannot afford new wheels now.



http://www.gwfweb.com/bicycles/images/trek15t.jpg

ah. boneranger wheels.

Where are those wheels made?i bet china where the wal-mart bikes are made.

So what wheels should I be looking at?

32-36 hole 700c rear wheel try amazon.


there are bike shops on the web where you can probably buy a 36 hole wheel for your bike.post in other sections of this site also about buying a new wheel.but before you do that ride it and see what happens,if it happens again the wheels cant support your weight.

or go to a bike shop that sells bikes second and repairs bikes first.one of those shops where there is an old guy smoking his cigar.Dont buy from a trek dealer.

here is a source


http://www.niagaracycle.com/index.php?cPath=135_200

Dont know your size or if they even have your size or gears on your casette.

Dont worry if you buy the new wheel and have no problems and ride the bike like there is no tommorrow you will have lost 50 lbs and will put the original wheel back on with no problems.and you have an extra wheel if you didnt wear it out.

I am surprised it has not been mentioned yet, but black spokes break easier then silver spokes. Ask and mechanic who has worked in the industry long enough and they will tell you that. In your case I imagine the wheel was poorly tensioned, but you may want to consider getting it relaced with silver spokes.

The problem I've had with Bontrager wheels is not broken spokes but with rims cracking at the spoke nipples on the rear wheel. I've been through 3 wheels and each one had the cracks on the drive side spokes. They were covered under warrantee. What really ticked me off was the LBS saying " We have never seen this problem before.". Come to find out, I met other people who had the same problem before me and who dealt with the same LBS.

I can't understand why my spoke cut loose this early in the game. Trek 1.5, and I have put over 100 miles on it so far. I broke a spoke in the rear. LBS did not have one in black, so I have all black spokes but one. They promised to get the right one ordered.

I hit no hard bumps or potholes. Normal little transitions where bridges meet the road, but I usually slow down.

Maybe mi 235 weight is too much for these wheels?

Anyway, I'm back in business for now. But I'm a little nervous.

You could be too much for the wheels. Those wheels looked pretty low on spoke count. I ride some old mavic A719 rims with a 36 spoke count and they are darn near bullet proof. But before that, I broke up even "heavy duty" wheels routinely after about 10000 miles and that was with normal and careful riding.

LBS did not have one in black, so I have all black spokes but one.

You should get a silver spoke for the front, too, so they'll match and look like they're done on purpose. It'll be pimpin'. ;)

The wheel may have been poorly tensioned to begin with.

That's what I think too. Simply replacing a broken spoke on a new wheel is generally a mistake. If you brought that wheel to me I would check every single spoke with a tensiometer, bring them all up to equal tension, then retrue the wheel by tightening and loosening opposing pairs of spokes an equal amount.

Wheels have 4 components: Hub, spokes, rim and build quality. The last is by far the most important. It's also the factor that's most likely to get glossed over.

The problem I've had with Bontrager wheels is not broken spokes but with rims cracking at the spoke nipples on the rear wheel. I've been through 3 wheels and each one had the cracks on the drive side spokes. They were covered under warrantee. What really ticked me off was the LBS saying " We have never seen this problem before.". Come to find out, I met other people who had the same problem before me and who dealt with the same LBS.

I've had the same problem, but my LBS always says "Yeah, this happens a bunch. Here's a warranty replacement!" and sends me on my merry way.

With that low spoke count the tension is higher on each spoke,and at 235 lbs you have more tension on each spoke,he has about 150lbs resting on his rear wheel,thats a lot of weight on that rear wheel.The only way to compensate is to get a steel rim or an alum with more spokes.


I've had the same problem, but my LBS always says "Yeah, this happens a bunch. Here's a warranty replacement!" and sends me on my merry way.

HAPPENS A BUNCH?I guess if lance armstrong gets a bike for free he would plug the company.

The only way to compensate is to get a steel rim or an alum with more spokes.

Steel rim? Now there's a novel solution.

I'll stand by my post to QC the build quality before replacing the whole wheel or doing anything rash. It might turn out to be necessary but, if it was my bike, I'd check the existing wheel first.

Steel rim? Now there's a novel solution.

ever try to bend a steel rim without spoke and a hub,I tried couldnt,i also tried to bend the aluminum rim of my trek cc when I replaced the wheel,yes it bent.

What choice does he have,he will either keep popping spokes or have to get a new wheel,20 radial spokes will not support his weight,sheldon brown has something to do on his site about spoke count and radial spoking.

Please, describe a "low" spoke count?

Sorry, but no dealer is going to ask a client to step onto a scale before selling them a bike, nor are they going to order a stronger replacement wheelset to accommodate heavier riders without being compensated, either before or after a sale. A Trek bike sells with the wheelset Trek specs on them. If you're having issues, take it up with Trek warranty, don't expect a shop to pay for it out of pocket.

Boo Bop!

I went to a LBS where I was considering the Giant FCR3 and was thinking about upgrading to the OCR? THe guy said..ugh I wouldn't recommend that due to weight and the low spoke count. So ...yes a dealer did suggest that I get the bike with the higher spoke count. :D

I went to a LBS where I was considering the Giant FCR3 and was thinking about upgrading to the OCR? THe guy said..ugh I wouldn't recommend that due to weight and the low spoke count. So ...yes a dealer did suggest that I get the bike with the higher spoke count

If what you are saying is TRUE,IF.Then you actually found a bike dealer who really cares about you and his business.The bike dealer who sold me my trek didnt give a s###,other than making a sale.

If what you are saying is TRUE,IF.Then you actually found a bike dealer who really cares about you and his business.The bike dealer who sold me my trek didnt give a s###,other than making a sale.

I don't have to lie to kick it. So trust...it's true. George from Alameda Bicycle in Alameda, CA. Kept it real wasn't trying to make a higher sale and was explicit when he put his hand through the spokes saying he didn't suggest this bike because of the few number of spokes and how they were spread out...sparsely.

Yea, it's sad what happened to you. I was just blessed because I was a total newbie when I went out to buy a bike. But, the help on these boards and tons of reading help me seem like I was up on the bike game when I went to the dealers.

I don't have to lie to kick it. So trust...it's true. George from Alameda Bicycle in Alameda, CA. Kept it real wasn't trying to make a higher sale and was explicit when he put his hand through the spokes saying he didn't suggest this bike because of the few number of spokes and how they were spread out...sparsely.

Being honest and forward as he is,does he get much business?

Being honest and forward as he is,does he get much business?

Any shop guy who's honest and forward to me will always get more of my business than one who's constantly trying to sell me stuff I don't need.