Bicycle Mechanics - Dismantling a wheel

a buddy wants me to dismantle a wheel he wrecked on. the rim and some spokes are trashed but he wants to reuse the old campy track hub. i know you would detension them then remove them if youre trying to save the rim and/or spokes. figured just cutting the spokes would work fine since only the hub is being salvaged. thought id double check though. just cut them or detension them to make sure it doesnt stress the old hub? im asking more for the knowledge than to save the couple minutes detensioning

A pair of dikes work great. Just cut the spokes. The rim is trash and you do not want to reuse spokes.

I disagree with kycycler. Reusing spokes is fine. But that doesn't apply to you, since you say only the hub is being salvaged.

Either use some cable-cutters - NOT one's made for bicycle-cables & housing* - or unscrew the spoke-nipples.


* Or they will be trash afterwards. Expensive trash.

If the rim and spokes are trashed, ther elikely isn't any tension on the spokes. I agree with the others who have said to just cut them using cutters meant for steel. Remember that spokes are cold-drawn stainless steel which is a lot tougher than regular old steel.

For an example of a trashed rim and spokes, see below:

http://home.comcast.net/~joejackson951/bike/DSC01296s.jpg

rear ended by a car?

+1 for some steel cutters.
spokes are impossible to cut with cable cutters, tin snips and the like.
grinding tool will make quick work of spokes however.

rear ended by a car?

Good guess. Don't worry, I'm fine :) The bike obviously not so much. New frame and wheels (well components for wheels) were ordered last night. You'll see a thread soon about my new lightweight commuter bike project.

Dikes will make quick work of spokes

Good guess. Don't worry, I'm fine :) The bike obviously not so much. New frame and wheels (well components for wheels) were ordered last night. You'll see a thread soon about my new lightweight commuter bike project.
Paid for by the driver who hit you?

If the rim and spokes are trashed, ther elikely isn't any tension on the spokes. I agree with the others who have said to just cut them using cutters meant for steel. Remember that spokes are cold-drawn stainless steel which is a lot tougher than regular old steel.

For an example of a trashed rim and spokes, see below:

http://home.comcast.net/~joejackson951/bike/DSC01296s.jpg

That should buff right out...

love that folding rack:roflmao2:glad no one was hurt.:lol:

If the spokes are still under tension then cutting them out can be a few moments of fun - remove the rim tape and as you cut a spoke the tension releases all at once and the spoke shoots across the room... the fun comes in trying to get the spokes to fly directly into the garbage. You have to cut in a pattern that will leave as many spokes tensioned fo as long as possible so they keep firing and not just falling limp.

Wear eye protection.

And remove pets and kids from the room.

And remove pets and kids from the room.

Remove just kids from the room. Pets are moving targets. :)

Remove just kids from the room. Pets are moving targets. :)

the kids are fun to shoot at, shame on you for aiming at pets :p

Paid for by the driver who hit you?

And then some.


That should buff right out...

haha, you can't tell from the photos but the rear triangle is twisted pretty good plus there's a good amount of paint missing from the seat stays. I'm going to see if the frame can be straightened and maybe I'll keep it as a beater. It won't be my daily ride any more though.


love that folding rack:roflmao2:glad no one was hurt.:lol:

Well, I wouldn't say I wasn't hurt but it wasn't anything life threatening. Two bone fractures and some road rash mainly. I managed to land entirely on my right butt cheek on the road so you can imagine where it hurt.

To the OP, be sure to remove the cog prior to despoking the wheel.

thanks for all the feedback. i have lots of construction tools so cutting the spokes w/ a proper tool should be no problem. Cynikal... good call on the cog. it totally slipped me mind. JoeJack, that wheel is crazy bit glad youre ok.