Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Broke my first spoke this evening!

11.75 miles into my ride I heard a pronounced POP from the back wheel! I knew exactly what it was when I heard it, but I couldn't find it at first. I got back on to continue, thinking I must be mistaken... 'til I saw the wobble in the wheel! I looked a bit closer and found the popped spoke behind the cassette! I walked it up the road about a quarter mile to the top of a small hill by a farmhouse.
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Luckily this didn't happen about 10 minutes earlier when I was doing 30mph down a hill!

I made the call of shame to the Mrs and sat there in the shade until she got there!

It looks like I'm headed to the LBS tomorrow. grrr!

Consider a better wheel with 36 spokes.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Hopefully the LBS can get ya fixed up.

I feel your pain!

I'm surprised this hasn't happened to me yet being 270lbs. on a road bike. Hope they get ya fixed up quick and back to riding.

You should carry a multi-tool with a spoke wrench or a real spoke wrench (they're small and light). A wheel with that many spokes should be easy enough to true by the side of the road. At least then you can ride home... In the meantime, have your shop replace the spoke and then check the tension on all of the spokes.

I just finished up replacing the spoke and re-tensioning the wheel. I haven't tried it out yet. ...I'm a bit apprehensive about it. It's been a while since I've done this sort of work on a bike!

I DID get to drool over a couple CAADs at the bike shops!

I know the feeling. it took me four pops before my wheel went out of true. That was at about 800 miles. The LBS fixed me up. If it happens again, I'll spring for some "stouter" wheels.

When this happens, often just opening the quick release on your rear caliper will allow you to limp home. It will be wobbly but ridable. Just be careful because you only have a front brake.

I had this happen on a rear wheel. Took it to the LBS to have the spoke replaced, and they told me they replace a spoke once but if a second spoke on the same wheel breaks then it's time for a rebuild or a new wheel. Apparently when a spoke breaks it greatly stresses the spokes around it, which weakens them. Often one spoke breaking will set up a chain reaction that will cause spokes to continue to break on that wheel.

Sure enough, on the first ride after I got the spoke replaced I broke another one. I used that opportunity to upgrade to a nicer wheelset. :)

doesn't anyone build their own wheels?

I learned to build wheels because I am a cheap _____ and got tired of paying the incompetent LBS to true wheels after replacing a broken spoke.

With respect to:


Apparently when a spoke breaks it greatly stresses the spokes around it, which weakens them. Often one spoke breaking will set up a chain reaction that will cause spokes to continue to break on that wheel.

broken spokes are due to inadequate tension allowing the spokes to go into compression. if one breaks, they are all likely to break in short order (<100 miles). very very rarely will there be a problem with a single spoke. If high quality spokes are used (Wheelsmith, DT, etc) - they will not break if properly tensioned.

doesn't anyone build their own wheels?.

You must be new here. ;)