bigbikerbrian

ive had four spokes break on my rear wheel (crap(?) bianchi hub laced to cxp-22). ive never had this kind of failure on a wheel before, and i was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences.

hyperRevue

Nope.
What year?

bigbikerbrian

04. everything else is fine. just these spokes keep popping.

hyperRevue

I have an '04 too and have never popped a spoke.
I doubt it has anything to do with an inherent lack of quality with the wheels.
Probably just a bad batch or bad luck or poorly maintained.

popluhv

Good question. I've been through five on my '05. I retrue them after each break and replace the spoke, so it is not a case of one breaking, and the other four following. Most of the breakage on the front wheel, which I had rebuilt with 14 straight guage DTs. much more solid feeling. The spokes broke at either the hub flange or nipple. So, I am attributing the failure to generaly ****ty spokes, not the fact that they were double butted and fancy.

The LT

I've broken 4 spokes on my front wheel (not from a pista) though I should probably have something beefier on the front on my bike....28h radial laced is probably on the light side for me... i weigh 190#

hyperRevue

I'm about 190 and am riding a 20 spoke in the front without issue yet.
[knocks on wood]

lunacycle

I broke a few spokes on the rear wheel at the nipples on my '05 Pista. I had the wheel rebuilt with 14ga DT's. I haven't had a problem since. As others have suggested, the stock spokes may be your problem.

biff

It's most likely not the quality of spokes, it's the quality of the initial build.

CF4L

my roomate runs a stock pista rear wheel on his conversion and id say hes broken at least 4. he has had it trued at different shops to make sure thats not the problem, but just keeps snaping them. hes a small guy too. so yea, you are not alone although that doesnt make your situation any better.

bigbikerbrian

ive got some shop experience, i know how to true a wheel and tension and all that crap. its breaking at the hub, and im beginning to think its the same one every time. i try to remember, but a few months pass and i forget which one it was last time. i think the solution is just buy a new wheel.

EDIT: im 6'4 and 215. so maybe thats something.

ohmyspokes

I've had one spoke on the rear snap. 04 model as well.
And I'm shy of 125#.

LóFarkas

Where exactly do the spokes break at the nipple? AFAIK that hardly ever happens, so it sounds like really crappy spokes were used. What brand? They should have a symbol or abbreviation of the maker on the head.

bigbikerbrian

theyre breaking at the hub.

crushkilldstroy

wrap a zip tie around the spoke you replace. then you'll know if you keep breaking the same one.

bigbikerbrian

zip tie. roger dodger.
still gonna buy a new wheel, though.

LóFarkas

Both popluhv and HyperRevue have broken spokes at the nipple.

Ken Cox

I weigh 215 pounds.
I ride a 05 Pista and broke a spoke on the rear wheel at the nipple.
I knew the Pista had cheap components when I bought it and I planned to replace them as they broke.
I suppose I might wait on the wheels, though.
I kinda like the Alex rims.
Very light.
All in all, I think Bianchi did a nice job of putting together an inexpensive, useful bike.

queerpunk

don't mean to push what sounds like hearsay as evidence, but somebody who i used to sort of know had this happen to his pista, also an 04 i believe. his wheelset just started snapping spokes--not even while riding. odd. few bad apples i guess.

na975

190 yrs old?

AfterThisNap

Gee, ya think?
Big guys need big wheels. Try replacing the spokes again and try manually seating the elbows into the hub flange with a punch and a ball peen hammer. Then set the nipples into the beds by laying the hub on the axle and standing on the rim with your feet on opposite sides of the rim, and move all the way around the rim. You should hear little popping noises as the nipples bed in.
Then retrue, get as even tension as possible .