Originally Posted by
immunizer
Hi folks!
I broke a spoke for the second time on this wheel, but I don't think I'm overstressing it. I'm wondering if it was poorly built or if I need to ride differently. Here are the details:
It was poorly built.
Does my wheel suck?
Probably.
Do I have bad luck? Am I too fat? (Really?) I can't really afford to buy a new wheel, nor can I afford to have my primary transportation tied up in the shop for 3 days every time this happens. I think I can replace the spoke myself and just true the wheel on the bike, but what are your thoughts on this?
Spokes fail due to fatigue, with the number of cycles survived (about 750 a mile as they pass the bottom of the wheel where their load drops) dependent on the average stress (which can be high due to the entire elbow never being taken past its elastic limit) and magnitude of the variation.
All of the spokes in one side of the wheel have similar average stress and have seen similar stress cycles and should be failing about the same time.
The right thing to do is replace all of the spokes in the drive side, bring to uniform high tension, and stress relieve. Find a bicycle cooperative with a truing stand/dish stick and do the work yourself.
Also, any thoughts on continuing to ride for a day or two with that spoke gone?
It'll be fine.