Originally Posted by
JB05
Hi all,
I've owned a Breezer Uptown 8 for about 10 months now. It has an internal, 8-speed rear hub which is very heavy. Both wheels are 36 spokes, and I weigh about 340 lbs + the weight of whatever I'm carrying (groceries, etc). I descend some long, steep drops on twice on a daily basis (~120 ft. drop in altitude), as I need to cross a river valley to get to/from work.
Spoke breakage is normal for you. Have a competent wheel builder replace all the spokes in the failing group (front, rear drive side, rear non-drive side) and you'll be fine.
They even checked a BMX spoke provider, but said all the spokes they had would be too short. They strongly recommended I switch to a bike in the ~$1,200 price range that would have disc brakes. They said this would remove the torsional stress issues at the rim.
They're mechanically ignorant. Disc brakes increase torsional stress at the rim.
Does this sound right? Has anyone else had similar issues with spoke breakage due to rim braking?
Rim breaking isn't your problem.
Spokes fail due to fatigue, with the number of cycles dependent on average stress (tension plus stresses left over from the elbow forming operation or where there's a bend meeting the nipple) and magnitude of the variation (if they're not tight enough they can flex and break like paper clips, and 340 pounds of weight unloading spokes passing the bottom of the wheel about 750 times a mile that's higher for you than a 150-200 pound rider).
I just spent $800 on my Breezer in January and I'd hate to throw another $1,200 into cycling... especially since I'm doing this to try and be frugal (LOL I wish!)
Wheel building isn't hard, and you could learn to do it yourself to guarantee the repair is done right.