Originally Posted by
Wilfred Laurier
You can make a temporary replacement spoke with a pair of needlenose pliers and a too-long spoke. Cut the elbow and bend off the long spoke and bend a new elbow (more of a 'hook') that can be fed through the spoke hole in the hub without removing the cassette
Originally Posted by
tjspiel
I'm assuming the above would be a temporary repair you'd do at home in the case you needed a spoke that wasn't readily available at a local shop. Otherwise you'd need to carry a pliers and some way to cut a spoke.
I've seen wheels on Craigslist with mostly Z-Bend spokes, so it should be secure enough, but yes, I would think it is temporary.
I wonder if for touring, one could just carry a few extra long nipples, then if the J-bend breaks, put in a quick Z-Bend, and add a long nipple. Of course, that would mean removing the tire and rim tape and truing the wheel.
As far as commuting. I have 32 or 36 spoke wheels, and if I break a spoke, I can generally make it the 10 to 20 miles home, sometimes loosening the brakes.