It was an okay ride home, feeling a little tired, until I was a couple miles out and one of my rear rims broke a bladed aero spoke. Or so I thought, it actually broke one of the nipples. Vuelta Corsa Lite wheelset, 20/24 spokes. They have well over 8,000 miles on them with never any problem whatsoever before this.

It happened right as I pulled out from a side road onto a busy arterial, in the left lane, about to move to the center lane to turn to another side road. I had to stop and get off the bike in the center lane, and move the bike across to a parking lot, because the spoke was sticking out and getting bent from hitting the frame, rear rack, cassette, etc. I have a multitool but no spoke wrench with me, so I had to squeeze the remaining nipple on the spoke very hard, through my gloves, in order to get the nipple off the threads and get the spoke out of the hub flange. Took at least 5 minutes just to get that little piece off.

Finally I got it off and stashed everything in my trunk bag, then road home very slowly and gingerly, not wanting to put a bunch more weight or power down over the rear wheel for fear of breaking another spoke or nipple. The spoke is intact although bent, but putting tension on it should straighten it out. Going by the LBS this afternoon (brought wheel and spoke in the car with me today) to get another nipple, or possibly another spoke, some rim tape, and a spoke wrench to keep in my saddle bag.