TLit

I had my old Motobecane that is vintage around 1975 serviced recently at the shop that trued a wheel. A spoke broke, it got serviced last week, I rode it a few miles and noticed another spoke broke. Are these hard to do myself? The shop may do me some type of favor or discount, but I don't want to spend another $47 or so.

juvela

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most common spoke breakage location is the drive side pulling spokes of the rear wheel

in order to replace these it is necessary to remove the gear block

so one must be able to do that should it be the location of the broken spoke(s)


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dddd

That is right at the vintage when some Asian and other companies started making stainless spokes for the first time, and when many wheels went out on bikes that began breaking those brittle spokes with regularity after only a couple of thousand miles.

At this point, the rear wheel may best be sorted by replacing all of the spokes, assuming that the wheel components are good for your needs.
I've been through this with Nishiki, Centurion and other brands from that era, and there were wheels being sold to OEM's like Pro-Flex even in the 90's that still featured short-lived, brittle stainless spokes.

I also had a front wheel in use on my cyclocross bike for a dozen years that suddenly started breaking a front spoke at just about every race. Those were DT spokes that simply aged out from the fatigue of hard use on a 28-spoke front wheel.

Bianchigirll 

Do you have any pictures or more information for us? It would be helpful to know if this is a high end model with high quality hubs or a lower end model with inexpensive hubs.

If it’s the latter it might be simpler to buy a replacement wheel. However if it a Maillard Helicomatic hub you will need a new freewheel too.

plonz 

I had a similar problem with changing a single spoke and then having another break repeatedly. In my case, I re-tensioned all the spokes but was not sufficiently stress-relieving like I would normally do on a new build. Took the time to do that and seems to have fixed the issue.

The other thing I've come across is having multiple spokes chewed up from the chain going off the big cog and breaking one at a time.

Good luck!

dddd

Fingers crossed!

As for the chain damaging the spokes, it's one of the most easily-missed kinds of damage to one of a bike's most costly-to-repair parts, especially when shopping for used bikes.
I always check if the rear rim runs true, but sometimes miss the "chew" on the spokes.

TLit

TLit

Broken spoke is at apex of wheel.

I stopped at a flea market today thinking of getting a 27 inch wheel and someone had a Raleigh 10 speed not in bad shape for $10 but it would probably complicate things.

Bianchigirll 

TLit I seriously consider a replacement alloy wheel. The shop can swap your current freewheel over and adjust your derailleur.

Those old galvanized spokes will keep breaking and I’d never recommend to anyone simply rebuilding a steel rim wheel.

Classtime 

Go get the Raleigh. 10 bucks is not complicated.

Bianchigirll 

I believe the OP was thinking about the Raleigh wheel for the Moto, but yeah if the Raleigh fits and is a better quality bike that’s $10 we’ll spent.

TLit

Actually the bike said Carlton with some Raleigh parts on the bike; It was a little small for me though t had a 27 inch 10 speed style.

albrt 

Carlton? Maybe you are pulling our legs, but an old Carlton is a potentially collectible bike. Grab it quick if you can.

SurferRosa

No. But you have to have a little time, patience and be able to follow simple instruction:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Oh, and you'll need a spoke wrench.

CliffordK

That isn't a super valuable model of Motobecane, so I can imagine reluctance to keep dumping money in. But, on the other hand, if it works, that may be good for your needs.

If the hub is good, I'd probably go ahead and replace all the spokes.

A full set of straight gauge stainless steel 2mm spokes, plus nipples aren't that expensive.

Building a wheel is rather tedious, and takes some work to get the wheel true and properly dished (centered). For the rear, the right and left spokes are usually a couple mm different in length.

But, it is also a good skill to know. A truing stand is nice, but it can be done on the bike.

wrk101

Or find a co-op. I routinely donate wheels to our local co-op, I've probably donated 200 over the years. You will continue to break spokes, and on a 45 year old wheel, its time to replace. Get something with an alloy rim and stainless spokes. That $10 Carlton should be long, long, long gone.

TLit

https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Rear-1-...a-568999014205


Would this one be compatible? I went back to the bike shop and they said it would be another $50 or so for them to fix the weel and something about twice is a coincidence but still they advised against it.

TLit

Also I'm thinking that in truing the wheel the bike shop got it "right" technically but the other spokes couldn't stretch so when I rode it so one had to give.

On the Carlton, if the guy shows up it will probably be there again. Are these that rare and desirable? I'm not looking to collect, just ride.

SurferRosa

That's not really how that works.

I would read the first sentence of post 16 again.

SpedFast

If you can get the bike for 10 bucks and the wheels are alloy, buy it. If nothing else, it'll be a good experience for you to learn some bike basics. I'm sure there are lots of parts on it if you don't want to ride the Carlton or use parts from the MB to make a ridable Carlton. Tools are really a good investment. Good luck

CliffordK

That is a cheap wheel. Nothing super fancy, but it should get you on the road.

The one specification that I don't see is the Over Locknut Dimension (OLD).

On your bicycle, remove the rear wheel, and measure the distance between the dropouts, inside to inside.

You should get one of the following distances: 120mm, 126mm, 130mm, or 135mm.

Your new wheel should be purchased to easily fit in. Slip in with maybe ½mm to 1mm to spare.

Depending on how the axle is assembled, it can be adjusted, but then you may need to adjust the bearings, and adjust the wheel dishing.

A bike co-op can help with finding either used wheels, or perhaps new wheels. Also they should be able to help with fitting the wheel to the bike. Any adjustments necessary.

And hopefully can give some instruction.

Or, if one is ambitious, get a pile of spokes, and some help to rebuild the wheel.

Or, of course, just sell one a couple of spare spokes, and give instruction on how to replace the spokes should they break. It is a bit of a pain of spokes break on the freewheel side because the freewheel has to come off to fix them, but not the end of the world either.

zandoval 

First of all having a back up wheel set is a real gem. A good steel wheel set may not cost allot and should be easy to find.

Truing a wheel is not a hard task to learn and after you get proficient in truing your wheels replacing a spoke is not a hard task at all. After all once you have your backup wheel set installed you can take your time, peruse the many Youtubes and go for it...

For less than 47.00 USD you can get:

• Spoke Wrench - 7.00 UDA
• Zip Ties - 3.00 USD
• Freewheel Removal Socket - 5.00 USD

If ya really want to get into it

• Spoke Tension Meter - 19.00 USD
• Spoke Nipple Tool - 5.00 USD
• Dishing Tool (Card Board) - https://www.roadbikereview.com/attac...t1-jpg.314783/

It very well could be your spoke failures are simple normal wear and tear. I did have a machine built wheel set that had poor quality spokes and after popping many of them just replace all the spokes. Note my personal favorite supplier of spokes is: https://www.bikehubstore.com

By the way a Vintage 75 Motobecane... That's a nice ride...

dddd

That Amazon/Wheelmaster wheel is spec'd at 130mm for up to a 7s freewheel.

It would be a good bit of work to narrow it to 120mm, if the original freewheel was 5-speed.

TLit

I found a larger 68cm bike on CL, a Le Mans from the 80s, and the seller, Zach from NJ was able to replace the problem wheel with a good one, though it is 10 speed. https://cnj.craigslist.org/bik/d/new...541909563.html

TLit

Fixed rear wheel, now 10 speeds as Zach who works out of a garage did not have a 12 speed wheel.....$20.

$20