My Gazelle has been off the road since the end of last season, because of a broken spoke. I've had my tourer, and various other things running, and haven't had the time to go for long fast rides anyway, so it hasn't been a priority. This week, however, I finished building up a fast road machine for a friend (I built it up from a bike that I bought for £10, and then sold the Cinelli bars for more than that, using a wheelset that I took from another bike which I still parted out for a profit. Free bike!), and wanted to be able to go out for a good ride for him. Therefore I took my front wheel to the LBS for a new spoke, and took my slightly wobbly rear in for a true while they were at it. These are really narrow section alloys, wearing 20mm tyres, and I love them. This is what came back:



I don't know enough about wheelbuilding and maintenance to know whether this was likely just tired aluminium, or whether the wrench has overtensioned the spoke. Whatever it is, the front spoke and true was cheap at £3:50, but now I need a new wheelset, and I STILL can't ride the Gazelle. I can ride my Raleigh Royal tourer, and I'm probably big and fit enough to stick with my buddy anyway, but I didn't want this to happen to my poor wheel

Is the spoke that pulled through the rim the one the LBS replaced? What make of rims and how many miles/kilometers are on them? By the look of that spoke and the oxidation on the eyelet, I'd say that the truing process was more than that(presumably worn out)rim could bear. Perhaps it's time for a new wheelset after all?

Well, it's DEFINITELY time for a new wheelset. I'm not gonna be riding that one again! I'm reluctant to blame them - the bike is 20 plus years old, and those are probably the original wheels. I'm just sorry to see them go. It wasn't the new spoke, no. That went on the front wheel, which now doesn't have a use......

Dayum! Did the torque that with an air wrenck?!?!

That just as likely happened when they tightened spokes on the opposite side of the wheel, or a crossing spoke. That's a real shame. I had a really nice black, Ukai rear wheel that bit the dust in a similar - but less spectacular - manner. I had to retire the rims, but the Pro-Am hubs are definitely going to find a new home on the silver rims.

It might be worth me snipping the hub out of this one I suppose.

stacey, I don't think so.

I'm thinking thats just metal fatigue and the spoke pulled through.
If it were overtightened I would expect to see more deformation
around the spoke hole. This occured in the side wall of the rim
not the inner surface which I believe also rules in favour of the shop
not being heavy handed.
Sammyboy, did they tell you it was farked, or did you discover it
on your own? the reason I'm asking is that if this is a shop you use/like/trust
than maybe it occured after the true and they weren't aware of it.

marty

Well, the whole experience was wierd. I took in both those wheels, to have the spoke replaced, and both trued. I also took in another, a flip flop hub, for them to remove the freewheel. When I got back, the girl told me they'd done the spoke replacement, but the mechanic had put a note on it saying "bad rim", so it might go out of true again. Then she gave me back 2 wheels. I asked for the third, and she then disappeared for a while, came back with it and said "they couldn't do anything with this one because the rim is damaged". Now it sure as hell wasn't like that when I brought it in, but I think it was just miscommunication between the wrench and the girl running the till. I like this shop, generally. They don't sell anything I want, but their labour rates are very reasonable, they're VERY local, and they give me all the bike boxes I want. I think I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

I agree to the theory of metal fatigue.FWIW, Alloy rims are a bit more flexible than steel rims and would be subject to what's called "work hardening" and any surface nick in the area could result in stress related rupture of the metal.

Better to happen on the wheel-stand than the road, as it was going to happen anyway.

I suggest a friendly conversation with the wrench/mechanic when the chance comes about. Based on the info, it seems more likely the rims were ready to go, but the mechanic may be able to offer some insights and it's a chance to strengthen the connection with them. IMO, relationships are one of the best ways to get quality service that can be trusted.

I have never had a rim fail in this manner, but I concur with the general trend of this thread, i.e., that the rim was about ready for retirement, anyway.

Yes, I do realize that we're talking about a FRONT wheel here.

Please remember to remove freewheels from rear hubs before snipping them out of junk wheels.

OK, end of public service announcement.

From the picture it does look like the break runs along the bottom edge of the heaviest brakewear band.

I've had a few rims die just like this over the years, so I suspect it was just this one's time.