My husband has a 1990 or 91 Technium 400 that has broken 4 spokes on the rear wheel in the past year, despite being re-tensioned and trued (by our LBS) a couple times. It's a Rigida 27" rim with a cheap Nakano hub. The bike is not high end, but it rides smoothly, fits perfectly, looks sharp, and was recently completely overhauled. So he wants to keep the bike, but lose the spoke problems. What would you say is the most economical fix?

A 27" wheel this late in the game?

Raleigh Technium bikes, even up to the 460 level, had rather poor-quality spokes, which in my case broke occasionally despite thorough equi-tensioning, something that a bike-shop-trued wheel usually doesn't get the benefit of.

The solution is a new rear wheel, since the front wheel spokes tend to last many times longer. A high-quality used wheel might also be suitable if inspected thoroughly.

If your husband is on the heavy side or is doing higher mileage, then any new "economy-type" generic wheel would benefit greatly from a thorough precision tensioning, and the hub might best be a cassette-style hub of the correct width. A new chain and cassette would then likely be also needed.
The exact spoke tension will depend on the particular rim that the new wheel has, and the work done by an experienced wheel-builder.

I vote for new wheel or rebuild. Went through this with my old Diamondback. Broke a spoke every other week all summer long. Shop rebuilt the wheel for $40. Problem solved. And find a better shop - they should have spotted the problem.

Wouldn't call him heavy - around 140 lbs- and the bike is mostly used for casual urban riding, although he is considering a 2-3 day ride to Door County, so would really like to be able to count on the bike/wheel being reliable. What about having the LBS rebuild the wheel with new spokes?

I believe the current wheel has a freewheel. So can we still get a freewheel compatible new wheel, or do we have to switch to a cassette? Because then we're talking new chain and possibly new chainrings, right?

Bill, I love the idea of getting a used wheel, but am having trouble finding one locally.

The freewheel-style of hub/wheel should be fine for a 140# rider, and yes, such wheels are widely available, often sold under the WheelMaster brand.

Rebuilding the wheel with new spokes would likely cost a minimum of $75, and then only if the existing rim is in good shape. A new wheel might cost about this same amount.

Be sure to order the correct rim diameter (27"?) and axle width to match your frame spacing (126mm?). Also be sure to specify solid axle or quick release (hollow) axle, and confirm the valve drilling (presta or Shraeder). A Presta valve hole can be drilled out to fit Shraeder valves on all but the narrowest rims.

Cheaper to buy new than rebuild an old hub, unless it is something special.

Velomine.com

Buy a set, you can always use them on another bike too.

If 27", go with these.
https://www.velomine.com/index.php?ma...roducts_id=739

If 700c, go with these, higher performance, Mavic CXP22 and Shimano 105, for a few bucks more. Make sure the brake pads can move down about 1/8" or 4 cm. you'd need a cassette, $20.
Mavic CXP22 Shimano 105 Hubs All Silver Road Bike Wheels 32h [66801 & 66802] - $149.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike

Most would recommend the 700c if you are changing both rims, many more tire choices.

Rebuilding the wheel with quality new spokes should be a good fix and work fine so long as the rim is not bent. No compelling reason to replace the hub if it is still in good shape but check first that the cones are not pitted, axle not bent.

And using an LBS to do so will guaranty a minimal cost of $25 rim + $35 spokes + $40 labor, or $90 per wheel. I know because I am having a pair of Campy Tipo hubs rebuilt for a Raleigh Gran Sport, in a changeover from tubular to clincher.

So if you can't find a used wheel, a new wheel is less expensive than a rebuild.

If you break one spoke, it's generally worth replacing the one spoke, if you break a second, replace it as well, if you break a third, you need to replace them all.....

The first step is to examine the rim well, to see if it's cracked or bent. 1990 is awfully late for 27" a size that was common up until the late 1970's and fell out of fashion in the early 1980's being replaced by 700C... The real difference is that the rim on a 700C is 622mm in diameter, while 27" is 630mm in diameter. If you have a metric ruler, simply measure the slot on the brake from the bolt to the centre of the wheel end, if you have more then 4mm, your good.

Now examine the hubs, they need to be disassembled and the cups need to be examined, if they are pitted or scored outside of the running area, then the hubs will need to be replaced. You know the spokes will need replacing, so if the hubs or the rim also need replacing, just replace the wheel. If a 700C will fit, go with the 700C, there are more wheel and tire choices in that size. If your replacing the rear wheel, you may wish to replace the front as well.

You need to take the bike to the shop, because they need some information to match up axle type, axle width and gear count. Gear count is important, if it's 7 or fewer it's likely a freewheel, which is screwed on. If it's 8 speed or higher, it's probably a cassette, there were 8 speed freewheels, but they don't matter, because the gear spacing is the same on an 8 speed freewheel and cassette, but it will mean buying a cassette, instead of using your existing freewheel. If you do need to buy a cassette, you should replace the chain as well. Replacing the wheels is likely to leave your wallet about $200 lighter.

Get wheels.

I hit a dog at full speed on a Technium.
2 spokes went into my calf, one through and through.
Hard to remove with a broken wrist and collarbone.

Thanks for the advice. This is not a high quality rim or hub we're talking about, so looks like we will go with new wheels. We may be able to get these off of Craigslist, if not we'll order them online.

Weinmann 27 inch Sovos/Weinmann RM19 QR Wheelset Freewheel - Harris Cyclery bicycle shop - West Newton, Massachusetts

Yikes! That sounds extremely painful. You provided some serious motivation to get this thing fixed right.

I'd hate to see what would happen if the spokes just failed at speed, and wouldn't want it to happen to anyone. I just got a set of wheels in that are having the same problem. He gave me the hubs, rims, and spokes. 2 broken on the rear, 1 on the front. Straight pull spokes on Cane Creek hubs/rims, a Scott Speedster. He's lucky. If he'd replaced only those, I think he'd have been courting disaster. A good shop took one look at them and said "we will not fix those unless you relace both rims." Good advice.

Are the spokes salt cured? run your finger nail along the spoke if you feel bumps through your nail have a look at the spoke and see if there are lines around the spoke if so they were probably salt cured, millions and millions of these are out there normally with a N at the head. We get wheels all the time with this problem and the spokes just break. Grease on the spokes can give a longer life but it is better to relace.

Buy the spokes and nipples yourself after measuring spokes on both sides of the wheel, look at you wheel, read online, check into the mechanics part of Bike forums(a lot of good people in there to help you out) you will be surprised at how easy it is, you can then take wheel to an LBS the uses a spoke tensioner(very important with a cheaper hub in a 27") then just pay for wheel truing.

A properly built 27" wheel is a beautiful thing, don't listen to the haters(purely a joke) Continental, Schwalbe, Michelin, Panaracer are all making nice tyres. Converting to 700c is not always the best way to go, people on here have converted then converted back, because the bike did not feel as good. If you are happy with your wheel set stay with them. Rigida made strong rims.

It's also true that Rigida has made some of the most-fragile rims in both single-walled and double-walled styles. Many such Rigida rims are also among the lightest of their type, but which may not look like it from looking at them.

I might personally re-lace the rear wheel if it was in great shape (other than the spokes), if only to preserve the matching rims.
But in my case, I have spoke inventory and a ton of experience doing this. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who wasn't fully enthusiastic about approaching the learning curve and with plenty of spare time, during which the bike won't be usable.

Interesting Thank you for the info, I would put early Mavic rims in the too soft category too.

It took me 20 mins on my first re lace, Glenn's book beside me, a cup of coffee and a calm ready to follow instructions mind set and off I went, research is the key, starting at the valve hole following a step by step instruction.
Marking your start spokes with tape on each new step is a good way to work back if you make mistakes.

I think the problem with wheel re lacing for beginners is reading time and time again online that it is difficult, it is if you do not try, a simple 3 cross is easy, once you have done it twice to 3 times, the human brain is a amazing thing.
Guys like Sheldon Brown, Harold T. Glenn, Clarence W. Cole's have all done easy step by step how too's to make it possible for beginners to learn, this is how I learnt.
Sometimes having a complete wheel as an example of the lace pattern is a good thing too. Your local Co op or LBS should be able to provide guidance free of charge.
If you get stuck, I could probably do a step by step, but I do know it is easy to find on here and via Google.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'd like to try wheel building some day (although i don't typically have a calm ready to follow instructions mind set). But right now we have 6 bikes in the garage needing various amounts of maintenance or repair, and I want to spend some of these beautiful summer days riding rather than wrenching. Since these are cheap wheels on an entry level bike, we're going to replace rather than rebuild.

All good mate, I understand, I just want to be encouraging, we are limited by time, work, and our lovely wives and kids, my bikes take the backseat until everything is done.
Replacing is a great bet. nice new(old?) stuff is always a good thing.