knzn

Got up this morning with ideas of a personal best ride. Fixed a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast with honey and blueberrys. I would like it even if wasn't good for you!

Started out nice and easy, beautiful day, mild winds (for Kansas!) and at mile 3.5 started feeling strong.
As I pedaled along the cares of the world started melting away like they do when on a nice ride. At mile 12 I stopped for a short break and a couple of dried apricots. For this days ride it was also my turn around point.

Got back in stride and was feeling really good. Had thoughts of a personal best ride going through my head. Then at mile 18, while on a nice down hill section (again, for kansas!) I heard the POP!

It was on the back and things got a bit jabber wacky as I slowed down and got stopped. Whipped out the cell phone and called the boy and pushed it to a meeting spot.

So----loaded it up and took it to the LBS. My bike is a stock Trek 1000 with Alexrims AT450 rims. It is not hard to do a search and find many opinions that these are not great Clyde rims and spokes. I hover around 235-240. This happened on my 350th mile on the bike. It had a few mile on it when I got it, but not many. I discussed the possibilty of doing an upgrade while at the shop and was pretty much talked out of it. Yes, I could have insisted, but didn't know what to insist on! Anyway I left it with them just to replace the broken spoke and retrue.

Now I am having second thoughts. Should I see how things go and see if this is going to be a regular thing, or upgrade now? Asking a question like this always gets answers all accross the board, but would like to see everyones thoughts on the situation.
Thanks!

10 Wheels

These are good. Free Shipping
36 spokes
4500 miles on mine Zero Problems.

https://www.everybicycletire.com/Shop...elset-622.aspx

chewybrian 

I had that problem. After 4 or 5 respokes, I got some Mavics--problem solved. Mine are XT hubs and 319 rims, $200/set. For road bikes, you can find Ultegra, etc. in that range if you shop around. Check out Ebay item 170335624308. If that is not an exact fit for you, that seller, Rockymountaincyclery, has many others at decent prices. IMO, well worth it to get a set you won't be worried about, and focus on riding.

wmodavis

IMO the best thing you can do to insure longevity of a wheelset is to make sure the spokes are properly tensioned. You did not give much pertinent detail on the spoke breakage such as which wheel, which side, where the break occured (head, thread, or middle of spoke). Spoke breakage, except when caused by impact, is usually due to metal fatigue and mostly is at either end (head or thread). The usual cause is that the spokes are too loosely tensioned. A tightly, evenly tensioned wheel is both durable and strong and spoke fatigue is minimized.

knzn

Back wheel, forgot which side, at the head. If anything they may have been too tight assuming there is such a thing.

I had it checked and tuned in February right after I got it. I rode it about 50 miles or so although it ran true, when putting a spoke wrench on them one side seemed loose, so I tightned them all a quarter to a half turn. That snugged up the loose ones, and made the ones already snug pretty tight. Maybe I over did them.

knzn

Thanks for the suggestions.

Keep them coming!

jaxgtr

Bought my Hybrid wheels from this guy and have been very happy.

garage sale GT

get one of those kits with the kevlar cord which can replace a broken spoke temporarily. Then if your old wheelset pops a spoke it's no big deal.

I have one but I can't say as I've tried it, & I don't know if it works on the spokes which are threaded at both ends.

10 Wheels

jaxgtr

I've got to say, I have never heard of this before. Pretty neat item.

10 Wheels

They work and can be reused many times.

Wogster

If you break A spoke, get it replaced and get the wheel re-tensioned. If it makes a habit of breaking spokes, get the shop to replace all of the spokes in the wheel, and get them to tension the spokes properly. If you still have problems with breaking spokes, then you should think about replacing the wheel, and don't get it from that same shop. Not all bicycle mechanics know the proper tension for a wheel.

jaxgtr

Is that a touring type thing??? Probably why I've never heard of it.