Broken Spoke

[jasond]

Hi All,

I was riding along up a hill when I heard a ping. I knew immediately but was hopeful it was not a spoke. When I stopped to look at the rear wheel my fears were confirmed, broken spoke. Nothing hit the spoke just broke near the nipple.

Brought the wheel to the LBS during lunch today and was told I can toss a new spoke in and ride it. Hopefully no other spokes will break. Or I could rebuild the wheel with a new rim. Naturally being unfamiliar with wheel building I asked if the rim could be reused and was told no. I don't doubt the gentleman's knowledge and experience but can this be true, would I need to purchase a new rim? It honestly wouldn't even be a question if the rim wasn't a 28 hole Ambrosio.

I guess this is for my general knowledge as I asked them to toss a new spoke in and I'll ride it.

[oldpotatoe]

Hi All,

I was riding along up a hill when I heard a ping. I knew immediately but was hopeful it was not a spoke. When I stopped to look at the rear wheel my fears were confirmed, broken spoke. Nothing hit the spoke just broke near the nipple.

Brought the wheel to the LBS during lunch today and was told I can toss a new spoke in and ride it. Hopefully no other spokes will break. Or I could rebuild the wheel with a new rim. Naturally being unfamiliar with wheel building I asked if the rim could be reused and was told no. I don't doubt the gentleman's knowledge and experience but can this be true, would I need to purchase a new rim? It honestly wouldn't even be a question if the rim wasn't a 28 hole Ambrosio.

I guess this is for my general knowledge as I asked them to toss a new spoke in and I'll ride it.

Broken spokes means the rim is ill, not a spoke issue. Bent, deformed rim, low tension= broken spoke. Yup, you can replace the spoke, have a good wheel builder true/round(best possible)/tension...if it breaks another, generally new rim.

See it broke at nipple...could be angle of the spoke/nipple into rim. What hub, rim, lacing?

[AngryScientist]

if you're not familiar with wheels, you have to trust your wheelbuilder. as oldP said, spokes break for a reason. there can be a number of reasons for a broken spoke, and i would want to understand WHY the spoke broke before just replacing it and moving on.

how many spokes in that rear wheel, what kind of spokes and how much do you weigh? what rim is it?

[Mikej]

Ive busted spokes and rode the rim for years - spokes are made from a giant coil of material, a pallet of wound wire, straightened, manipulated, butted, threaded, peened, etc. , things can go wrong that show up later in a single spoke without worry. Since it busted at the thread I would say spoke defect. From a manufacturing stand point, there is always a possibility something was processed incorrectly. Put in a spoke and ride it.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I do my own work, but even if I didn't I'd have the spoke replaced. If another spoke breaks.....new rim and spokes.

[Tony T]

Broken spokes means the rim is ill, not a spoke issue. Bent, deformed rim, low tension= broken spoke. Yup, you can replace the spoke, have a good wheel builder true/round(best possible)/tension...if it breaks another, generally new rim.

See it broke at nipple...could be angle of the spoke/nipple into rim. What hub, rim, lacing?

Couldn't there be problem with just the spoke?
If the spoke was over-tensioned, couldn't that be the cause of the broken spoke, and not the rim?
The OP said the spoke broke while going uphill, which is when additional stress and torque is put on the rear wheel.

[oldpotatoe]

Couldn't there be problem with just the spoke?
If the spoke was over-tensioned, couldn't that be the cause of the broken spoke, and not the rim?
The OP said the spoke broke while going uphill, which is when additional stress and torque is put on the rear wheel.

If the spoke was 'over tensioned', the wheel would be way outta true. Seeing broke at nipple, wonder if nipple broke or broke threads off, then it might be way it was laced, how the spoke/nipple sit in the rim. Broken spokes cuz of under tension(bent rim) normally break at elbow.

But the OPs wheel, sure, replace spoke, true/round/tension...ride, see what happens.

[Mark McM]

Couldn't there be problem with just the spoke?
If the spoke was over-tensioned, couldn't that be the cause of the broken spoke, and not the rim?
The OP said the spoke broke while going uphill, which is when additional stress and torque is put on the rear wheel.

It isn't excess tension that breaks spokes - it is the lack of tension in the adjacent spokes. As long as they all remain in tension, wheel loads can be shared by a group of adjacent spokes. But if some of the adjacent spokes are under-tensioned, they can completely slacken under load, concentrating the load on only those spokes remaining under tension.

Spokes can break for a variety of reasons, some related to the rim, some not. As has been mentioned by others, if a rim has been bent, it may require large variations in tensions to true the wheel and pull the rim back into shape. If this results in insufficient tension in some of the spokes, it can result in breakages of the adjacent spokes. The only permanent cure is a new rim.

If the wheel repair person discovered that the rim is bent, then yes, it would be advisable to replace the rim. If the rim is not bent, and the wheel can be trued without large tension variations, than the spoke breakage was likely due to another cause. In which case, like Peter says, just replace the spoke and you'll probably be fine.

[jasond]

Wow, thank you all for the knowledge. Going to put a new spoke in and see how that goes. Fingers crossed no issues from here on out. If I break another spoke I guess I could grab an Ambrosio F20 in 28 hole. It's nearly the same rim. Just sucks the rim won't be available this weekend. Have to climb a few hills and was hoping to get it back in time.

Thanks again!

[fogrider]

is this a lightweight box section tubular rim? if these are vintage rims built onto a modern 10 or 11 speed cassette, I think thee rim will be over stressed with 28 holes on a rear wheel and the required dish...even if you are 140 pounds! the stressed are just too much for it.