broken spoke - is it OK to ride?

RoundTower

I found this morning a spoke had popped out of the hub of my rear wheel. I expect it's broken, but will take a proper look later. Is it safe to ride the bike or am I going to damage it? It's a cheapish hybrid, if that helps, I can give more information if necessary once I've taken a look at the bike.

Lumen

It's not a great idea to ride it.

The eventual outcome of this was that I got a steady cascade of spoke failures and had to have the wheel completely rebuilt.

seamus

If it's popped off the hub, then the head has snapped off, it's broken.

You won't do any damage if you get it fixed soon enough. Your only problem is that it's likely that more spokes are close to breaking so the more you ride, the more will break.

Hungrycol

The stability of the wheel could be compromised. If it were me I'd get it fixed ASAP. The buckel alone would drive me barmy.

Beasty

I did 150km of the WW200 this year with a broken spoke - no further damage was done, but I was nervous as hell in case another went. I would get it fixed asap (any LBS should be able to turn this round fairly quickly)

kona

Beasty wrote: »

I did 150km of the WW200 this year with a broken spoke - no further damage was done, but I was nervous as hell in case another went. I would get it fixed asap (any LBS should be able to turn this round fairly quickly)

but you bike wasnt a BSO.

OP Id check the rest of your spokes they are probably all really loose.

Trojan

It depends on several factors (your weight, type of spokes, number of spokes, how hard you ride). In general for me it's not a big deal especially if you can get it fixed relatively soon. If you don't, another one will generally break, and eventually cascade.

I've done heavy loaded touring and had a single break lead to 4 broken spokes but the bike was still ridable (loaded) and simply needed repair done on the wheel afterwards (replace spokes, true it).

RoundTower

Thanks everyone. I have a few places I need to be today and no other way to get there so I think I'll stick it out for the 10k or so and get it to the shop tomorrow.

Now I just have to remove the spoke since it is rattling around and threatening to get stuck in the chain if I change gears. The only hacksaw blade I can find is barely sharp enough to cut butter and my pliers aren't quite getting through it either. I don't have a nips (not sure what the proper name is for pliers that are meant for cutting wires), any other suggestions?

RoundTower

kona wrote: »

but you bike wasnt a BSO.

OP Id check the rest of your spokes they are probably all really loose.

what should I be checking for? all of them except one (not the broken one, which is obviously no use either) seem to have enough tension to produce a musical note when plucked.

cosmic

RoundTower wrote: »

Now I just have to remove the spoke since it is rattling around and threatening to get stuck in the chain if I change gears. The only hacksaw blade I can find is barely sharp enough to cut butter and my pliers aren't quite getting through it either. I don't have a nips (not sure what the proper name is for pliers that are meant for cutting wires), any other suggestions?

Are you not able to just twist it off?

rottenhat

RoundTower wrote: »

Now I just have to remove the spoke since it is rattling around and threatening to get stuck in the chain if I change gears. The only hacksaw blade I can find is barely sharp enough to cut butter and my pliers aren't quite getting through it either. I don't have a nips (not sure what the proper name is for pliers that are meant for cutting wires), any other suggestions?

If it's broken off at the hub end, you should be able to just unthread it from the nipple.

seamus

The spoke will screw out of the nipple. Ideally, remove the tyre and tube and you can just take the spoke and the nipple out.

If you don't want to do that, just take two pliers - one to grip the nipple and one to grip the spoke, and screw it out. Although it might screw out by hand if you're lucky.

Jumpy

seamus wrote: »

The spoke will screw out of the nipple. Ideally, remove the tyre and tube and you can just take the spoke and the nipple out.

If you don't want to do that, just take two pliers - one to grip the nipple and one to grip the spoke, and screw it out. Although it might screw out by hand if you're lucky.

Phwoar. You have got me all aflutter.

blanco

If it doesn't twist off easily, just tape it the closest spoke and avoid bouncing it off pavements untill you get it fixed.

Gavin

blanco wrote: »

If it doesn't twist off easily, just tape it the closest spoke and avoid bouncing it off pavements untill you get it fixed.

Don't even need tape. Wrap it around the spoke beside it.

Hungrycol

If it doesnt unscrew just twist it around the spoke beside it.

RoundTower

thanks again, this forum really is great for advice.

I broke it off with the pliers easily enough in the end, it was just in an awkward position at first. Off to work now!

strummer_ie

I've one broken too !
Is it easy to replace a spoke and true it yourself ?