Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

What to do with a wheel that keeps breaking spokes?

Options
  • 25-03-2020 11:56pm
    #1
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭


    I have a set of fulcrum racing 5 wheels that I use for training.
    When I first got them 3 spokes snapped in the first month.
    That was 3 years ago and since then I have probably put 7000km on them until today when a spoke went again.

    Would I be right in thinking that there is a good chance more spokes are probably weak now and there is a good chance that replacing one would just mean it probably won't be long until more go?

    In my mind a full rebuild is what is actually needed to put these wheel right?
    It's probably not worth it on a set that's not worth much.

    As it stands I think I'm going to bin them, they were never right from the start and I was probably lucky to even get a few thousands km out of them.

    Just looking for advise as wheels and building wheels is something I know very little about.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    godtabh
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,204 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    Get a new one?

    The cost of constant repair becomes expensive relative to the wheel


  • Options
    #3
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    godtabh wrote: »
    Get a new one?

    The cost of constant repair becomes expensive relative to the wheel

    Yeah I think that's what I will do. I just hate throwing things away.
    If a rebuild is needed it's not worth it. Just seeing if there are options I have not considered.


  • Options
    #4
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,365 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    humphries charged me 30 quid to rebuild a wheel a few years ago.


  • Options
    #5
    Mc Love
    Registered Users Posts: 14,015 ✭✭✭✭Mc Love


    My rear wheel had the same issue, I brought it back to the shop and they sent it back to manufacturer, they rebuilt the wheel and sent it back, been perfect ever since (touches wood)


  • Options
    #6
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    humphries charged me 30 quid to rebuild a wheel a few years ago.

    Limerick is my closest city.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    Mc Love wrote: »
    My rear wheel had the same issue, I brought it back to the shop and they sent it back to manufacturer, they rebuilt the wheel and sent it back, been perfect ever since (touches wood)

    I should have done that years ago. I figured they wouldn't cover broken spokes as I had no way to prove I didn't misuse it.
    I'd say it's far too late by now.


  • Options
    #8
    Mc Love
    Registered Users Posts: 14,015 ✭✭✭✭Mc Love


    tuxy wrote: »
    Limerick is my closest city.

    Get on to Chris at Evolution cycles (he does mobile repair service)


  • Options
    #9
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    Mc Love wrote: »
    Get on to Chris at Evolution cycles (he does mobile repair service)

    I won't be getting this done for a few weeks but are you sure he is still in business? His website is down.


  • Options
    #10
    Type 17
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭Type 17


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    humphries charged me 30 quid to rebuild a wheel a few years ago.
    tuxy wrote: »
    Limerick is my closest city.

    Check with your LBS whether they get deliveries from JHI (Humphries' wholesale arm) - if JHI's own van does call (not a courier), then they can collect wheels for rebuilding.


  • Options
    #11
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    Type 17 wrote: »
    Check with your LBS whether they get deliveries from JHI (Humphries' wholesale arm) - if their own van does call (not a courier), then they can collect wheels for rebuilding.

    I've had some very bad experiences with my local bike shop so I avoid them.
    I'd have no problem driving to Limerick to get it sorted once it is legal to do so.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Type 17
    Registered Users Posts: 2,730 ✭✭✭Type 17


    Fair enough but it doesn't have to be your actual LBS, many bike shops have an account with JHI - they are the distributor for BBB stuff amongst others, so if you see some BBB items on the shelves, it's likely that the shop deals with them. (although I'm not sure if they use couriers outside Dublin - I'm in Dublin, and see their vans regularly).


  • Options
    #13
    Tony04
    Registered Users Posts: 646 ✭✭✭Tony04


    Dont think it's worth sending cheap wheels away. Any good bike shop should be able to true a wheel and replace a spoke. Even at that it might not be worth it. After 7000 km in bad Irish conditions your brake blocks and hub bearings are probably worn.
    Sell them on adverts and buy yourself a new set.


  • Options
    #14
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    Tony04 wrote: »
    Dont think it's worth sending cheap wheels away. Any good bike shop should be able to true a wheel and replace a spoke. Even at that it might not be worth it. After 7000 km in bad Irish conditions your brake blocks and hub bearings are probably worn.
    Sell them on adverts and buy yourself a new set.

    Yeah I think you are right.

    I'm still interested in info on where to go to get wheels repaired. Most other maintenance I can do myself.

    I have two other sets that have back wheels that need to be trued, one with standard spokes and only slightly out of true. And another with carbon spokes on the drive side, that one is a good bit out of true. I wonder will the carbon spokes make the job more difficult.


  • Options
    #15
    Tony04
    Registered Users Posts: 646 ✭✭✭Tony04


    tuxy wrote: »
    Yeah I think you are right.

    I'm still interested in info on where to go to get wheels repaired. Most other maintenance I can do myself.

    I have two other sets that have back wheels that need to be trued, one with standard spokes and only slightly out of true. And another with carbon spokes on the drive side, that one is a good bit out of true. I wonder will the carbon spokes make the job more difficult.

    As long as you know a lbs with the right tools you're grand, that being said I've seen a lot of bike shops with inadequate tools. Thing with wheel building is it's not some black magic people make it out to be, it just needs focus thought and the right tools. Problem is when you get cheaper sets, the job is rushed and while they're true, spokes tensions are uneven, some spokes have a lot of tension while others have little, which leads to strain and breakage, park tools have a tension meter that good bike shops would be using.

    As for carbon spokes again a good tool that fits the nipple is all that needed, but they're probably not as tolerant to different tensions, again if you know a perfectionist mechanic you're sorted.

    You should invest in a good spoke key and learn to do basic truing yourself once you wrap your head around it, it's an easy job.


  • Options
    #16
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    Good advice, I've done most the maintenance for my bike it's just wheels I have not got around to learning yet.

    As I have no faith in my lbs, Limerick City is as close as any other town so is probably my best best.
    I'm just trying to decide who to contact.
    Evolution Cycles is one recommendation so I can try them.


  • Options
    #17
    Tony04
    Registered Users Posts: 646 ✭✭✭Tony04


    I'm not from Limerick so I cant give any pointers but generally if I go into a bike shop and see that they use park tools and have a neat workshop, I'd trust them, have a chat with the mechanic and you'll figure them out anyway.

    Use this lockdown as an opportunity to learn how to mantain wheels though for sure.

    You can use rim brakes to true wheels or a zip tie on the frame. Get a good spoke key that fits. Where there is a buckle where it runs against the brake/ zip, find the spoke on the opposite side I.e one that runs to the other side of hub than the side of the buckle. Turn that spoke clockwise from the tyre side of the rim anywhere from 1 8th of turn and beyond depending on the severity of the buckle. Generally you should adjust the 3 spokes on the opposite side to remove the buckle adding about half the tension on the the 2 spokes further away from the centre of the buckle. Theres videos that explain this much better and practice makes perfect.

    Before you start trying make sure the hubs or the qr is not lose, by trying to move wheel side to side.


  • Options
    #18
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    Tony04 wrote: »
    I'm not from Limerick so I cant give any pointers but generally if I go into a bike shop and see that they use park tools and have a neat workshop, I'd trust them, have a chat with the mechanic and you'll figure them out anyway.

    Use this lockdown as an opportunity to learn how to mantain wheels though for sure.

    That's why I won't go to my lbs, I've gone in before with simple things that I can do but did not have the time to. They were unable to do some basic maintenance and yes they do have a workshop.


    I guess it is about time I learnt to true a wheel.


  • Options
    #19
    Tony04
    Registered Users Posts: 646 ✭✭✭Tony04


    tuxy wrote: »
    That's why I won't go to my lbs, I've gone in before with simple things that I can do but did not have the time to. They were unable to do some basic maintenance and yes they do have a workshop.


    I guess it is about time I learnt to true a wheel.

    Shop around and talk locally to find a mechanic that listens and knows their stuff. Good luck with it.


  • Options
    #20
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭cletus


    Tony04 wrote: »
    I'm not from Limerick so I cant give any pointers but generally if I go into a bike shop and see that they use park tools and have a neat workshop, I'd trust them...

    Can I ask a question? What is it about Park tools that would elicit such trust? Or is it only the specific wheel trying tools that we're talking about here


  • Options
    #21
    tuxy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,983 ✭✭✭✭tuxy


    cletus wrote: »
    Can I ask a question? What is it about Park tools that would elicit such trust? Or is it only the specific wheel trying tools that we're talking about here

    I'm going to guess that they feel it's a sign that the mechanic didn't cut corners on cheap tools when kitting out the workshop. Someone who did that may cut corners in other ways too.

    Park tools are usually of good quality but I'm sure there must be other good brands too.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    cletus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭cletus


    There are plenty of tool brands out there of comparable, or better, quality to Park tools. They seem to be inordinately expensive, especially when you consider they won't get the same abuse as, say, car mechanic's tools.

    I don't doubt they are well made, but the likes of britool, wera, teng, klein, even Halfords advanced, would all do generic (non bike specific) tools like spanners, Allen keys, torx keys etc. that are excellent tools at a cheaper price


  • Options
    #23
    Tony04
    Registered Users Posts: 646 ✭✭✭Tony04


    cletus wrote: »
    There are plenty of tool brands out there of comparable, or better, quality to Park tools. They seem to be inordinately expensive, especially when you consider they won't get the same abuse as, say, car mechanic's tools.

    I don't doubt they are well made, but the likes of britool, wera, teng, klein, even Halfords advanced, would all do generic (non bike specific) tools like spanners, Allen keys, torx keys etc. that are excellent tools at a cheaper price

    Alot of time park is a rip off and I have very little of their stuff. Most of time the only advantage they seem to have is that their handle doesn't wear as easily.

    When it comes to more bike specific jobs like wheel truing, derailleur hanger straightening etc. that require precision they are usally the best and only tools for the job. Those tools are expensive and it is cheaper to get the bike shop to do it for you. A bike shop that doesnt invest in some of these tools tells me their work isnt of a high standard.


  • Options
    #24
    Mc Love
    Registered Users Posts: 14,015 ✭✭✭✭Mc Love


    tuxy wrote: »
    I won't be getting this done for a few weeks but are you sure he is still in business? His website is down.

    Yep - it does appear to be down, but he is still available. Might be worth reaching out to him, very responsive to messages.

    https://www.facebook.com/evolutioncycles.ie/


Advertisement