spokes coming loose - advice?

boredatwork82

Hi folks,

Wondering if you wise and experienced people of boards couldprovide some guidance.

I have a hybrid that I bought in March last year. It is afairly good one I think. It is a Ridley Tempo. I use for about 12 km a day onthe roads. Maybe 3 or 4 times a week. Also I am a big guy (20 St) if that is of any relevance.

Anyways I bought in a shop down the country, but I am in Dublinnow.

About 7 of the spokes in the back wheel have started comingloose. I first noticed a bit of a wobble in the wheel on the way home, and by thetime I got home the wobble was way worse. I was wondering how it could bebuckled as I don’t abuse it. But when I was looking at the wheel I noticed thespokes were loose.



So I take it I need to bring this into a shop and get thespokes tightened, and the wheel “trued” – would that be correct?



I suppose my question is : Is this routine, or should Ibring it back to the shop I got it from, or should I just bring it to my localshop up here, and pay for it myself, take into account the time and cost offuel to get it down the country?



Also Anyone any ideas on the price for something like this?



Thanks again

quozl

It should be cheap enough. I got a wheel trued once and it was only something like 15e but that was a very minor truing.

You do need to get it trued - the loose spokes mean that the others are carrying all the load and they will break.

Weight will affect the forces on the spokes as does how good you are at absorbing the impact with your legs when you hit potholes etc.

you can get decent wheels with 36 spokes cheaply from rosebikes if your wheels aren't up to the job.

Paddy3

As someone who was a similar size to you I can can safely say that size is an issue, when it comes to spoke breakages and wheels requiring truing.
I ended up getting wheels built which were essentially bomb proof, didn't have another breakage and the odd truing was required. Can be costly but a good investment. The cheaper option is to buy 36 spoke wheels

Al Wright

Most hybrid bicycles are fitted with single skin rims. As suggested your best option is to get wheel built using a 36 hole eyeleted rim of the type shown in attached pic with plain/butted SS spokes. The cost of such a rim is in the order of E25,- and with spokes, a reasonable hub and building costs it should work out around E100.
If your existing hub takes a freewheel block (instead of cassette) you need to allow for a new cassette and chain, costing around additional E40,-


I have used a similar type wheel for over 12 years now, total approx. 35,000 miles, no trouble, but is now indicating wear on rims due to braking over the years.

Al Wright

Most hybrid bicycles are fitted with single skin rims. As suggested your best option is to get wheel built using a 36 hole eyeleted rim of the type shown in attached pic with plain/butted SS spokes. The cost of such a rim is in the order of E25,- and with spokes, a reasonable hub and building costs it should work out around E100.
If your existing hub takes a freewheel block (instead of cassette) you need to allow for a new cassette and chain, costing around additional E40,-


I have used a similar type wheel for over 12 years now, total approx. 35,000 miles, no trouble, but is now indicating wear on rims due to braking over the years.


PS photo didn't attach first time.

boredatwork82

Thanks for the posts guys. Brought it into the bike shop round the corner. the guy said he has seen spokes coming loose on new bikes becoming more frequent. So he re tensioned the spokes, and trued the wheel for €15 . Said no need to spend any more money or the like as the wheel should be grand.

Wishbone Ash

boredatwork82 wrote: »

....About 7 of the spokes in the back wheel have started comingloose. .....

Did they all come loose at the same time/on the same ride?

The reason I ask is that, if it began with a single loose spoke, you should have rectified it immediately. Otherwise it will have a 'viscous circle' effect on the others - a loose spoke will result in additional tension on remaining spokes causing them to become more loose, applying more pressure on other spokes and so on....

granty1987

Get a spoke tool and learn to do it yourself - check out Sheldon brown etc for method on how to do it properly but it is not a hard job.

I realise that you have since brought it into a LBS which is fine as well!