Today on my way to work one of the spokes on my rear wheel (bontrager paradigm) snapped right off. I can barely see 2mm of thread left, and the nut is stuck in the rim.
I will ask my LBS to fix the spoke, but the question is how much I can trust the wheel now. I’m going on a bikepacking trip in january where i will both load the bike heavily, and also be far from bike shops and people for multiple days. If i start loosing spokes there i might be in trouble.
Thoughts?
by PoopKnifeMerchant
6 Comments
If you lose a couple more I’d perhaps be concerned, but the odd broken spoke can ‘just happen’.
<patronising>If you’re away from civilisation bikepacking, *surely* you carry some spare spokes anyway, yeah?</patronising>
Edit: How many spokes does your wheel have? For loaded touring I’d certainly suggest a few more!
They need to check that if there is a corrosion in the nipple, rim etc. If everything is okay just change the spoke.
Aluminum nipples? Sealant? Usually put away wet for storage as a commuter?
All these add up to galvanic corrosion between the spoke and the nipple. Once the corrosion has set in, they become very brittle. I had a mistreated wheel on my mtb where I snapped a spoke or two almost per ride.
If there’s signs of corrosion, I would consider rebuilding the wheel with brass nipples.
OP, what does the manufacturer say about allowed weight for your wheels/the system weight for your bike? If you are a taller/heavier human, it’s not that difficult to exceed the total system weight of your bike when adding extra load. The total allowed weight includes your bike weight itself too.
spokes are pretty easy to swap.
replace that one with a good quality spoke and get another 5 or 10 if you are worried and zip tie them to your seat stay or something for your travels.
i have a bike with a sunringle rear mtb wheel.. kept breaking spokes.. sometimes i
would ride with multuple broken spokes. I Ke
kept replacing them with some quality spokes.. and its all good now. It may have also been the spoke tension causing it.
i would load up your bike and ride a couple times in December to put your mind at ease. Worse case, just take some spares with you.
That wheel seems to have too few spokes for touring with disk brakes. I could be wrong but i’d think about a stronger rear wheel.