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Wheel Advise- Newbie Questions

LloydyLloydy
edited June 2012 in General
Just been out on a little ride in the sun and about 20 miles in I was thinking how tough it had become. Not wanting to admit how unfit I was I pressed on.. When I eventually stopped to check for a flat or similar I noticed that my back wheel would hardly turn - then it would free and catch again. Classic buckled wheel I thought.. But didnt remember hitting anything.

Managed to get a lift home and when I lifted the bike off the roof of the car I noticed that one of my spokes has broken - I then remembered a rather loud noise as I came through Hinxworth.....

So, my 'newbie' question(s) are:

Would a broken spoke cause the wheel to twist out of shape?
Would simply fitting a new spoke and trimming up the wheel fix the issue?
Can anyone recommend somewhere to take it to be fixed?
If knackered and I need a new one, does anyone have any laying about that they wouldnt mind selling me - dont really want to be paying out for a new wheel.

Cheers

Mark

Comments

  • geoffggeoffg
    well Mark...no problem. Get a new spoke at Trisports...recommend getting 2-3 as another can break when re-tensioning...uneven load and all that...you need a spoke spanner..cheap buy and always carry it as you can release spoke tensions when one is broken to reduce the wheel buckle....yes it is natural that when one spoke goes the tension is no longer evenly spread....if in doubt tri-sports will do the whole thing for you
  • LloydyLloydy
    Cheers Geoff...

    Sounds like it might not be the end of the world then :0)

    Hopefully I will be able to get it fixed by the weekend :0)
  • Richard M.Richard M.
    edited June 2012
    Agree with Geoff, a broken spoke is not the end, my family go through a number during any one year and unless it's only slightly buckled i take mine to Trisports.

    Richard
  • Martin LMartin L
    Just noting your hope to be back by the weekend Lloydy.

    From experience - it could be likely your particular spoke isn't in stock. It might be quicker to source one yourself from the interweb and take it all down to a bike shop to sort out. Truing a wheel is a Jedi dark art - but a fair bike shop should be able to do it good and quickly and charge something nominal like an Ayrton. That's what the Cycle Surgery near Kings Cross did for me anyway.

    cheers.

    And don't forget if you're buying - you've got drive-side and non-driveside spokes on a rear wheel.
  • geoffggeoffg
    that means one is longer than the other Mark :-)
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