I broke a spoke the other day for the first time in years
I was in the Dales and many miles from the car, but the wheel remained straight for the rest of the ride so it turned out to be uneventful
It occurred to me though, that the rim/nipple end of the spoke could easily have been knocked by something and damaged (or passed straight through) the rim tape from the inside. Which would of course be an extremely annoying tubeless disaster
But at the same time, I couldn't have removed that bit of spoke while out, as it required locking pliers to hold it in place while I unscrewed the nipple
So, what would you do in that situation in on a multi-day ride or something?
The old touring method was to twist the spoke around a neighbour so it couldn't move. I keep a wrap of gaffa tape around my pump which would hold the spoke in place, or fix some damaged tubeless tape if needed.
Just wrap it round another spoke and tape it stop it rattling.
That exact rim tape scenario has happened to me in a cross race btw, was the last lap so I just rode the flat to the finish.
I have had it happen twice that a spoke has broken with such force that it has fired the nipple clean through the rim tape resulting in an impossible to seal tubeless situation. On both occasions I had to insert a tube to get home.
The old touring method was to twist the spoke around a neighbour so it couldn’t move. I keep a wrap of gaffa tape around my pump which would hold the spoke in place, or fix some damaged tubeless tape if needed.
Problem is that the break was only a couple of inches from the nipple, so there wasn't enough length to wrap a neighbour. Gaffa tape is the only thing I imagine could have worked
As for the other replies, it's again making me wish my wheels has sealed rim beds
Keep a few wraps of gaffer tape around your pump.
I've used some electrical tape to tape the two bits of broken spoke together and keep them where they should be (couldn't take the broken spoke out of the hub as it was on the cassette side).
Had this happen, inner tube is the only fox when rim tape is punctured, it goes flat quick!
Also had spokes break without piercing the tape, as stated, just wrap it round another spike to stop it moving.
Unless you puncture it when it actually fails (spring loaded) how much force is there behind the spoke, to actually damage the tape? The weight of the remaining spoke - including any acceleration.
Which won't be a lot of force unless you are decelerating a *lot*, in which case you probably have more things to worry about than just a flat.
Had similar on holiday this year - I was able to reseal the damaged rim tape with a short patch length of Gorilla tape out the backpack and that lasted another 2 weeks through AZ/UT.
Unless you puncture it when it actually fails (spring loaded) how much force is there behind the spoke, to actually damage the tape? The weight of the remaining spoke – including any acceleration.
Which won’t be a lot of force unless you are decelerating a *lot*, in which case you probably have more things to worry about than just a flat.
Quite a lot if you snag it on a rock or some vegetation at the wrong angle
it required locking pliers to hold it in place while I unscrewed the nipple
just bend it into an L shape and then unscrew it, or wrap it around the spokes next to it so it can't snag on anything.
I had one break about halfway down Little Champery in Finale, heard the "ting ting ting" of the loose spoke bouncing about, thought I'd make it to the bottom, but no chance, it punctured the tape straight away
Welshfarmer +1.
Except its the first time its happened to me in 20 years of tubeless and I wasn't packing an inner tube.
Fortunately I rode it out on an insert and that was that, but what to do to avoid/reduce the risk?
I settled for a wrap of insulation tape under the fresh tubeless tape. It's a bit rubbery and a bit stretchy, so I'm hoping I've created a bit of a composite layer with more resilience.
@Scienceofficer my strategy will be similar, I've just bought a few Specialized 2bliss rim strips, which I assume could take an impact
When I snapped a spoke whilst riding I managed to wrench the spoke completely out I think - or wrapped it round another. It had snapped just under the nipple so a mate had a small zip tie which we pulled tight round the nipple so it couldn’t go up into the rim.
Worked out well in the end as no issue with tubeless and I managed to put in a new spoke without having to remove the tyre / tape etc.