You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I built commuter wheels back in January (Open Pro/Novatec/ACI Alpina F1 DB). After 2 months of hammering them down steps, over cobbles and bunny hopping potholes I just had a spoke break at the bend (rear drive side so requires freewheel removal to replace, eugh). Interweb consensus is spoke breaking at bend is due to low tension. By default I would replace just the broken spoke and increase tension slightly through out whole wheel.
Q1) should I replace other spokes preemptively on the assumption all spokes will be fatigued from low tension? (removing the freewheel will take a non-trivial amount of time and the cost of new spokes isn't prohibitive)
Q2) Alpina F1 aren't super lightweight so I think they should cope* and there's no reason to consider something heavier duty if I do rebuild
*[me + laden bike is ~100kg, which is not excessive I think]
For me one broken spoke just replace the spoke and retrue. More than a couple break - new spokes
Q3) Will a Park FR6 fit a Halo Clickster freewheel (4 prongs, looks like it will)?
Q4) Is there a difference between FR6 and FR6C? (looks like no)
Thanks tjagain, this is what I'm leaning towards but will buy 32 spokes because 1 spoke is not economical.
You don't need to second guess spoke tension, just give it a ping. There's tension aiding apps out there if you don't fancy doing it by ear (I want mine to go ping!, some people settle for ping! or even ping. But you don't want pung or pong.
@northwind, but no pang? 🙂 I actually bought the Park tension meter but couldn't quickly find reference online so just copied the tension in the old (worn out) wheel with the intention to come back to it (then never got round to it).
No need to replace all the spokes - just drive side. You could try a plain gauge spoke on drive-side which is quite commonly used for touring bikes. If you have the Park tension meter, then simply use the chart to work out what setting you need for your size of spokes
Thanks for the comments. Revisiting this as another 2 broke today 🙁
Trailing spoke broken at (or very close to) J bend at hub, same as before. So, rebuild time.
I can accept I might have made a mistake but I don't know what it is. All other wheels I've built have been fine (although this is one of the highest mileage ones). I don't think tension was the problem. Wheel was true.
Any ideas?
1) Is it possible my Novatec flange holes "don't like" the Alpina F1 spoke bend somehow?
2) Are Alpina F1 simply unable to cope with my massive pedalling force?!
I have spare F1 Alpina but wondering if it's worth buying stronger spokes because getting the freewheel off is a hassle (resorted to air impact gun last time).
Hmm.. from Sheldon Brown's site
Flange thicknesses vary, but the spoke's elbow should be snug against the flange. If it is not, the spoke's tension will try to bend the spoke at the elbow -- a frequent cause of spoke breakage.
You solve this problem by sliding a small washer onto each spoke before inserting it into the hub.
but what does "snug" mean in practice?
A broken stub stayed in the hub. Not sure how to get a better quality close up on my phone. From the markings it does seem it could have been snugger against the flange :/
Spoke elbow too "long"/hub flange to "thin" can cause that
Random internet picture;
Thanks bigyan. I actually came across the same photo but mine is nowhere near that lose and there's no obvious play in the spokes. I took a photo (sorry for filthy wheel, makes it hard to see). On the other hand, with a new spoke, I can see there is space to add a thin washer so it might be worth a go.
Second spoke 7 months after the first, I'd still be thinking **** happens and just replace one and re-true.
For freewheel removal, put the tool in a vice and turn the wheel.
Why do you need to remove the freewheel to change a spoke?
Thanks
@tthew - perhaps I'm too pessimistic but I'm suspicious because they broke in the same place and I didn't break any spokes in the previous wheel. I'll try the vice suggestion.
@joebristol - it's a small flange hub (seemed like a good idea at the time for aesthetics). The spoke holes are blocked by the cog. I can't see any way to thread new spokes in without removing the freewheel.
Actually, I just read it again, and see that 2 broke, so maybe it does need new spokes.
My wheel building book, the Jobst Brandt one, recommends setting the spokes against the flange by pressing hard on the outside of the spoke with the heel of your hand, a couple of inches from the bend. Can't remember at what point, I'll check tonight if you want.
Did you bend your spokes in at the elbow so they were snug against the hub? That helps prevent breakages. I do it before the final tensioning.
I've always used a rubber hammer to do that job. Just needs a wee dunt in the right place.
@tthew - yep I noticed but it seemed pedantic to say so 🙂 If it's not too hassle I'd be interested in the Jobst advice thanks (no hurry as I won't do it till at least the weekend and got my mtb for backup commuting).
+ @epicyclo I did lightly push down but would have used less force than a light tap with a hammer.
The thing is, these are all trailing spokes running inside the flange (i.e. head on outside). Simply by going outside the leading spokes they naturally seem to align straight with the inside of the flange. It would be awkward to tap them and I don't think it would achieve much. Sheldon Brown too seems to focus on the leading (outside) spokes. Here's a slightly better pic:
Maybe I didn't stress relieve them properly.