Spokes

[cyclone]

How often does everyone else seem to have to have them replaced?
Been out tonight and broke another 3, not real big hits that I noticed . And its the second time this year. Is it just me or is it all part of the fun
Ps rims are sun equalizer

[summittoppler]

tbh in all the yearsI've been mtbing I've never snapped a spoke, but then again I am a lightweight

It'll probably come down to what rims you have and whether they can handle the type of riding you do

[thistle]

Not very often. In 18-24 months I think I replaced 2 in the rear wheel.

The spokes fatigue over time because the force varies as you ride. If your wheel isn't that well tensioned/trued then I guess they fatigue quicker. If 1 goes and you keep riding, the others take up the strain and wear out slightly quicker...
Fatigue failure nearly always happens at the bend in the spoke by the hub, but always at one end.

Breaking 3 on one ride sounds like a different problem though. Were you hitting big rocks? Did your chain come off the big sprocket at all? (could 'nick' one of them and cause them to break quicker) Had they been broken a while and you hadn't noticed?

When you replace the spokes, it might be worth forking out to get them tensioned properly (a bike shop should do this if you take it in for a true - Tweeks did mine for 10 quid). It should prolong the life of the remaining spokes slightly.

[cyclone]

Cheers for the replies , the wheels are 4yrs old now , the only thing I can think that could have caused it would be that maybe 1 had already gone and that I hadn't noticed it. Then tonight I did some road riding on way up to llandegla and the ruts pressure was to high, and maybe I got caught out on that rocky part between the lake and pump track .
But by your replies it does seem that I have some weakness going on in my rear wheel.

[thistle]

If you know what size spokes you need (drive side are probably shorter than non drive side) it might be worth carrying a couple with your tools on a ride (and a spoke key) in case one breaks and you need to swap it.

It's pretty easy to replace a single one on the trail and do it up to roughly the right tension so you can carry on riding, then sort it out properly later.

[buffypara]

I've just had to take my wheels into the bike shop. I had a nipple shear off on the Berwyns ride this weekend, and then a second one went while checking the remainders . Olly, at 69cycles, said that Specialized use aluminium nipples on their wheels to save weight, but they don't last as long. Hoping they can get my rear wheel rebuilt by Friday...off to Spain and really need my wheels.

[thistle]

Aug 16, 2011 8:26:35 GMT buffypara said:

Olly, at 69cycles, said that Specialized use aluminium nipples on their wheels to save weight, but they don't last as long.

How many milligrams does that save per wheel?

[buffypara]

Aug 16, 2011 12:23:34 GMT thistle said:

Aug 16, 2011 8:26:35 GMT buffypara said:

Olly, at 69cycles, said that Specialized use aluminium nipples on their wheels to save weight, but they don't last as long.

How many milligrams does that save per wheel?

It's like the lightweight inner tubes they put on new bikes too, more punctures in that first ride than in the previous year!

[sally]

I had all the spoke nipples replaced on both wheels as they were breaking off on every ride- so far it has'nt happened again!