How do I stop breaking spokes?

GoldenMotor.com

twelvestringtex

New Member
Apr 22, 2011
27
0
0
Houston, TX
So... I was breaking spokes on a grubee 66c 2-stroke, and decided to upgrade to a Honda GX50 with shift-kit, an grubee stage III gearbox, Sram 9-speed derailleur, cassette and chain...

and I'm still breaking friggin spokes!! What's up with that? I'm working off a solid steel frame bicycle, built with steel components, etc... any tips here?
 

Andyinchville1

Manufacturer/Dealer
Dec 26, 2007
502
1
18
Scottsville, VA
HI,

Generally, a properly built and true wheel should not have breakage issues (make sure wheel is true and has properly tensioned spokes) but an alternative to spoke mounting (which should eliminate breakage issues all together) would be to use either a Top Hat Sprocket Adapter (for use with disc brake hubs) or a clam shell type hub adapter (for use on non disc brake wheels).

Hope this helps you.

Andrew
 

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
1,310
1
38
Vancouver, B.C.
It would help if we knew a bit more. Where are the spokes breaking? Out along the rim, up by the sprocket, in the middle?
When you installed the sprocket on the wheel, did you have enough clearance for the bolts to pass through cleanly?
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Is the rag joint installed correctly? Are the spokes sandwiched between the rubber parts or are you trying to run it with the spokes touching the metal components of the sprocket adapter?
If the rag joint (rubber sandwich) is correct then as was stated above, check your wheel for trueness and spoke tension. If you don't feel competent with trueing your own wheels a bicycle shop can do that for you. Loose or misadjusted spokes will break, even on a pedal powerd bike.
Another thought; are you using the kill switch or choke to stop the engine or simply letting the clutch out to shut it down?
Tom
 

NunyaBidness

Active Member
Jun 29, 2008
1,062
2
38
memphis tn
Did y'all not read the original post. Especially the part where 12string says they got a SHIFT KIT?

It sounds like your wheel's spokes aren't properly tensioned.
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
Loose spokes get looser real fast. In a case where spokes become unevenly tensioned other spokes wind up doing to much work by them selves.
Properly tensioned spokes will stay tight and not need any real attention.

When they are the right amount of loose they will loosen them selves up. The right amount of tight they stay tight.

I have not seen all the wheel hubs out there. What are you using? I have heard reports of some cheaper low end Chinese hubs having too skinny of a hub flange. I have a set here that kinda cut into the spokes where the bend attaches from being thinner.
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
Believe it or not I have seen first hand 14 gauge spokes take an utterly amazing beating and not break!

I am not personally fond of rag joints.

The proper term or term I always hear it by is cold tensioning for proper spoke torque.
 
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Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
7,266
1,797
113
Los Angeles, CA.
Believe it or not I have seen first hand 14 gauge spokes take an utterly amazing beating and not break!

I am not personally fond of rag joints.

The proper term or term I always hear it by is cold tensioning for proper spoke torque.
First off... to the OP... Use 12 gage spokes & you'll not have any more problems!

GH... Yes, there are many 14 gage spokes that hold up without any problems; but there are some that are just weaker. (& I wish I could tell the difference. :confused:
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
First off... to the OP... Use 12 gage spokes & you'll not have any more problems!

GH... Yes, there are many 14 gage spokes that hold up without any problems; but there are some that are just weaker. (& I wish I could tell the difference. :confused:
Your are absolutely right there are combos out there that are lame. How ever on the wrong hub rim combo 12 gauge already typically needs more cold set tension than 14's from what I have read/ heard asking around. That is not good for every hub rim combo.

My rear BoXer wheel can easily be retrofitted to 12's it has 14's on it and about 3000 miles on that wheel so far. Until I myself cold set it right I had spokes loosen up every 300 miles now notta in about 1800 miles. I stayed on top of it still the original spokes.

I was very rude to a Nuvinci Wheel I had/still have never ever had a spoke issue. Never touched them and I tried to break that thing. They were cold set right from the factory or the bike shop on the net I bought it from. I mean I don't do stunts or ground tricks. Just stop and go city.

My first bike with rag joints etc I went through spokes like pop corn. I was running the cheapest department store stuff ever from garage sales.
 
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Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
7,266
1,797
113
Los Angeles, CA.
Yeah I hear ya... I've built many 'rag joint' builds with 14's that lasted forever...
But I've never had a 12 ga spoke break that didn't have a chain thrown through it! ;)
 

twelvestringtex

New Member
Apr 22, 2011
27
0
0
Houston, TX
Well, after mounting a wheel from another bike onto the motorbike, and putting back a few trips that were uneventful, I started taking apart the original wheel to repair and inspect...

looks like the bicycle chain derailled onto the hub from 1st gear and lacerated the 8 spokes that loaded under counter-clockwise tension, as the 3 remaining were all grooved, and the 6 that broke were from that same side and orientation.

Weird mystery solved! Thanks for all the replies! I was consulting and confounded for a few days!
 

NunyaBidness

Active Member
Jun 29, 2008
1,062
2
38
memphis tn
Yep, totally missed that. You're right. Sorry :(
Tom

Aw Tom it aint no big deal. i just thought it was kinda funny how everyone was was trying to get the OP away from the rag joint, Andy's hockin his top hat adapter and no one, it seemed, was answering the actual spoke issue. I was rather amused by it all and had to say something.

Glad the OP discovered the real problem.
 

omegaunderground

New Member
Sep 16, 2009
98
0
0
modesto
for my beach cruiser breaking spokes was pretty common. I would replace them as they broke along with re tightening all the ones that needed a good turn or two on a truing stand. They were still breaking... I completely de-laced my wheel and rebuilt it replacing 7 broken spokes.

So far soo good but I donno how much longer it will last. I had zip ties on my spokes where they X each other that seemed to help for a bit. Going 14 gauge spokes with a stronger rim may be an option the weinman wheels I found on amazon seem to be built like a rock and are surprisingly cheap double wall, 14g spokes, (generic) shimano coaster hub. You can get the set from amazon (before tax shipping) for under 70$ here is a link if anyone is interested. I saw a set of these first hand in a local bike shop and just love them... they however wanted nearly 160$ for the set haha... go amazon!

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=weinman+dh39&x=0&y=0