Broken spokes

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Sharksfan

Sharksfan

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Nov 28, 2009
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San Jose, CA.
O.K. Guys, need some help here. I have broken spokes twice now, they have broken right at the "elbow" of the spoke on the bike chain side. The first time it happened it was 2 spokes this time only 1. I run the stock wheels that came on the Nirve Classic. I have already had the wheel fixed once for 35 bucks and I do not want to keep throwing money at a problem that will not go away. So my question to you is "what kind of wheels are best?" Any help would be appreciated and please remember I am on a budget so try not to suggest I have custom wheels built because I ain't got the dough for all of that. :-||

Thanx!
 
Venice Motor Bikes

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
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It's hard to say what could be causing it without pics... The only times my bikes have had any broken spokes was because the chain came off & bent the spokes & then they later broke. I've never had them just break on their own... :rolleyes:
 
2door

2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
Over or undertightening of the sprocket bolts can cause spoke failure. Squeezing them too tight and bending already tight spokes is not good. Coversely if the sprocket is too loose it can/will allow the bolts to hit the spokes during accerleation/deceleration...not good either. Heavy duty spokes are a good idea but not essential if the sprocket is installed correctly. Some builders have thousands of miles on department store bikes with the stock wheels with no spoke failure. Check your sprocket installation after you've replaced the broken spokes.

Tom
 
Sharksfan

Sharksfan

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Nov 28, 2009
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San Jose, CA.
Tom,

I don't see how an over tightened sprocket can break spokes on the other side of the wheel. There is no evidence of any other damage to the spokes other than where it is broken off. I have used this sprocket set up for over 500 miles with no problem. Now it seems that I can't keep the wheel from blowing out spokes. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH! I am trying not to spend another 35 bucks to get this fixed every time this happens, so I am trying to find a more permanent solution. Any help is wanted and needed.


Thanx,
 
2door

2door

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Sep 15, 2008
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Shark,
Is the wheel runnign true? Any wobbles prior to the spokes letting go? Is it 'dished' correctly? That is, is the rim centered on the hub and not offset to either side? Look at everything closely. If you've accrued 500 plus miles with no problems then something has changed. Inspect everything; spoke tightness, alignment and wheel concentricity. Something should present itself if inspected. Let us know what you find.
Tom
 
Sharksfan

Sharksfan

New Member
Nov 28, 2009
135
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San Jose, CA.
2door said:
Shark,
Is the wheel runnign true? Any wobbles prior to the spokes letting go? Is it 'dished' correctly? That is, is the rim centered on the hub and not offset to either side? Look at everything closely. If you've accrued 500 plus miles with no problems then something has changed. Inspect everything; spoke tightness, alignment and wheel concentricity. Something should present itself if inspected. Let us know what you find.
Tom
Click to expand...
It was running fine with no problems. The wheel was true and straight. I noticed that it was wobbling and found 2 broken spokes. I took it to the l.b.s. and they replaced the broken spokes and trued the wheel. I put it back on and took it out for a short ride (less than 30 miles) with out any sort of warning, I find the same problem. This is super frustrating. Thanks for all of your help.
 
Sharksfan

Sharksfan

New Member
Nov 28, 2009
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San Jose, CA.
But my broken spokes are on the OTHER side of the wheel and I have a spring tensioner. The spokes have all broken at the bend in the spoke, right near the hub, on the right side of the wheel. I can't for the life of me figure out why this is going on.

:-||


Thanx,
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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sabatoge? gremlins? act of god?

check out that wheel i posted a link to. it's heavy duty. looks like it costs less than having your other one repaired (if you don't have a coaster brake, check the site, there's plenty-o other wheels.)

(btw, i have these wheels. they're good.)
 
Z

z2400969

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
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San Jose
I can sympathize with you. I am on my 3rd rear wheel. After buying what I was told was a heavy duty rear wheel only to have the spookes break I have found a true heavy duty wheel. I purchased it from Fast Bicycle shop on Alum Rock Ave near S. Jackson Ave. I'm not sure how familiar you are with the east side, but it's not hard to find. I purchased my first "heavy duty" wheel from Express Bicycle shop in downtown San Jose for $55 only to find out that they were 13 or 14 gauge spokes. I don't remember off the top of my head, but I bought a set of digital calipers so I could measure the spokes. This new wheel i paid only $35.00 plus tax, came up to $38 and some change. I measure the spokes and they are .105". It's basically the same wheel as in the link, but without the shipping. By the way, what bike shop(s) do you go to. Just on a whim I stopped by Fast Bikes and I was impressed. I have also been to Sun Bike shop in Milpitas. Hope this helps
 

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bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
the 68 spokes are for looks only. they use 14 or 15 gauge spokes, and good luck putting your sprocket on.

the red ones probably have 14g. spokes, and i think hi-stop hubs are junk.

the wheels above aren't bad, but i think it's a hi stop hub again, and the chrome rims just ain't that good. i had a set of those and put them on my buddy's non-motorized cruiser.

i've been searching for alternative wheels for a while. the best i've found are the link i gave you. shimano hubs, 12g. stainless spokes, and a weinmann rim. and the price is outstanding. they have them in silver, but there's some black one's listed, i'm not sure if they're the same, the description's different. i'd call if you want black.

the best rims i've ever had were made by Sun Metal Products, and i haven't been able to find them, i've got them on a 30 year old cruiser, so i got the Worksman wheels instead ($216 delivered, 11g.spokes, shimano coaster, front drum brake.) these are awesome wheels.

funny thing is, when i was checking them out, it's stamped "zsun metal" on the inside of the rim.

guess i gotta find the source...
 
corgi1

corgi1

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Aug 13, 2009
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Did they replace all the spokes or just the two that broke,if so then the others may follow,,I'll bet just the two,,,you could have a bad run of spokes,,,get a grimlin bell and look up about doing the stuff the bike shop did.
 
F

fm2200

New Member
Nov 16, 2008
258
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new york city
The size of the rear sprocket could be to small for the weight of the rider. The area your riding in if it's hilly will place added stress to the spokes causing the failure. I use 12 gauge spokes, the standard bicycles are equipped with 14 gauge a thinner size. The other consideration is if your engine is more powerful, this will also have a negative effect on your rear spokes. I tend to think it's the sprocket size being to small for your weight.
 
Venice Motor Bikes

Venice Motor Bikes

Custom Builder / Dealer/Los Angeles
Mar 20, 2008
7,272
1,810
113
Los Angeles, CA.
corgi1 said:
Did they replace all the spokes or just the two that broke,if so then the others may follow,,I'll bet just the two,,,you could have a bad run of spokes,,,get a grimlin bell and look up about doing the stuff the bike shop did.
Click to expand...

Maybe you hit something there!!! Maybe the stock spokes were all bad!?!?
It could also be because of riding style?? Like riding too fast over rough roads?
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
if you're breaking the right side spokes, my guess is that they loosened up to begin with, and then the bike shop over-tightened them when they replaced the others.

logically thinking, the left side drive probably holds the spokes on that side together better, allowing the torque of the motor to twist the ones on the right, causing breakage.

if only the broken ones were replaced, the older ones, being stressed from before, are breaking now. spokes develop wear patterns, just like every other metal to metal contact, and they probably have worn grooves into them. the added stress of being tightened, then torqued again by the motor, could put that stress point into a vulnerable place, or aggravate it by being "stretched," and could lead to breakage.

bottom line, is your cheap spokes can't handle the added stress of an engine, which seems to be a common problem. pretty much every bike i've seen with 14g. spokes, motored or not, has bent rims and broken spokes. just look at any old beach cruiser out there.

i'd never build any bike with anything but 12g or bigger. i haven't had any problems with spokes, true-ness, or anything else with my wheels.
 
2door

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
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Littleton, Colorado
Shark,
I tend to agree with Baird. If you inspected the remaining original spokes its a good bet you'd find a wear pattern in the bend of the spokes where they rest in the hub. I'll bet it wasn't the new spokes that broke. You can probably take a peek at an old spoke just by loosening it enough to slip it partially out of its hole and look closely at the area where it rests in the hub. Keep us informed.
Tom
 
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