Broken spokes

GoldenMotor.com

Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
11,199
47
38
Aztlán, Arizona
I had the very same problem a few years ago breaking spokes on the same side and the same spokes. Turns out the hub was screwed up. Had two holes (were the spoke goes through) that had more wear then the others. So no matter how many times I replaced the spokes they would break right at the elbow after about a week.

I finally bought a Husky wheel with 12g spokes and have thousands of miles with no problems.

Here is the post from http://motorbicycling.com/f3/rear-wheel-spokes-bearings-570-3.html

I just tried something and I think I found the problem thank's to Joe and cityevader. Welcome to the forum by the way

It is so obvious now but I guess sometimes you just need someone to point it out. I used another spoke and noticed there seemed to be more play in the hub were the one spoke alway's breaks. The diameter of that hole is bigger then the other's. I most have damaged it before but never noticed. There just does not seem like the head of the spoke has enough shoulder there which makes sense why the head always breaks off.
I'm just going to get a new set of wheels these are over five years old.

Thank you cityevader and godfather
 
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Sharksfan

New Member
Nov 28, 2009
135
0
0
San Jose, CA.
You guys are awesome! Thank you all so much for the very valuable comments. I believe I will be going for the Workmans with the 12 gauge spokes. (as soon as I can afford a set) Thanks again!

p.s. I will keep you updated as to what I find after the wheel comes off.
 

Tad Bit Tipsy

New Member
Jan 2, 2010
478
0
0
Pensacola,FL
WHEEL 26x2.125 REAR COASTER BRAKE, 11G STEEL: Husky Bicycles
I bought these 26x2.125 11g wheels from husky and I've ragged the crap out of them, no signs of strain. Shimano rear hub takes the adapter too, this eliminates the strain on the spokes. Also at $47 for the rear and $27 for the front is a superb price compared to others. These are from their industrial site. They also have decent wheels with sturmey archer hubs/drum brakes already laced in!!!
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
Stock standard bike spokes are going to break in 3000 miles for sure on a rear wheel. Front wheels last forever. Every bike I had peddled to that fact lost a spoke.[ no engine assist] The rag joint made a uni body structure on that side that never broke. Leaving the other side doing all the flexing! Plus a engine doing the bidding. Get heavier gage spokes.

No matter what you do a stock rear wheel will not last much further than 2000 miles without breaking a spoke. No matter how well maintained. Be a big guy like me put a engine well you see...
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
What's interesting to note when I used a SBP j shaft I truly got 2500 miles out of a rear wheel. The spokes got to flex in there natural way. Flexing is a fair way of giving without breaking. With the rag joints about half that always on the non ragged side spokes broke.
 
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bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
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living the dream in southern california
those Husky wheels, are those chrome rims really sharp on the inside where the tire bead goes? i had a set like those i got from Wheelmaster, and the rim just didn't look that good, like i said, it was really sharp. didn't want my tires getting chewed up.
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
20
38
N.M.
I have had excellent luck with the anti snake bite aluminium rims never had a prob. Don't know about the wheelmasters. I am starting to just respoke my own wheels these days to heavy spokes. Since the addition of a china. When I was peddling stock was not so bad. Did you dress it up what was it? pict? Fair probably knows..
 

michaelgrav

New Member
Sep 14, 2009
122
0
0
sf bay area
One thing I use to do is have the chain tensioner wheel face the outside of the bike rather than facing the wheel. This way if the chain falls off more likely the tensioner will be pulled away from your wheel rather than into the wheel tearing out spokes. That is if it is caused by the tensioner.
 
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Dave31

Active Member
Mar 1, 2008
11,199
47
38
Aztlán, Arizona
those Husky wheels, are those chrome rims really sharp on the inside where the tire bead goes? i had a set like those i got from Wheelmaster, and the rim just didn't look that good, like i said, it was really sharp. didn't want my tires getting chewed up.
I did not have that problem bairdco. These are the only photos I have, the others were lost. The black wheel is the one I was replacing.
 

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corgi1

New Member
Aug 13, 2009
2,272
3
0
KCMO
On the husky site there is a rear wh. wheel w/11 guage spokes and one w/12 guage spokes ,,,12 guage one has shamino hub ,,,the 11 guage one dosnt list a hub name,,,11 guage is heavier than 12 but is the hub name the reason to get the liter 12 guage wheel :confused:
 

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
6,537
264
63
living the dream in southern california
call and ask what kinda hub it is. i'd figure they'd use the same ones, but i dunno.

it's just my personal preference as to hubs, i don't have any experience with the Hi Stops, but i've had plenty of shimano's, and they've been around since 1921. never had any problems with them.
 

corgi1

New Member
Aug 13, 2009
2,272
3
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KCMO
your right ,I read so hard I missed that,so does it sound good being as the 11 is just a bit stronger than a 12?
 

Tad Bit Tipsy

New Member
Jan 2, 2010
478
0
0
Pensacola,FL
Yes, there is a significant sturdiness to the 11g on the whole, and they are not that much more in price. You will have to tell Jim that you have them(11g), so he can adjust the adapter accordingly. If your looking for decent cheap tires, there are some Cheng Shin's on Amazon that I buy at $12.
 

Easy Rider

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
I'm not sure if anyone has suggested yet but tying your spokes helps. For a while there I was snapping spokes all the time and getting fustrated. After I tied my spokes, the only time I snapped a spoke was when a branch flew into my rear wheel. A lazy way to tie spokes is with small zipties.
 

Punkie

New Member
Apr 15, 2012
1
0
0
WH Fl
Sharkfan::
This may be a long shot but it happen to me on my 2009 Currie iZip Trailz AL that was discontinued the same year.
it had a bent axal but not so bad that it cause the wheel to show up as being untrue but it caused the peddle side "right side" rear 5 cog/gears to wobble slightly but enough to notice when i spon the wheel and also when i changed gears it would make a poping/cracking sound and couldn't find what it was that was causeing that noise becasue i had to be riding and shifting for it to happen?
After about 40 miles a spoke poped at the hub and in the bend of the spoke.
had the spoke replaced and it did it again after only about 20 miles and was a spoke next the the new one this time.
I though it was bad spokes but my attention fell on the wobble of my gears so took the wheel apart and the axal was not exactly st8 so replaced it and have not had any broke spoks yet and have about 80 miles on the new spokes and axal..
 

superharry

Member
Mar 10, 2012
129
0
16
Mira Loma, CA.
I ordered the 12 gauge stainless spoke, alloy hoop wheel from BikeParts.(thanx Bairdco) should be here tomorrow.(monday) I'm over worrying about my wheel coming apart, and breaking spokes!