Re: Spontaneous Spoke Failure

Mike Elliott writes:

So I'm moving our bikes from the garage to a new covered storage
area I built next to our house, and I notice that my wife's
second-favorite bike, an entry-level Specialized road bike, isn't
rolling worth a darn. The rear wheel is rubbing on the brake pads
so badly it won't turn. I popped the bike on the workstand and
tried turning the rear wheel, and the wheel is bent like a potato
chip. I think back... did I at some time in the past, run into her
rear wheel with my car or anything? But, no, nothing comes to mind.
Then I notice that one of the spokes is broken right at the nipple.
The wheel is whatever came with the bike -- Alexrims AT400. I
reckon that sometime, when no one was around, the spoke just went
"P-twang!" and broke. I've had spokes break while riding, but never
like this. So, is this an odd event?

It can occur if the spoke was close to breaking when last used. I
have had this happen and heard it while sitting nearby, several hours
after I parked the bicycle in the house.

Stress relieve the wheel after replacing the spoke and thereby make
sure there aren't other spokes in a near failing condition.

Jobst Brandt
.

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  • Re: Spontaneous Spoke Failure
    ... bike, an entry-level Specialized road bike, isn't rolling worth a darn. ... The rear wheel is rubbing on the brake pads so badly it won't turn. ... Then I notice that one of the spokes is ...
    (rec.bicycles.tech)