Why do I keep snapping spokes?
Discussion
Once they start to go you will find that they keep on snapping. Snapping a spoke puts uneven loads on the others around it, this along with truing it a few times will lead to fatigue and more spokes snapping.
I'd say the best bet is to get the wheel rebuild or buy a new one (depending on costs) I'm afraid.
I'd say the best bet is to get the wheel rebuild or buy a new one (depending on costs) I'm afraid.
Gooby said:
What wheel is it?
The initial guesses would be...
1) Crap wheel (Halfrauds wheels are dodgy as hell)
2) Riding too hard (Big knocks etc)
3) You are a fat boy?
4) Moron laced up the wheel?
Wheel is a 26" Rockrider Sport (?) from Decathlon - I don't ride enough to spend a fortune on wheels.The initial guesses would be...
1) Crap wheel (Halfrauds wheels are dodgy as hell)
2) Riding too hard (Big knocks etc)
3) You are a fat boy?
4) Moron laced up the wheel?
2) Ride a combination of roads and rough tracks
3) Not the thinnest guy in the world but have seen much, much fatter people on bikes on my travels.
4) Young lad in the local car/bike accessory shop
mattviatura said:
Gooby said:
What wheel is it?
The initial guesses would be...
1) Crap wheel (Halfrauds wheels are dodgy as hell)
2) Riding too hard (Big knocks etc)
3) You are a fat boy?
4) Moron laced up the wheel?
4) Young lad in the local car/bike accessory shopThe initial guesses would be...
1) Crap wheel (Halfrauds wheels are dodgy as hell)
2) Riding too hard (Big knocks etc)
3) You are a fat boy?
4) Moron laced up the wheel?
There is a certain "spend threshold" to get an amount of quality that means it is suitable for purpose. My brother made the same mistake as you and purchased from a motorfactors. He got a "great deal" and purchased 4 bikes for the whole family. So far it has cost more than buying decent bikes to keep them running.
Go to a bike shop (a shop that sells only bikes) and buy some cheap wheels. Will cost between £20 and £30 each and you will have no problems.
Interestingly, as soon as he put these wheels on, the bike was nicked!
Hmmmm
Thanks for that, is Decathlon stuff any good? The wheel from memory was about forty quid about a year ago.
The bike itself was bought from Halfords and I bought it because it's a GT and when I was a kid I had a GT BMX (Pro I think), I should have realised that as the price of the bike was only slightly more than the cost of my BMX frame and forks (in the mid 80s) I was onto a loser and as you say I've spent a few hundred quid on parts in the last couple of years.
Thanks for that, is Decathlon stuff any good? The wheel from memory was about forty quid about a year ago.
The bike itself was bought from Halfords and I bought it because it's a GT and when I was a kid I had a GT BMX (Pro I think), I should have realised that as the price of the bike was only slightly more than the cost of my BMX frame and forks (in the mid 80s) I was onto a loser and as you say I've spent a few hundred quid on parts in the last couple of years.
At £40 I would say a wheel from Decathlon will be as good as any. They will all be machine buit at that price. Only a year, you were probably unlucky with that one. You could always get a new one, ride it for a few months and get it trued and tensioned at a decent LBS, might add a bit of life to it.
Floor Tom said:
At £40 I would say a wheel from Decathlon will be as good as any. They will all be machine buit at that price. Only a year, you were probably unlucky with that one. You could always get a new one, ride it for a few months and get it trued and tensioned at a decent LBS, might add a bit of life to it.
... but would probably cast as much as a new wheel!A decent LBS will have a relationship with thier supplier and there will be a decent policy regarding repairs/ faults. I know my LBS will not sell anything that they wouldnt ride. Makes them expensive but worth it!
Update
Just bought a new wheel from a bike shop about five miles away. It was fifty quid.
The guy, who came across as a bit of an arrogant arse, said that the spokes on the old wheel were crap and it was badly built. He also said that the chain had slipped off the cassette (thought that was what we used to record the top 40 on) and this had damaged the spokes.
He also said that my bike was crap and recommended I spend at least £400 on a Kona something or other for anything involving off-road use (even though the only off-road use it sees is farm tracks and the like).
If I hadn't needed the wheel desperately I'd have gone elsewhere but there you go, the new one feels much more substantial.
I've had a sharp lesson with my bike, I bought it simply because it was a GT and it looked cheap.
New bike soon methinks
Just bought a new wheel from a bike shop about five miles away. It was fifty quid.
The guy, who came across as a bit of an arrogant arse, said that the spokes on the old wheel were crap and it was badly built. He also said that the chain had slipped off the cassette (thought that was what we used to record the top 40 on) and this had damaged the spokes.
He also said that my bike was crap and recommended I spend at least £400 on a Kona something or other for anything involving off-road use (even though the only off-road use it sees is farm tracks and the like).
If I hadn't needed the wheel desperately I'd have gone elsewhere but there you go, the new one feels much more substantial.
I've had a sharp lesson with my bike, I bought it simply because it was a GT and it looked cheap.
New bike soon methinks
Matt,
I think what you've learned from this experience is a simple:
"You get what you pay for."
I did the same thing a few years ago. You can spend £150 on a bike that lasts a year, or £400 on one that lasts 3 or 4 years.
Part of the reason the more expensive bike lasts longer is that you are more inclined to look after it, but it also the build quality.
Most of the people into bikes on here will have done something similar, so don't feel rubbish.
Your best bet is to get a good relationship going with your local bike shop, (LBS.) A good one will discuss what you want to use the bike for, your skill level maintaining it and so on, and give a good recommendation. Pay them back for their time and helpfulness with a sale.
(And sign up for a PH cycling shirt, I hear they will make you at least 3mph faster into a headwind.)
I think what you've learned from this experience is a simple:
"You get what you pay for."
I did the same thing a few years ago. You can spend £150 on a bike that lasts a year, or £400 on one that lasts 3 or 4 years.
Part of the reason the more expensive bike lasts longer is that you are more inclined to look after it, but it also the build quality.
Most of the people into bikes on here will have done something similar, so don't feel rubbish.
Your best bet is to get a good relationship going with your local bike shop, (LBS.) A good one will discuss what you want to use the bike for, your skill level maintaining it and so on, and give a good recommendation. Pay them back for their time and helpfulness with a sale.
(And sign up for a PH cycling shirt, I hear they will make you at least 3mph faster into a headwind.)
louiebaby said:
Matt,
I think what you've learned from this experience is a simple:
"You get what you pay for."
I did the same thing a few years ago. You can spend £150 on a bike that lasts a year, or £400 on one that lasts 3 or 4 years.
Part of the reason the more expensive bike lasts longer is that you are more inclined to look after it, but it also the build quality.
Most of the people into bikes on here will have done something similar, so don't feel rubbish.
Your best bet is to get a good relationship going with your local bike shop, (LBS.) A good one will discuss what you want to use the bike for, your skill level maintaining it and so on, and give a good recommendation. Pay them back for their time and helpfulness with a sale.
(And sign up for a PH cycling shirt, I hear they will make you at least 3mph faster into a headwind.)
Totally agree Lewis and that's my normal philosophy.I think what you've learned from this experience is a simple:
"You get what you pay for."
I did the same thing a few years ago. You can spend £150 on a bike that lasts a year, or £400 on one that lasts 3 or 4 years.
Part of the reason the more expensive bike lasts longer is that you are more inclined to look after it, but it also the build quality.
Most of the people into bikes on here will have done something similar, so don't feel rubbish.
Your best bet is to get a good relationship going with your local bike shop, (LBS.) A good one will discuss what you want to use the bike for, your skill level maintaining it and so on, and give a good recommendation. Pay them back for their time and helpfulness with a sale.
(And sign up for a PH cycling shirt, I hear they will make you at least 3mph faster into a headwind.)
However knowing little about bikes and going on a name I had in my head from when I was a kid I fell for the Halfords half price "clearing out last years model" patter.
Guess I have a lot to learn about bikes, but I find some within the cycling fraternity more arrogant than your average Audi salesman.
Thanks to all for the advice though.
Matt
With bike sales men its the same as anything else, you get some t
ts and you get some guys who are interested in getting the correct bike for your needs. As a bike sales man (I have done a bit of it, not much though) it can be difficult to identify with someone who wants to buy a £200 bike as it is something that most people that work in a bike shop would never consider doing.
Try to find a shop with staff you get along with and stick with them.
ts and you get some guys who are interested in getting the correct bike for your needs. As a bike sales man (I have done a bit of it, not much though) it can be difficult to identify with someone who wants to buy a £200 bike as it is something that most people that work in a bike shop would never consider doing.Try to find a shop with staff you get along with and stick with them.
louiebaby said:
Matt,
Your best bet is to get a good relationship going with your local bike shop, (LBS.) A good one will discuss what you want to use the bike for, your skill level maintaining it and so on, and give a good recommendation. Pay them back for their time and helpfulness with a sale.
Just did, bought a Scott Aspect 50 on Saturday from The Northwest Mountain Bike Centre in Cheadle on Saturday.Your best bet is to get a good relationship going with your local bike shop, (LBS.) A good one will discuss what you want to use the bike for, your skill level maintaining it and so on, and give a good recommendation. Pay them back for their time and helpfulness with a sale.
Staff there couldn't have been more helpful.
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