Why do I keep snapping spokes?
Discussion
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
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.
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
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
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.
Digga said:
have to ask teh OP, is this the same shop you eventually bought the bike from?
I only ask because, in fact, the advice you were given last April - although a bitter pill to swallow - was mostly bang on.
Nope, the guy in the other shop lost himself the sale by being an aI only ask because, in fact, the advice you were given last April - although a bitter pill to swallow - was mostly bang on.
hole. I don't know much about bikes and needed advising, not patronising.By contrast the guys at the Northwest MB Centre were great help.
shalmaneser said:
Ain't that the truth.
'What the cheapest bike in the shop?'
'This mongoose for £200'
'But it doesn't even have suspension...I can get a bike with all the suspensions for £100 from Halfords'
'yes but....'
'You lot are rip off merchants, I'm off!'
I understand that point of view but can assure you I wasn't acting like that and would rather spend the money locally than on the internet, Halfords etc. Okay it's not a lot of money compared to what some of you hardcore lot spend but it fits what I need it for.'What the cheapest bike in the shop?'
'This mongoose for £200'
'But it doesn't even have suspension...I can get a bike with all the suspensions for £100 from Halfords'
'yes but....'
'You lot are rip off merchants, I'm off!'
I've said before that some staff in bike shops, in my experience, are contemptuous of people who don't know the 'language' and for that reason it can seem quite a closed scene.
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