Broken spoke on old wheel.....

[Ajax Bay]

I'm going to measure the spoke this weekend and order a new one

Go to your LBS (they'll have many lengths in stock and will provide 'measurement assurance' and derisk everything at no premium with much time saved).
OP @Starchivore : if the broken spoke is on the right side you haven't got the option: the cassette must come off. If it's on the left side, there's no need at all (as my posts above make clear (I thought)).

 

[Starchivore]

Go to your LBS (they'll have many lengths in stock and will provide 'measurement insurance' and derisk everything at no premium with much time saved).
OP @Starchivore : if the broken spoke is on the right side you haven't got the option: the cassette must come off. If it's on the left side, there's no need at all (as my posts above make clear (I thought).

Yep, I understand. I've only glanced at it a couple of times since it happened but I've the nasty feeling that it is on the right. I'll look this evening and see.

I think I know where I can get a spoke locally. He has slightly unpredictable hours but has a good old fashioned bike shop. If it is on the right hand side I might take the whole wheel round to him and see if he'll do it, but if it's the left I don't mind having a go.

 

[ColinJ]

I think I know where I can get a spoke locally. He has slightly unpredictable hours but has a good old fashioned bike shop. If it is on the right hand side I might take the whole wheel round to him and see if he'll do it, but if it's the left I don't mind having a go.

I bet you are thinking of Harry Ingham's shop, opposite Morrisons in Todmorden? He is really helpful and friendly, but yes, his opening hours do seem erratic. I think he sometimes goes out on his vintage motorbike on a tour of the local hilltop lanes if the weather is nice and he hasn't got much work on that day!

 

[Starchivore]

I bet you are thinking of Harry Ingham's shop, opposite Morrisons in Todmorden? He is really helpful and friendly, but yes, his opening hours do seem erratic. I think he sometimes goes out on his vintage motorbike on a tour of the local hilltop lanes if the weather is nice and he hasn't got much work on that day!

Yep, Harry's it is.

He's great, a proper bike shop owner. I didn't know he rides a vintage motorbike!

There used to be a guy called Pete opposite the community college (now a clothes shop I think) and he was very good too, but he shut up shop and I believe makes most of his £ selling on ebay.

I actually got the bike from Harry's, in 2012. It needed some things doing but was a bargain and has been so useful to me.

 

[ColinJ]

Generous (local offer) @ColinJ (recovered from your Scottish 'tour', with self loosening (but clean) cassette?)

I am trying to get my head back into Yorks/Lancs mode and giving my legs a rest today, while I catch up on the Vuelta stages that I missed while I was away.

The wheel with the Campagnolo hub has had its freehub removed and the rim is pretty worn so I think that one should be scrapped.

The wheel with the Shimano hub has an unworn rim and the spokes and rim tape also seem fine. It has an old 8-speed cassette on it which is extremely grubby. It is probably worn but it is hard to see! The freehub and bearings need a bit of TLC. I think I will give them a good fettle and see what they are like after that. If Starchivore doesn't need the wheel then I think might put an old tyre on it and use it for turbo trainer duties this coming winter to save wearing out a decent tyre.

 

[Starchivore]

Update on this. it took me a long time, as I was happy riding my good bike in all weathers- but I knew deep down that it isn't a good idea as I don't have the time to clean it thoroughly after riding regularly or the £ to replace the gearset if it's wrecked in a couple of years of riding in wet grit.

In the end I decided against doing it myself. Partly I don't trust myself with a new job and so don't want to spend on the tools and risk damaging it further, and partly as I discovered that actually there was a 2nd broken spoke (!) which I hadn't picked up on.

So in the end I took it to Happy Days, the social enterprise in Sowerby Bridge and left it with them. They found that they actually had a new wheel with a similar cassette and offered me that, so I went for that as the price was very reasonable indeed and I feel that my old wheel was halfway to knackered anyway. They let me have the tyre and tube that were on it too, so I'm really pleased. It needed doing but I needed to avoid a big expense.

I gave it a test yesterday and it all seems to work pretty well. The gears are grumbling a bit so I think it will take a few months for the chain to work into the new cassette properly but there isn't any slipping or issues like that.

Thanks everyone for the advice and Colin for the offer of your wheel too! Glad to have it sorted. It took me forever as I only had weekends to do it and those have been very busy.

 

[ColinJ]

Oh, I forgot that I was going to suggest Cycle:Recycle in Hebden Bridge! They have moved from their old location at the canal towpath to Victoria Works at the end of Victoria Road.

Anyway, I'm glad that you are back on the road!

 

[Tom B]

Update on this. it took me a long time, as I was happy riding my good bike in all weathers- but I knew deep down that it isn't a good idea as I don't have the time to clean it thoroughly after riding regularly or the £ to replace the gearset if it's wrecked in a couple of years of riding in wet grit.

In the end I decided against doing it myself. Partly I don't trust myself with a new job and so don't want to spend on the tools and risk damaging it further, and partly as I discovered that actually there was a 2nd broken spoke (!) which I hadn't picked up on.

So in the end I took it to Happy Days, the social enterprise in Sowerby Bridge and left it with them. They found that they actually had a new wheel with a similar cassette and offered me that, so I went for that as the price was very reasonable indeed and I feel that my old wheel was halfway to knackered anyway. They let me have the tyre and tube that were on it too, so I'm really pleased. It needed doing but I needed to avoid a big expense.

I gave it a test yesterday and it all seems to work pretty well. The gears are grumbling a bit so I think it will take a few months for the chain to work into the new cassette properly but there isn't any slipping or issues like that.

Thanks everyone for the advice and Colin for the offer of your wheel too! Glad to have it sorted. It took me forever as I only had weekends to do it and those have been very busy.

All the more reason to now have a play at fettling your old wheel up!

What size spoke did you need?

 

[Starchivore]

All the more reason to now have a play at fettling your old wheel up!

What size spoke did you need?

That's true! I suppose I now have the chance to have a go at the old wheel myself, without worrying too much. I don't know when I'll get round to it..... but I should at least have a go. My concern was that I'll have to take the cassette off as it's on that side. But I think that yeah, I should try it at some point, and learn something new.

 

[Tom B]

That's true! I suppose I now have the chance to have a go at the old wheel myself, without worrying too much. I don't know when I'll get round to it..... but I should at least have a go. My concern was that I'll have to take the cassette off as it's on that side. But I think that yeah, I should try it at some point, and learn something new.

Taking the cassette off isnt that scarey once you have done it. You cant make it more useless than what it is! If you let me know what size spokes you need and what colour i might be able to sort you some out for nowt! I'm only the other side of Sharneyford hill.

 

[Starchivore]

Taking the cassette off isnt that scarey once you have done it. You cant make it more useless than what it is! If you let me know what size spokes you need and what colour i might be able to sort you some out for nowt! I'm only the other side of Sharneyford hill.

Ah thanks a lot! That sounds great, I'll have a look in the next couple of weeks and see what's what with it. I think you're right, it's out of action already and I have the other wheel so why not have a go and try to learn something.