How do I replace a damaged Spoke?

[silverbow]

I carelessly removed the bike from the garage a few minutes ago and proceeded to drag the lawn mower with it! The only thing is the lawn mower was attached to my front wheel, in particular 1 spoke which now has a nice 'S' bended in it. The bend is shallow but clearly there.

I have done all my repairs on my bicycles over the years on pretty much everything, but the one area I always avoid is the spokes. However, the time has come where I feel I should get stuck-in.

Can anyone help with some advice? Does anyone have any tips for replacing a spoke and adjusting to the right tension, or is it the black art I fear?

The wheel is still running true at the moment.

 

[roadiewill]

I always LBS a broken spoke.. dont fancy fiddling with the tension and all that. Someone will tell you how to though.

 

[Oldlegs]

Here http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=81
is a good place to start.

You don't need a truing stand (usually) - use the brake blocks as reference points.

It reads as complicated but I've never had a problem getting a wheel true enough (5 min job) just replacing a spoke - LBS is there as backup anyway.

The toughest bit can be finding which size spoke and spoke key you need and somewhere to buy them from.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Chuffy]

It's not so bad and you've got a front wheel to play with (rear wheels are more awkward on account of the dishing). If you have a standard type of setup then you just have to remove tyre, tube and any rim tape. Then (using your spoke key, and you can buy keys with multiple sizes on the same tool) unscrew the nipple. The nipple then comes out through the rim and the spoke can be wiggled about until you can draw it through the hub. Repeat in reverse to replace, then true your wheel (not so hard unless you have eyes like a vernier gauge and can detect minute innacuracies. Within 1mm is usually considered acceptable).

There is a spoke calculator here (use the full strength version, which lists hubs and rims) or just measure your damaged spoke and get one from the LBS.

Fixing or even rebuilding front wheels isn't that hard. Even I've done it and it's held up for nearly two years so far.

 

[Chuffy]

PS - your avatar. Eek.....

 

[andygates]

Hang on, is this the same Chuffy who was an avowed antifettler and Dystechnic?

 

[Chuffy]

Hang on, is this the same Chuffy who was an avowed antifettler and Dystechnic?

Curses, rumbled!