Hub gear wheel - broken spoke

[summerdays]

Mr Summerday's bike - his Cotic Roadrat has an Alfine hub gear rear wheel and a spoke has broken.

The shop he originally bought it from have been not doing much about it ... apparently they don't have spokes to fit and it is going to take at least another week to get one (it went in 2 weeks ago).

Took it to another LBS and they can't fix his wheel - however they have pointed out that it hasn't got that many spokes and therefore is likely to keep on braking spokes.

Can anyone increase our knowledge of bike wheels (neither of us have ever fiddled with bike spokes in our life).

Here are some photos










Is the number of spokes fixed by the hub - it says Shimano - WHS501 on the actual hub. Is it possible to increase the number of spokes on this hub or if we wanted to do that would we have to start by buying a new hub.

Can anyone recommend anywhere to get hub wheels fixed in the Bristol area?

 

[PatrickPending]

strange reply from LBS - I'd have thought that it was not the number more likely the quality of the spokes that leads to breakages due to wear and tear - in this case anyway as it doesn't look like its a particularly low spoke count - however ive found on wheels with cheaper spokes, when one goes the rest follow - usually one a month or so. The solution is to learn to replace them yourself with quality stainless steel double butted spokes. Replacing a spoke is pretty easy as is truing the wheel afterwards....

 

[summerdays]

Is it easy to replace spokes on a hub geared bike? We've looked at it and can't even work out where the end of the spoke goes in the middle ... presumably you have to take the cover off the hub?

The reason the second bike shop gave for the spokes breaking was that at the point of the nipple they are slightly bent rather than straight.

What sort of spokes would we need to get if we were doing it ourselves since the LBS's don't seem to stock them what ever they are?

 

[PatrickPending]

ive never encountered these hubs sorry so can only guess

form here

http://bike.shimano....69830646961.pdf

it looks like one end slides into a slot - though you may have to undo another to get the broken one out. like i say m only guessing here

 

[rualexander]

As far as I can see you've only got 24 spokes on that wheel, which is quite a low amount, although presumably that is what it was designed to have with that hub.
If it was a well bulit wheel with good quality spokes, it should be up to the job as long as the person riding it isn't excessively heavy, or forceful on the pedals.
Best to find a decent wheelbuilder in your area and get them to look at it, many LBS don't have particularly good wheelbuilders.

 

[fossyant]

It's not that low a count, and the spokes are short as the 'flange' is large = stronger. Any decent wheel builder will get you some new stainless black spokes and rebuild.

Can't be a pukka wheel builder ! Ring round a few LBS.

 

[HelenD123]

Summerdays - send Spandex a PM. He's specialising in wheelbuilding these days and has his own spoke cutting machine. He's also experienced with hub gears. He'll be able to give you some advice and at the very least provide you with spokes of the right length.