Is it worth rebuilding a wheel?

[crumpetman]

My rear wheel keeps breaking spokes, it has gone through 3 or 4 in the last 300 or so miles. There is no point just replacing the one broken spoke again. But is it worth rebuilding the wheel and having all the spokes replaced?

The wheel is from Spa Cycles, cost about £100 2 years ago and I have done about 4000 miles with it.

I cannot rebuild the wheel myself so the LBS will do it, not sure of cost yet but am guessing around £50?

I am torn between having it fixed or replacing it with a new wheel (or pair of wheels)

Advice please?

 

[Cycleops]

If saving some money is important, and lats face it, it is to most of us then I would get it rebuilt. 4k is quite a mileage, are the hubs/rims ok? I imagine the rims might be getting a bit worn by now. Ask the your LBS for their advice.

 

[I like Skol]

Learn to do it yourself. The cost of buying some plain gauge stainless steel spokes will be recouped many times over if you can master the art of building wheels and if it doesn't work out you won't have lost much.

 

[Cycleops]

Learn to do it yourself. The cost of buying some plain gauge stainless steel spokes will be recouped many times over if you can master the art of building wheels and if it doesn't work out you won't have lost much.

True, plus plenty of videos on YouTube.

 

[crumpetman]

Thanks for the advice. I am completely useless at anything mechanical hence not even attempting to do it myself. I do realise that bicycle maintenance is pretty straightforward but honestly I can break things just by holding a spanner.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

My rear wheel keeps breaking spokes, it has gone through 3 or 4 in the last 300 or so miles. There is no point just replacing the one broken spoke again. But is it worth rebuilding the wheel and having all the spokes replaced?

The wheel is from Spa Cycles, cost about £100 2 years ago and I have done about 4000 miles with it.

I cannot rebuild the wheel myself so the LBS will do it, not sure of cost yet but am guessing around £50?

I am torn between having it fixed or replacing it with a new wheel (or pair of wheels)

Advice please?

Like somebody already asked, what are the hubs and rim condition?
If you use the brakes a lot ( non disk brakes that is) then my guess is that the braking surface might not have long left) but if you don't then the chances are they rims have enough life to make a rebuilt worthwhile.

If you live anywhere Bournemouth I can do it for you for free.

 

[Luegolover]

If you are thinking of buying a new wheel then you may as well buy a set of spokes and have a go at rebuilding it first. The worst that can happen is that you waste the cost of the spokes and a spoke key. The best that can happen is that you manage to do it and then you'll love that wheel forever. Youtube and trial and error are pretty powerful when given a go.

I don't know that I'd pay somebody else to do it though, eBay a new wheel if not.

good luck

 

[crumpetman]

I thought I had replied to this already but something must have gone wrong. I bought a pair of Fulcrum Racing T wheels (I think they're the same as Racing 7 but with the hubs from the Racing 5) and they are really nice. Roll nicely and I quite like the freewheel noise, it is very different to the shimano hub. I have noticed that my brakes work a lot better now so I think the rims on the old wheels where very worn. I have done about 400 miles on them an no problems so far.