Local wheel repairer wanted.

[beatlejuice]

My town bike keeps breaking spokes! I have replaced them before but I fear both wheels are poorly tensioned and need rebuilding. I don’t feel up to the job myself. I live in central Hampshire. Any suggestions of someone I could get to do this please?

 

[cyberknight]

I had that once on a factory wheel and what i did was loosen all the spokes and let the lbs retrue it from scratch and it was fine afterwards

 

[beatlejuice]

Just re read Roger Musson's PROFESSIONAL GUIDE TO WHEEL BUILDING. What you are suggesting in the cheapest option but still require quite a bit of skill!

 

[vickster]

do you not have a good old fashioned LBS close by? The mechanic should be skilled in wheel repair, building

 

[DRHysted]

Shame you’re central Hampshire, I’ve got a man in Totton who I use for all my wheels (Perfect Balance Cycles), which is the southern tip of Hampshire.

 

[beatlejuice]

Shame you’re central Hampshire, I’ve got a man in Totton who I use for all my wheels (Perfect Balance Cycles), which is the southern tip of Hampshire.

Thanks DRHysted. I work in the fair city of Southampton. I will give him a call him, after he's come back from a well earned break.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Poor or uneven tension doesn't break spokes: fatigue does. Once a couple have broken, on a well used wheel, the hub needs relacing - worth putting a new rim on (assuming rim brakes) because it will have worn. As the OP has said, this is a wheel build, not a general fettling of spoke tensions. I hope the OP finds a Perfect Balance.

 

[beatlejuice]

Poor or uneven tension doesn't break spokes: fatigue does. Once a couple have broken, on a well used wheel, the hub needs relacing - worth putting a new rim on (assuming rim brakes) because it will have worn. As the OP has said, this is a wheel build, not a general fettling of spoke tensions. I hope the OP finds a Perfect Balance.

Replacing the hub is not a preferred option because it contains an 8 speed Shimano unit! if after the spokes have either been removed or unscrewed if the rim is pringle shaped then I will need to replace it.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I have not suggested that the hub is replaced (and it doesn't "contain" a Shimano 8 speed unit: it is a Shimano freehub which can take an 8, 9 or 10 speed cassette (I assume)). The rim won't be 'pringled': that's what can happen when there's too much tension in some spokes. I'm suggesting, in the rebuild, that you should consider replacing the rim if its walls have worn (ie the brake pads have worn down the rim). Some rims have an indicator groove in the rim walls to help assess that - and no spokes need to be removed to make that judgement (but if it's your 'town bike' this is most unlikely).

 

[beatlejuice]

I have not suggested that the hub is replaced (and it doesn't "contain" a Shimano 8 speed unit: it is a Shimano freehub which can take an 8, 9 or 10 speed cassette (I assume)). The rim won't be 'pringled': that's what can happen when there's too much tension in some spokes. I'm suggesting, in the rebuild, that you should consider replacing the rim if its walls have worn (ie the brake pads have worn down the rim). Some rims have an indicator groove in the rim walls to help assess that - and no spokes need to be removed to make that judgement (but if it's your 'town bike' this is most unlikely).

What I meant by it 'contains a 8 speed unit' is I have hub gears and it has disc brakes. Sorry for misleading you.

 

[iluvmybike]

Andy here will assist you: https://www.purplebikeshed.com/

 

[Ajax Bay]

the hub needs relacing

There wasn't a "p" there!

Sorry for misleading you.

Sorry for assuming a 'town bike' could have such an expensive gearing system/hub and these modern disc brakes.
Hope you get sorted.

 

[iluvmybike]

There wasn't a "p" there!
and these modern disc brakes.

Don't think you can class disk brakes as modern anymore - they have no been around since since early 2000s! Ha ha..

 

[rogerzilla]

Phil Wood made one much earlier on. Weirdly, it used metal pads and a fibre disc (possibly to save weight). It wasn't all that good.

 

[beatlejuice]

The spokes always break in the same place. Just as it comes out of the hub and turns through 90°. I assume this is typical for spoke breakages.