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How to find shorter spokes or shorten existing

by mad_scot_rider
Tue, May 29, 2012 12:35
6

Sorry if this is a really dumb question, but two months ago I bought my first real road bike (which I've had nothing but trouble with since) and a spoke has already broken

The problem is the wheels have a 1 inch deep aero v-shape (it's a Fuji Newest 1.0 btw) and standard length spokes just don't fit

I have tried to find places online selling shorter spokes - and have tried to find out about shortening spokes instead (seems to require special tools)

I surely *can't* be the only one who has ever had this issue - so I'm reaching out for help

All suggestions (short of buying sensible wheels) appreciated

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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6 comments

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albanb | 12 years ago
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Is the bike under guarantee? I imagine so if it is new so I would recommend you take it back to your nearest Evans store with your purchase receipt. The guarantee does not depend on the location of the store where you bought it. Also if you have had any other problems it is Evans responsibility to rectify these providing they are not due to unreasonable usage.

Also if you want to purchase individual spokes spa cycles in Harrogate sell them individually.

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mad_scot_rider replied to albanb | 12 years ago
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albanb wrote:

Is the bike under guarantee? I imagine so if it is new so I would recommend you take it back to your nearest Evans store with your purchase receipt.

Yes it is - and normally I would agree

But given where I live it would require the investment of almost half a day (and possibly train fares) to do a job I can achieve myself for a few pounds and 15 minutes effort - the sums just don't add up

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albanb | 12 years ago
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Is the bike under guarantee? I imagine so if it is new so I would recommend you take it back to your nearest Evans store with your purchase receipt. The guarantee does not depend on the location of the store where you bought it. Also if you have had any other problems it is Evans responsibility to rectify these providing they are not due to unreasonable usage.

Also if you want to purchase individual spokes spa cycles in Harrogate sell them individually.

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mustard | 12 years ago
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A couple of other sites which may be of use in that case;
http://www.sdeals.com/oscommerce/index.php/cPath/35_54 for spokes and http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/spokecalc/ for calculating spoke length, you can use manufacturers data for the hub but it is better to measure the rim yourself. Roger Musson's (wheelpro) book is a worthwhile investment too; lots of useful information even if, like me, you never get round to building your own wheels from scratch.

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mad_scot_rider | 12 years ago
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Hi - thanks for the response

The bike was bought from Evan's Cycles - which unfortunately is far enough from home that we're talking a half-day outing to get there

As for why the spoke broke - my commute is pretty nasty over some fiercely pot-holed roads - but my Ridgeback hybrid broke a grand total of 2 spokes in 3 years - so yeah, 2 months seems a bit poor

I'm familiar with trueing (sp?) wheels etc. and do most of my own maintenance, so removing the cassette etc. and re-tensioning correctly holds no terrors - but I usually buy parts from places like Wiggle or Chain Reaction and neither of those seem to offer spokes by length

I did just (while browsing at lunchtime) find a place online that sells spokes by length - http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/ - so now I've just got to go home and remove/measure one of the existing spokes

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mustard | 12 years ago
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Did you buy it in a physical shop or online? I'd get in touch with where you bought it from as spokes don't just break for no reason and if they are breaking after just two months I would suspect there is something else wrong unless you have been really abusing the bike/wheel.

Spokes are available in a huge range of lengths so it shouldn't be that difficult to find the correct length but there are not very many places where you can buy individual spokes online. Shops have to buy them in boxes of 100-odd.

Have you replaced a spoke/built a wheel before? While it's not the black art some would have you believe, it isn't as simple as just screwing the new spoke into the nipple in the rim and if you don't know what you are doing you may just set yourself up for a whole series of broken spokes or a wonky wheel.

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