My brother in laws bike is in need of a service so I said I’d do it. I’m fine with general maintenance, will fit new seals to the air can, might service the fork if I have time, etc etc.

However, a quick inspection when he dropped it round revealed a broken spoke on the rear. I’ve never done anything wrt wheels really, surely it can’t be that difficult to replace a spoke can it?

I understand that they might all start breaking now so perhaps he ought to just have the wheel rebuilt but it would be good to just get it going for him for now.

As usual it looks like Sheldon Brown covers it, but is there anything I should be aware of or concerned about? It can’t really be that dark an art surely?!

And does anyone happen to know what length spoke I’ll need for the rear wheel on a 2011 Spesh Camber? IIRC the rims are DTSwiss something or other and the hubs are spesh (so probably rebadged DT). (I’ll measure when I get home)

Ta

should be an easy enough job 🙂

Spoke Calculator

And does anyone happen to know what length spoke I’ll need for the rear wheel on a 2011 Spesh Camber

Take one of the unbroken ones out and measure it, then put it back. Good practice for putting the new one in!

If you can’t find exactly the right length a proper bike shop ought to be able to cut one down and re-thread it for you. Be sure to remove any swarf from the end though.

Oh yes, good thinking on removing a good one and measuring – will save on all the hub/srim/etc measuring.

At least I can practice on someone elses bike 🙂

Measure the broken one, or one in situ and add 12mm for the nipple length.

You can remove the cassette?

Cheers Al. Yep, should be able to remove the cassette.

2 possible outcomes… 1, the wheel is in basically good condition, which ought to make it pretty easy to true back up with a cabletie “gauge”. Or 2, the wheel’s basically shagged, in which case, it’s even easier because you only need to adjust the new spoke to the same level of shaggedness 😉

I’d ask and see if he knows why it’s broken- did he crash or similiar, has it broken a bunch before- but otherwise just fire in a new one.

and make sure you note the lacing pattern of the one you remove (for measure) and for replacement..

it’s always the drive side ones 🙂

FWIW I replaced a drive side rear spoke for a mate ages ago, nothing since, so spokes can just go. However getting the wheel re-trued following a replace can be where the black art comes in.. at least make a stab at getting roughly the correct tension back on.

I’d ask and see if he knows why it’s broken- did he crash or similiar, has it broken a bunch before- but otherwise just fire in a new one.

Not sure and I want to get it done before he comes back from holiday, but he apparently did have a decent crash recently so it could be that. He’s an ex BMXer so is no doubt quite hard on the bike, likes jumping! As far as I know this is the first to go.

The wheel is currently quite out of true so we’ll see how it goes. Nothing ventured….!

If it’s a specialized roval branded wheel. You Ment to take all the tension out then replace the broken spoke and retension

@orange boy

Its only the roval ‘factory wheels’ that require the procedure you mention – typically found on the top of the range or s-works bikes

Many of the more affordable and mid range bikes use a ‘roval’ branded, Alex made rim which uses j-bend spokes and alloy nipples as normal and does not require any special consideration apart from from when the alloy nipples seize after a UK winter and the wheel has to be rebuilt with brass nipples 😉

I tend to put a little paint mark or a little bit of tape on the replaced spoke too so that I can keep an eye on how many have broken and where they are. Helps you decide whether the wheel is on it’s way out or not too.

orangeboy – Member

If it’s a specialized roval branded wheel. You Ment to take all the tension out then replace the broken spoke and retension

Hah, really? Never knew that. I’ve got 3 sets of the things, changed various spokes over the year and did not die.

Seems I was right and wrong as above
So just ignore me if your wheels are not straight pull spokes