[Closed] Spokes keep breaking. Fix or new wheel?

Probably crappy alloy nipples if it's the nipples breaking. Replace with brass.

Parts will be cheap, it's the time which will cost, but rather less than a new wheel one would hope!

Have you broken spokes or nipples?
Are the nipples brass or aluminium?
When did you last retension the spokes?
What shape is the rim with the spokes removed ?

I've a 3+ year old rear wheel where I'm 7 nipple breaks in.
Looking at the rim it has some odd looking 'micro cracks' in the aluminium surface.

I'm running my spare wheel for now, buying a new one as funds allow.

As others said, spokes or nipples snaping? Alloy nipples are among the worst spec decisions made by manufacturers based in California make on bikes bound for the UK!

I used to find around ~4000 off-road miles the spokes would start to snap semi-regularly (once every few hundred miles). Steel doesn't fatigue, except it did seem to, but they always snapped at the top of the threads.

These days I don't seem to keep wheelsets that long!

At that point, it was time to rebuild with new spokes, and rim if it wasn't perfectly flat.

Spokes probably too short https://www.wheelfanatyk.com/blog/wheel-building-tip-no-9-succeed-with-alu-nipples/ .

Easiest solution is brass nipples.

another +1 for probably nipples.

If it were me - I'd get a box of brass nipples and a roll of rim tape and replace them one by one sat in front of the TV one night. Roll an alloy one off, roll the brass on and then 'retune' back to the same tension (check it first, should be even all round)

Keep doing this spoke by spoke, but not sequentially, I'd do one at 12 o'clock, next at 6 o'clock (not time, orientation you muppets!!) then 3, then 6, and so on so you can use the rest of the wheel to keep it in shape. If you're careful the wheel will stay round and true, if not and that's beyond your capability (and I recommend learning to at least true a wheel, if not actually build) then at least you're only paying for a true and tension, not a build.

Caveat - if it's alloy nipples and steel spokes check for corrosion where they meet. You say you are fair weather so hopefully have avoided truly crappy salty roads for example but I don't believe they've stayed dry for ever.

And also check the rims aren't cracking around spoke holes as you retrue,

Nipples are only 5p each bought as bags of 50 or 100 so well worth trying, even if subsequently the decision is to go new anyway.

I had this on a wheel a few years ago - as above, a wheel fitted with alloy nipples.

I got my LBS to replace the wheel with new spokes & brass nipples & not had any broken spokes since.

I had this on a wheel where I kept snapping (and replacing) spokes.

I eventually rebuilt it with new spokes and that stopped them snapping.

The mis matched tension in the wheel makes the older tired spokes snap easier. The rim was true.

For clarity -no nipples were harmed in either case!

Spokes probably too short

The only time I have had an issue with spokes is when I built a wheel with spokes that I knew were a few MM shorter than required but I just had the spokes already so built the wheel. One ride later I was rebuilding the wheel with correct length spokes!

The mis matched tension in the wheel makes the older tired spokes snap easier.

I'd say it was just duff spokes.

I wouldn’t be taking any chances - replacing a wheel to avoid further spoke breakages is a false economy. Purchasing a new bike would be the best option 😂

The only time I have had an issue with spokes is when I built a wheel with spokes that I knew were a few MM shorter than required but I just had the spokes already so built the wheel. One ride later I was rebuilding the wheel with correct length spokes!

I've found that nowadays with alternative nipple lengths you can get away with far more than the old 2mm standard by swapping nipples.