After having surgery on my shoulder a week ago Wednesday, I went for a gentle ride at Sherwood Pines last Saturday. Hadn’t even managed a mile when I lost the front wheel on a newly graveled section of the Kitchener trail. As a result my rock solid Mavic 717/Hope Pro II front wheel gave up:

IMG_3657.jpg by BigSteve2006, on Flickr

Now I’ve been to the LBS today to get a quote for replacing the rim. Like for like so another 717 rim. £108 which seemed a bit steep. They reckon that I have to have new spokes as they have been tensioned so are now weak so cannot be re-used. What do you reckon – porkies – sounds like it to me – or are the spokes really weakened by tensionsing.

No decent wheelbuilder would ever reuse spokes that have been through that. Indeed, any change of rim should have new spokes.
I think Sapim spokes are about £2 each.

As above the correct way to do it is with new spokes
But I’ve build a fair few wheels by just taping the rims side by side
And swapping each spoke in turn.
I’ve never reused nipple though.

Dt comp in silver are double butted high quality and 80p each inc nipple
This is £25.60 for 32
Labour about £30.00
Plus the rim

More money for black spokes
And even more with coloured nipples

you can re use spokes OK, it’s just quicker to use new ones and there are no issues with seizing etc.

DT have an RRP of 80p each I think.

“tw4t” it on the ground a few times job’s a goodun :p

“tw4t” it on the ground a few times job’s a goodun :p

I did think of that, but I reckon it’s too far gone.

I’ve realised the bearings need replacing too. So that brings it to around £120 for a rebuild. Or a new one from Merlin is £130. Guess I’ll be getting a new wheel.

You can sell the front hub on that damaged wheel too, so you’d probably be better off getting a new wheel.

Oh maaahn, how’d you kill a wheel at Sherwood now the DH area has beeen bulldozered….

You can sell the front hub on that damaged wheel too, so you’d probably be better off getting a new wheel.

It certainly is looking that way.

Oh maaahn, how’d you kill a wheel at Sherwood now the DH area has beeen bulldozered….

😳 😳 😳

They’ve graveled section 2. Riding a bit too quick and the front wheel slid away, hit a bank dispatching me over the bars, cracking a couple of ribs on landing. A&E doc reckons I tailed whipped – feet met my head bending me in half backwards.

That’ll buff out easy

Just get a rim and swop it over. I cant believe people are saying the spokes are knacked LOL. Done the same to mine 3 years ago and just got a new 717. Still as true as the day I rebuilt it.

As above, tape a new rim on and swap each spoke over. If you are not confident once it has been transfered take it to your LBS for a tension and true. I have done this many times. Make sure you GT85 the spoke nipples before you start.