Why are my spokes so loose?

Spokes loosen mainly because they stretch, and much of the “stretch” is due to the elbow straightening out. During the dawn of downhill racing in Scotland we would build the wheels up, use red loctite, take them out and put some stress (jumps) on them and come back to the shop for a final true.

What happens if you lose a spoke on a bike?

Generally, it is not dangerous to ride with a broken or missing spoke. It is pretty safe if only one spoke is broken. But if three or four spokes have broken, it’s best to stop cycling. This could lead to more spokes breaking, the wheel bucking and more expensive repairs.

Why do I break so many spokes?

Bike spokes break most commonly due to wear and tear. A high-frequent cause for spoke breaks is that the rider has hit a curb or pothole, doesn’t maintain the bike well, or the passenger is too heavy for that model. Rougher terrain will also deteriorate the rims faster, which in turn deteriorates the spokes faster.

Should my spokes be loose?

The spokes on a road bike should feel tight and firm. The spokes need to give a little when you give them a hard squeeze. But they should give. If they are not moving at all, they are too tight.

Is riding with one broken spoke bad?

Riding a bike with a broken spoke will not cause much harm to the wheels. However, we suggest you remove the spoke from the nipple to avoid further damage to the tires.” That said, riding the bike with only one or two broken spokes is not dangerous.

Is it safe to cycle with a broken spoke?

You should be fine as long as you can secure that broken spoke to the nearest spoke either by twisting it around the good spoke, or securing it with a piece of duct tape or bandaid which all bikers should carry. As long as you’re sure it won’t get loose and get into the derailleur or brake.

How do you stop spokes from breaking?

The best way to avoid spoke fatigue is to go to a skilled builder, who will advise on spoke count and rim weight (heavier rims are stronger…) and use correct spoke tension and proven stress-relieving techniques to minimise the cyclic loading responsible for fatigue failure.

Is it OK to ride a bike with a broken spoke?

“Yes! Riding a bike with a broken spoke will not cause much harm to the wheels. However, we suggest you remove the spoke from the nipple to avoid further damage to the tires.” That said, riding the bike with only one or two broken spokes is not dangerous.

How loose should spokes be?

Put your thumb around one spoke and your fingers around the spoke next to it and squeeze. The spokes should feel tight and firm. They should have just a little give when you squeeze them fairly hard.

How do you tell if your spokes are too loose?

If your spokes are so loose they rattle, they’re providing virtually no strength to the wheel structure. It’s no better than if that spoke were missing or broken. It’s a big indicator that your bike wheels need truing.

How do I know if my spokes are tight enough?

Once the rim is free from blips and serious flat spots, check the tension of the spokes. Put your thumb around one spoke and your fingers around the spoke next to it and squeeze. The spokes should feel tight and firm. They should have just a little give when you squeeze them fairly hard.

When should I replace bicycle spokes?

A faulty spoke might break anywhere. If an otherwise undamaged spoke has snapped at the thread or in the straight section between rim and hub, it was probably faulty. A faulty or damaged spoke should simply be replaced.

How much does it cost to replace a bike spoke?

between $25 and $35
Broken spoke replacement typically costs between $25 and $35.

How do you know if spokes are tight enough?

It is very easy to over tighten spokes. If you simply just turn the spoke (or nipple) until it feels tight or turn it as far as it will go with a spoke wrench, it may be too tight. It is important to check the tension after each time you tighten a spoke. This way if it is too tight, you can loosen it before riding.

How much tension should my spokes have?

Most rims have suggested ranges from 100 to 120 Kilograms-force, or 980 to 1177 Newtons. This is assuming there is no pressure in the tire. Though not super precise, squeezing is still a more accurate technique for judging spoke tension than feeling the amount of effort it takes to turn a spoke nipple.

What are the spokes on a bicycle for?

Bike spokes are a small but significant part of your bicycle. Their purpose is to support the weight to the center of the wheel. It’s a balancing agent that suffers from the occasional fatigue and craps out on you.

What happens if you don’t tighten the spokes on a bicycle wheel?

If you don’t tighten the nut enough, the tension from the opposite spokes remains greater — and the spoke nut loosens again as the novice continues to ride. Bicycle wheel builders use a tension meter to ensure the uniformity of spoke tension.

Which way do you turn the spoke on a wheel?

Remember clockwise or counter-clockwise (anti-clockwise in the UK and Australia). To pull to one side, tighten that side’s spoke–clockwise turn, as seen from the rim/tire side.

How do you fix a bent spokes without a truing stand?

To fix that without a truing stand, use a piece of masking tape like this. Adjust the masking tape like you did the brake calipers, bringing it in slightly tighter every time your wheel no longer touches. We’re talking millimeters. To fix out-of round, you’ll be tweaking both side spokes at a time, 1/4 turn or less.