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Replacing a Broken Spoke

What you need

• Appropriate sized spoke key (recommend a Buddy Spokey)
• Pen and rubber band or see optional tools
• Lube/grease

Optional Tools

• Flat head screw driver (that fits into the nipple head) or nipple driver
• Wheel Jig
• Bladed-spoke-holder tool (or an adjustable spanner)

First Steps

Firstly obtain the right length spoke and identify whether it’s a straight pull or has a bend / elbow in it – most are bent. Measure the spoke which is broken if possible so you can order an appropriate size (or find manufacturers specification or use one of the many online spoke calculators if you know what hub and rim you have).

 

Remove wheel from bike if you are using a wheel jig and mount in jig, if not keep in bike. Remove broken spoke from hub (if not already removed) and nipple (if the break is at the nipple you will have to remove the tyre and if present move the rim strip aside or off to remove the nipple).

You may have to remove a disc rotor or cassette if a rear wheel spoke has broken to be able to remvove/install a standard spoke in the hub flange.

Spoke Replacement

Clean the spoke hole and then dab some lube inside the rim hole. Place the nipple on a pointed instrument/cotton bud without the cotton on so you don’t lose it inside the hub. Replace with a new nipple if you are unable to remove the broken spoke thread.

Match the direction of the spoke threading in the hub (threaded via the drive or non-drive side) so that the elbow is either on the inside or the outside of the hub. The direction of threading will be opposite to its direct neighbours or the same as its offset match on the opposite side of the hub flange. This is not a problem with straight pull systems. Make sure the base of the spoke is seated property in the hub flange.

Make sure you cross the spoke across the remaining spokes in a similar way to match the spoke pattern to its neighbours. Mark the spoke with tape or mark the rim until you are finished.

Place the threaded end of the spoke into the nipple and with your fingers thread the nipple until finger tight.

If the wheel is not in a truing jig and in the bike, with a pencil and rubber band, secure it around the seat /chain stay as an indicator or use the brake pad in a similar way if caliper/v brakes are present. Start to tighten the nipple a good quality spoke key (and the right size). “Righty Tighty” (clockwise looking from the outside of the rim onto the head of the nipple).

A Buddy Spokey in the flesh.

Truing the wheel

Tighten ¼ turn each time and then spin the wheel until any bow in the rim is removed. With aero/bladed spokes you will need to stop spoke twist so stabilise the spoke with a bladed spoke tool or just a largish adjustable spanner.

A buckled rim in the wheel jig.

Ping the spoke and its neighbours to see if it is of a similar pitch – on the rear especially ping the spokes only from the side of the hub that the replaced spoke it situated as the opposite side will have a slightly different tension.

Grab 2/3 spokes midway and squeeze to re-tension the spokes and re-check the trueness of the wheel. Truing a badly warped wheel will be dealt with in another article but a broken spoke is does not buckle the rim it is simply 'out of true'.

And you're done.

Richard Fox - Features Contributor

Richard has been mountain biking for over 17 years,7 years on his local trails, Dartmoor. He also regularly rides away from home – usually riding each year (while doing the mechanics for others) in various events such as the Cheddar Challenge, Rough Ride, Soggy Bottom, Dyfi Enduro and twentyfour12.

All these years of riding (and breaking) bikes, has resulted in Richard acquiring the wealth of experience (and the tools) to keep his, and inevitably all his riding crew's, bikes on the trails. Richard is a Cyclist No.1 features contributor.

Maintenance in association with Cycle System Acadmey...

Cycle Systems Academy offers a range of courses, from one day introductory courses in Basic Maintenance, specialist courses such as Brompton Servicing, or learning how to strip out and repair Sturmey Archer Hubs, right through to professional industry training in Level Two and Level Three qualifications recognised and accredited by the Government Qualification and Credit Framework.

Cyclist No.1 has teamed up with Cycle Systems Academy to provide maintenance guides for the home mechanic.

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