My wheels are making me nuts! ;) - Page 2 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

06-09-2004, 03:11 PM

Well, I weigh 240 lbs and my bike is in the shop...

I've broken a spoke on the rear wheel twice. After the second one I rode
100 lbs before I found a loose spoke on the rear wheel. So now the bike
shop is rebuilding my rear wheel (which they should have done after the
first one since this is a new bike bought last fall). They've had my bike
since Monday, and I was supposed to pick it up today. I call them on the
way home to see if it is ready, but I find they don't have black spokes. I
don't want silver spokes as I may sell those wheels.

So, I'm going to have a custom set of wheels built (not by the bike shop).
I would do it myself but I'd lose too much time from riding while trying to
learn. I'll learn after I get riding again. I just wish I had my bike -- it
looks like I won't get to ride this weekend, either.

I must be free of the LBS for the mechanical needs of my bike.

Somehow, I don't think the problem is just the spokes, but I'm a noob, so
don't listen to me.

Daniel Crispin wrote:
:: I need some advice here.
::
:: I purchased by bike a month ago. I had to get my spokes re-tightened
:: (forget that word, my first language is French and I have no idea
:: for the correct english term) about a week ago. Today as I was
:: riding the bike started making the same racket noise that it did
:: before I had my wheels fixed.
::
:: One of the shop I went to told me that because I was heavy, my
:: wheels will need to be adjusted often. Also told me that my spokes
:: were low quality and that made it worth. He wanted to sell me a new
:: wheel for the back because that is where most of my weight is when I
:: ride. Said the rest of my wheel
:: is good quality but the spokes are not. I wanted to have the spokes
:: replaced but he said it would cost more than purchase a new wheel
:: entirelly...
::
:: Does this make any sense? He offered to sell me a Deore wheel with
:: Anodized spokes and dual walled frame. Pretty similar to what I
:: have except for the spokes. 100 CAN$.

06-09-2004, 03:54 PM

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 18:11:38 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>So now the bike
>shop is rebuilding my rear wheel (which they should have done after the
>first one since this is a new bike bought last fall). They've had my bike
>since Monday <snip>

They need the whole bike just to rebuild the wheel?

They couldn't loan you a wheel to ride while they rebuild it? I
mean, for all your trouble and everything...

>Somehow, I don't think the problem is just the spokes, but I'm a noob, so
>don't listen to me.

The OP's problem is not cheap spokes.
--
Rick Onanian

06-09-2004, 03:54 PM

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 18:11:38 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>So now the bike
>shop is rebuilding my rear wheel (which they should have done after the
>first one since this is a new bike bought last fall). They've had my bike
>since Monday <snip>

They need the whole bike just to rebuild the wheel?

They couldn't loan you a wheel to ride while they rebuild it? I
mean, for all your trouble and everything...

>Somehow, I don't think the problem is just the spokes, but I'm a noob, so
>don't listen to me.

The OP's problem is not cheap spokes.
--
Rick Onanian

06-09-2004, 03:54 PM

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 18:11:38 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>So now the bike
>shop is rebuilding my rear wheel (which they should have done after the
>first one since this is a new bike bought last fall). They've had my bike
>since Monday <snip>

They need the whole bike just to rebuild the wheel?

They couldn't loan you a wheel to ride while they rebuild it? I
mean, for all your trouble and everything...

>Somehow, I don't think the problem is just the spokes, but I'm a noob, so
>don't listen to me.

The OP's problem is not cheap spokes.
--
Rick Onanian

06-09-2004, 03:54 PM

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 18:11:38 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>So now the bike
>shop is rebuilding my rear wheel (which they should have done after the
>first one since this is a new bike bought last fall). They've had my bike
>since Monday <snip>

They need the whole bike just to rebuild the wheel?

They couldn't loan you a wheel to ride while they rebuild it? I
mean, for all your trouble and everything...

>Somehow, I don't think the problem is just the spokes, but I'm a noob, so
>don't listen to me.

The OP's problem is not cheap spokes.
--
Rick Onanian

06-09-2004, 03:54 PM

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 18:11:38 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>So now the bike
>shop is rebuilding my rear wheel (which they should have done after the
>first one since this is a new bike bought last fall). They've had my bike
>since Monday <snip>

They need the whole bike just to rebuild the wheel?

They couldn't loan you a wheel to ride while they rebuild it? I
mean, for all your trouble and everything...

>Somehow, I don't think the problem is just the spokes, but I'm a noob, so
>don't listen to me.

The OP's problem is not cheap spokes.
--
Rick Onanian

06-09-2004, 04:09 PM

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 17:47:09 -0400, Daniel Crispin wrote:

> He offered to sell me a Deore wheel with Anodized
> spokes and dual walled frame. Pretty similar to what I have except for the
> spokes. 100 CAN$.

You might want to buy stronger wheels, but I wouldn't buy them from the
same guys that sold you the bike

You can spend about $200 usd to get a decent set of handbuilt wheels or
you can shop around--I recently saw a nice pair of Ritchey 36 spoke offset
rims with DT spokes and Deore hubs at the local REI on sale for less than
$100usd. Having two complete sets of wheels with different types of
tires is very luxurious if you can afford it.

Another poster mentioned 32 spoke wheels--I'm going to recommend
36 spoke wheels if you have a choice. Unless you're racing, you won't feel
the difference and not having to true them very often is nice.

Handbuilt wheels are very reliable, but I've had good luck with machine
built--if they're touched up after the first couple rides [by me

]

Good luck!

06-09-2004, 04:09 PM

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 17:47:09 -0400, Daniel Crispin wrote:

> He offered to sell me a Deore wheel with Anodized
> spokes and dual walled frame. Pretty similar to what I have except for the
> spokes. 100 CAN$.

You might want to buy stronger wheels, but I wouldn't buy them from the
same guys that sold you the bike

You can spend about $200 usd to get a decent set of handbuilt wheels or
you can shop around--I recently saw a nice pair of Ritchey 36 spoke offset
rims with DT spokes and Deore hubs at the local REI on sale for less than
$100usd. Having two complete sets of wheels with different types of
tires is very luxurious if you can afford it.

Another poster mentioned 32 spoke wheels--I'm going to recommend
36 spoke wheels if you have a choice. Unless you're racing, you won't feel
the difference and not having to true them very often is nice.

Handbuilt wheels are very reliable, but I've had good luck with machine
built--if they're touched up after the first couple rides [by me

]

Good luck!

06-09-2004, 04:09 PM

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 17:47:09 -0400, Daniel Crispin wrote:

> He offered to sell me a Deore wheel with Anodized
> spokes and dual walled frame. Pretty similar to what I have except for the
> spokes. 100 CAN$.

You might want to buy stronger wheels, but I wouldn't buy them from the
same guys that sold you the bike

You can spend about $200 usd to get a decent set of handbuilt wheels or
you can shop around--I recently saw a nice pair of Ritchey 36 spoke offset
rims with DT spokes and Deore hubs at the local REI on sale for less than
$100usd. Having two complete sets of wheels with different types of
tires is very luxurious if you can afford it.

Another poster mentioned 32 spoke wheels--I'm going to recommend
36 spoke wheels if you have a choice. Unless you're racing, you won't feel
the difference and not having to true them very often is nice.

Handbuilt wheels are very reliable, but I've had good luck with machine
built--if they're touched up after the first couple rides [by me

]

Good luck!

06-09-2004, 04:09 PM

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 17:47:09 -0400, Daniel Crispin wrote:

> He offered to sell me a Deore wheel with Anodized
> spokes and dual walled frame. Pretty similar to what I have except for the
> spokes. 100 CAN$.

You might want to buy stronger wheels, but I wouldn't buy them from the
same guys that sold you the bike

You can spend about $200 usd to get a decent set of handbuilt wheels or
you can shop around--I recently saw a nice pair of Ritchey 36 spoke offset
rims with DT spokes and Deore hubs at the local REI on sale for less than
$100usd. Having two complete sets of wheels with different types of
tires is very luxurious if you can afford it.

Another poster mentioned 32 spoke wheels--I'm going to recommend
36 spoke wheels if you have a choice. Unless you're racing, you won't feel
the difference and not having to true them very often is nice.

Handbuilt wheels are very reliable, but I've had good luck with machine
built--if they're touched up after the first couple rides [by me

]

Good luck!