one monkey typing

This is spoke 24
Previously 28, 12 and 8 broke.

That's half the trailing drive side spokes. If any other types of spokes break or certainly if any of the replaced spokes break, I'll have to consider tearing down and relacing with all new spokes.

The tension seems fine, though I don't have a tensiometer. I'm hoping they just used crappy spokes, and the Wheelsmith spokes I'm replacing them with will hold just fine. The crappy spokes theory seems viable in light of the fact that the nipples are definitely not top of the line.

The disc brakes mean that I don't really have to worry about getting the spoke replaced immediately as the rim can wobble quite a lot before it becomes bothersome (though at higher speeds than I get to in the winter it could be trouble) and the internal hub does make this not much of a hassle because as I proved today, I can replace even drive side spokes with the wheel still on the bike.

So really the broken spokes on this bike are not that big of a deal, though on a traditional bike I'd be a lot grumpier, as I'd have to remove the wheel AND remove the cassette from the wheel for each one. That gets pretty old pretty fast and last time I had a problem like this I did rebuild the wheel.

I think my odometer is around 380 miles on this bike. My bike comp is failing though, so that might be a bit off.

New wheel arrived, picked up the 7 speed cassette and spacer from the Dexter shop, put the two together (had a little trouble, the spacer interfered with the clearance of the tiny bolts that hold the cassette together, so those came out and the cogs and spacers went on loose). Torqued to 30 ft/pnds as recommended. Drilled the rim out for schrader valve.

I also had trouble when putting the tire on - the first tube gave way at the valve stem. I think it was coincidence; I had cleaned out the valve hole and sanded it. I burnished it some more anyway just to be safe. The next tube also leaked around the valve but it turned out to be a coincidental hole in the tube about 1/2" from the stem. The third one (a brand new tube) held fine.

This should be a pretty tough wheel, it's a Deore LX hub and a Salsa cross rim. It's all shiny and stuff!


Also, I'm installing a completely new set of cables this weekend.

Odometer: 15095. About 70 miles was done on J's bike.

Oh, and I found a cycling-related userpic that I can at least live with for now.