Spokes !!

[Del 80]

Hello, I read somewhere that spokes should be tightened periodically, are there any hard and fast rules on this ? or if everything seems o.k. is it best to leave well alone ?.....Del.

 

[flecc]

Modern machine built wheels often need to have some attention within about 500 miles, occasionally sooner if any spokes become noticeably slack or one breaks. Once a wheel has been retrued if necessary, it doesn't normally ever need attention again.

If your bike is ok and there are no obvious problems or spoke clicking noises from a wheel, just carry on using it.

 

[Del 80]

Thanks for reply flecc, everything seems o.k. probably just me being over cautious, still always best to check these things,......Del.

 

[aseb]

Spin the wheel plucking at each spoke, or tap it with a screwdriver feeling or listening for differences- it shouldn't take long. Try weekly to start with, extend the time as you become comfortable that things aren't changing. You could possibly do an additional check when the effects of a deep pothole are felt (lost false teeth / bruised testicles if your male/.etc) just to be sure....

 

[Del 80]

Thanks for advice aseb, everything seems o.k. at moment [testicles included] , I will do what you suggested...... Del.

 

[Davanti]

Spin the wheel plucking at each spoke, or tap it with a screwdriver feeling or listening for differences- it shouldn't take long. Try weekly to start with, extend the time as you become comfortable that things aren't changing. You could possibly do an additional check when the effects of a deep pothole are felt (lost false teeth / bruised testicles if your male/.etc) just to be sure....

I really must learn to read through the posts fully ... just tapped everything with a screwdriver and now find I am bruised in the testicular area ... !

 

[Del 80]

OUCH!! sounds painful Davanti.

 

[banbury frank]

Hi Link For Magura Hydraulic V brakes not Cheap Just The Best

magura HS 11 hydraulic rim brakes front | eBay

Frank

 

[banbury frank]

Hi Sorry Wrong Posting

Frank

 

[Davanti]

OUCH!! sounds painful Davanti.

I'll let you know when feeling returns ... (LOL) ... OUCH; must also learn not to laugh out loud when bruised in the ..........!

mmm ... thank you, Nurse ...

 

[Mike63]

I've just checked the spokes on my Urban Mover...this's the one that's for sale by the way.
...almost 3000 miles and wheels/spokes are perfect...couldn't possibly tamper with them

 

[bazwaldo]

This is a very topical post for me as for a while now I had been hearing quite a bit of noise from my back wheel area and it turns out to have been caused by slack spokes.
One of the spoke "nipple" nuts had even come completely undone and was rattling around the inside of the rim!
After removing the wheel, tyre, innertube, etc, I was able to retrieve the nipple nut and reattach it.
I bought a spoke spanner and went around the wheel "pinging" each spoke and found some were taught and some were quite loose.
After tightening and pinging each spoke the awful noise I had been hearing has disappeared.

My LBS has serviced my bike twice now and charged quite a lot of money for doing so, even though I hinted at the spokes as perhaps causing the noise I was hearing my LBS chap does not seem to have fixed this as I had to do it my self.
The trouble is I don't think he ever roadtests the bike - he has to man his shop - so does not see and hear for himself what is happening.
I had a problem for a while with the new chain slipping which he had a couple of attempts to stop unsucessfully although now it has bedded in it does not slip any more.

But the point is it is important to check your spoke tension occasionally.
Because I have disk brakes I did not have to worry too much about rim trueness for V brakes but it did not appear to go out of shape as far as I could see anyway.
I found that after I put the nipple back and checked the spoke tension the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre when pumped up to 60psi changed the spoke tension again and I had to recheck all the spokes a 2nd time.
It was worth it as now the bike runs much more quietly with mostly just the hum of the motor audible as I roll along!

Barry.

 

[Del 80]

Barry, Interesting to here what you have to say, I just bought a second hand Powacycle, hardly used from new, and intend to have it in tip-top condition, got a problem with brakes at moment [should be sorted tomorrow] then on to spokes, which seem o.k. tempted to tighten them slightly, but maybe best to leave well alone ?......Del

 

[bazwaldo]

Barry, Interesting to here what you have to say, I just bought a second hand Powacycle, hardly used from new, and intend to have it in tip-top condition, got a problem with brakes at moment [should be sorted tomorrow] then on to spokes, which seem o.k. tempted to tighten them slightly, but maybe best to leave well alone ?......Del

Hello Del,

Blimey I don't know, your guess is as good as mine, if they seem taught enough then probably no adjustment would be needed, I am no expert though - this is the first time I have adjusted my spokes in 18 months of owneership and over 8000 miles.
When you ping them with a finger nail do they make a similar sound?
Some of my spokes gave a dull sound which when tightened became more musical!
I tried to get them to sound all the same.

Good luck,
Barry.