Defective spokes; maybe it wasn't your imagination.

[Werehatrack]

From this site:

http://www.climbonline.org/news/recalls.shtml

we have:

>January 8, 2006
>
> Widespread Spoke Failures
> Bike shops are being forced to build hundreds
> of replacement wheels each week because spokes
> in stock wheels are failing. The problem is
> currently found in bikes costing up to $600
> from makers such as Fuji, Giant, Jamis, Pacific
> Cycle, Raleigh, Specialized, Trek and others.
>
> The scope of the problem is still uncertain,
> according to a cover story in the trade magazine,
> Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. Bikes made for
> the above companies in various Chinese assembly
> plants received wheels laced with defective spokes.
>
> The spokes are breaking in the middle and/or
> rusting. It's suspected that cost-cutting by a
> Korean company resulted in substandard wire being
> supplied to spoke manufacturers. According to the
> magazine, tests show that the spokes have nickel
> and molybdenum contents far below normal levels.
>
> The faulty spokes may have N, Z or S stamped into
> the round head or no insignia at all. If you have
> a 2004 or '05 bike in which the spokes begin
> rusting or breaking, check with the shop where
> you bought it.


As far as I can tell, there is no actual recall in the works, but the
fact that the problem has been identified in the trade press would
seem to indicate that the bike manufacturers are aware that there's an
issue.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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[Newfdog]

Werehatrack wrote:
> From this site:
>
> http://www.climbonline.org/news/recalls.shtml
>
> we have:
>
>> January 8, 2006
>>
>> Widespread Spoke Failures
>> Bike shops are being forced to build hundreds
>> of replacement wheels each week because spokes
>> in stock wheels are failing. The problem is
>> currently found in bikes costing up to $600
>> from makers such as Fuji, Giant, Jamis, Pacific
>> Cycle, Raleigh, Specialized, Trek and others.
>>
>> The scope of the problem is still uncertain,
>> according to a cover story in the trade magazine,
>> Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. Bikes made for
>> the above companies in various Chinese assembly
>> plants received wheels laced with defective spokes.
>>
>> The spokes are breaking in the middle and/or
>> rusting. It's suspected that cost-cutting by a
>> Korean company resulted in substandard wire being
>> supplied to spoke manufacturers. According to the
>> magazine, tests show that the spokes have nickel
>> and molybdenum contents far below normal levels.
>>
>> The faulty spokes may have N, Z or S stamped into
>> the round head or no insignia at all. If you have
>> a 2004 or '05 bike in which the spokes begin
>> rusting or breaking, check with the shop where
>> you bought it.
>
>
> As far as I can tell, there is no actual recall in the works, but the
> fact that the problem has been identified in the trade press would
> seem to indicate that the bike manufacturers are aware that there's an
> issue.
I just replaced a rear wheel on a bike from Pacific Cycle for this very
reason. 3 broken spokes in less then 2 weeks.