Help! First broken spoke.. event tomorow!

[foild1]

hey everyone..

i went for my last "training" ride today before a 50KM charity event tomorow, and ofcourse i broke my first spoke on the ride. Heres the story: I was riding for 20KM, in the last 6 km i felt my brakes rubbing, you know the sound... anyways i was not prepared to pull over since i was almost home and it was pitch black and very windy. Anywho, once i got home i got off my bike to wheel it to my apartment, and the bloody back wheel was skidding! quite confused i kneeled down to check out the problem.. well, at first it looked like my wheel was bent, one half rotation it would rub on the right back brake pad, the second half of the rotation it would rub on the back left brake pad.. upon further investigation i saw that the damn spoke had broken. I am wondering wether in the last 6KM of my ride that i rode with this broken spoke, if it actually did bend the wheel, or if the bend that i am seeing is just due to not having spoke tension in a certain area.. HELP! i need to get this fixed, and im wondering if i need a new set of wheels, or if i just need a new spoke..

thanks!

the count down is ticking to the charity ride, and i will have to go to a bike shop before it starts at 11am tomorow.. is this a fast fix?

 

[gclark8]

It all depends on how competent the mechanic is. Some can replace and true the wheel while you wait, while others require you to leave it overnight and have it ready on "Thursdays". If in doubt, borrow a "spare" wheel for the ride tomorrow. I recently broke a spoke just changing a tyre.

I keep a spare 650c rear wheel but not a 700c, as there are plenty of those I can borrow.

 

[foild1]

oh ok, so the wheel isn't actually damaged then. All i need to do is get a new spoke installed and my wheel trued and then everything will be fine?

It all depends on how competent the mechanic is. Some can replace and true the wheel while yu wait, while others require you to leave it ovenight and have it ready on "Thursdays". If in doubt, borrow a "spare" wheel for the ride tomorrow.

I keep a spare 650c rear wheel but not a 700c, as there are plenty of those I can borrow.

 

[Adam-from-SLO]

Thats why it good to have a second set of wheels- clincher, or tubulars.... at all times - cause you never know

 

[motorhommer]

oh ok, so the wheel isn't actually damaged then. All i need to do is get a new spoke installed and my wheel trued and then everything will be fine?

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fiberfix.htm

If you are anyway handy at truing the wheel yourself these things are great. Even if you are not and you break one on the road in a charity ride, someone will help you put it on.

Carry one myself, we were out last week a few pals and bang one of the guys broke a spoke middle of no where. Scratching his head as to what to do, took it out of my bag and 40 miles later he was home. He took wheel to the bike shop 3 days later and then next time I met him gave me back spoke.

brian