Werehatrack wrote:
> On Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:16:13 GMT, "bc2502" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I purchased my bike in 2001 with machine built wheels. After breaking 4
> >spokes on the rear wheel within the first 1500 miles I had the wheel rebuilt
> >using the same rim and hubs. I have put over 16000 miles on the wheel
> >without a spoke breaking until one broke yesterday. I had the spoke replaced
> >but does any one have an opinion on whether I will again have a run of
> >broken spokes on the rear wheel? All the spokes broke at the hub end. It is
> >a Mavic Open Pro rim with Ultegra hubs and 32 spokes that are double butted.
>
> The first four may have been part of the huge number of broken spokes
> on name-brand bikes and wheels that resulted from defective wire
> shipped by a Korean supplier. The recent brakage probably has other
> causes. I'd treat it as a random thing; my advice is to replace the
> broken spoke and keep riding.
> --
> Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
> Some gardening required to reply via email.
> Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
Dear Werehatrack,
The time and distance in BC's post suggest that his spokes were bought
before the Taiwanese spokes made from Japanese and Korean wire.
BC bought his wheel in 2001.
Four spokes broke in the first 1500 miles and were replaced.
Another spoke just broke after 16,000 miles.
The Taiwanese spoke problem seems to be from late 2005:
http://www.bicycleretailer.com/bicycleretailer/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525444
or
http://tinyurl.com/eu2wr
(You have to read carefully and not confuse Kore, a USA company, with
any Korean company--the Kore spokesman is talking about his Kore USA
company using Swedish Sandvik wire, as opposed to the Korean and
Japanese wire used to make faulty spokes in Taiwan.)
This seems to be the same problem from 2004/5:
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.
http://www.climbonline.org/news/recalls.shtml
Cheers,
Carl Fogel