Mark and Rick have given good advice. I agree, after all I am the Wheel Doctor and a veteran wheel
builder. Just get the wheel rebuilt by a reputable wheel builder. I recieved the Wheel Doctor name
in 1980 while at June Curry's place in Afton, VA. June and her Dad were featured on CBS Sunday
Morning with Charles Krault. For many years they furnished free overnight indoor accomidations for
cyclists and hikers. She became known as the "Cookie Lady". Each year a group of us would help with
upkeep, painting,caulking etc. Well anyway, we were there doing our thing when a groupdoing a
TransAm arrived and one guy with a bent rear wheel had disconnected his brake to make it to June's.
One of my riding buddies offered my skills. I despoked it and with the help of a tree to beat it on
and a flat surface to check it, we got it straight, re-laced, tensioned and trued. The owner, a
teacher from Portland dubbed me the Wheel Doctor. I suggested that he get a new wheel in
Williamsburg. Two weeks later I got a card from him. He was in Key West and the wheel was still
fine. The Wheel Doctor logo has since been on one mobile bike shop van and two LBS. Some frequenters
of this group and BROL are riding on my wheels. So take it from someone who has experience. Just get
it rebuilt or have a new one built.
--
Jude....///Bacchetta AERO St. Michaels and Tilghman Island.. Maryland Wheel Doctor Cycle and Sports,
Inc "The Bacchetta Specialist in the Mid-Atlantic" 1-800-586-6645 "news.qwest.net"
<
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:K%Tya.84$%[email protected]...
> For what it's worth, I had much the same problem with my rear wheel -
broke
> a spoke almost every time I rode for about 4 months. Asked everybody (and
I
> mean EVERYBODY) I met in the biking world for advice. Paid to have the
wheel
> retensioned in Missouri. Eventually found a shop here in Phoenix with a
guy
> who really knows his wheels. He told me he thought that the spokes had
been
> stressed, re-laced the whole wheel and I've never had a problem since. My advice would be to find
> the best wheel man you can and have him replace
all
> the spokes.
>
> Mark
>
> "Mark V" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
>
news:[email protected]...
> > Can anyone give advise on how to keep spokes from breaking? I have a SMGT and two of the spokes
> > on the front wheel have broken at the threaded end in a two week period. I haven't touched them
> > since I got the bike a year ago. Would they be too tight, too loose, or is it normal for smaller
> > wheels (20 inch) to break more often than larger wheels? I would imagine that the front wheel of
> > a SWB would endure more stress so maybe this can be expected??? Any thoughts?