Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

spokes loosening on rear mtb wheel

860 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  skipk 
#1 ·
Can anyone help me out with why my spokes loosen during a MTB ride?
I check them before I leave the house always, but during the ride one, two, and sometimes three become loose. Yesterday one came out during the ride and got wrapped up in the derailer, luckily I stopped before anything else happened, but I don't get it. I have a trek 8500 with dolomite rims, a few of the spokes have been rpl'd with silver ones (the local shop i go to doesn't have black spokes) these are the ones that work themselves loose. I think one of them isn't even the same size/mm (this one always is first to become loose and this is the one that got wrapped up yesterday), and one seems a little short, bc you can see the threads sticking out the top of the nipple even though it's tight, the rest of the spokes you don't see any thread? Share your thoughts, and insights, I'd appreciate it.
Rock on - ride on - Skip
 
#2 ·
Spokes loosening is often an indication they're too short (as you have noticed.) Another (rare) possibility is that the spoke has 15g threads but a 14g nipple.

It sounds like some of the spokes have broken (hence the silver ones)...I'd suggest having the wheel rebuilt by a skilled wheelbuilder using the spoke type and length they determine - this will be the end of your problems.
 
#4 ·
Lab Worker, and Mike T thanks for the G2 I appreicate it, Mike thats some awesome information, thank U very much. I did rpl the one spoke that broke last week, and one of the silver ones that my local shop put on as a rpl'ment with some that I picked up a while ago (14G 263 L). I realized the spoke lenght I needed was on a sticker on the rim in very small print but it didn't mention the guage? I did 22.5 miles on the road today with the trek and still had some loosening going on (I took my spoke wrench with me) and another spoke did break (one of the originals) I think it is time to have this rim rebuilt, this trek has well over 1200 hard miles on it, most of it in the woods, and I weigh 220. I don't know if I'll rebuild the wheel or not I'll rpl this spoke, and go beat it up again next week and see what happens. My local bike shop is mechanic is a nice guy but he cuts allot of corners, hence the wrong spoke length, not to mention these silver spokes are much thicker than the originals that we're on the rim, but he did rebuild a rim for me on my first road bike, and he did a decent job. He's gotta buy the right spokes, and make sure he gets black ones (he buys all his stuff from QBP in NY) rock on - Skip
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top