Hey guys the OL runs a 21" 80 spoke rim on the front of her bike and developed 5 broken spokes at the wheel hub , I got the replacements and my question is with the front wheel off the ground is it possible to remove the stem , brake the tire bead and replace the spokes? And do you think the wheel needs to be "trued" again. I cant understand why they would brake although the front wheel is chocked once a year to and from bike week.

 

If the nipples have to come out, you are most likely gonna have to remove the tire. Just breaking the bead won't leave much room to work, since you gotta push the tube to the side and move the rim strip. Yes, the wheel will need trued.

Personally, I ditch that wheel. 5 broke spokes sounds like a design flaw to me.

It's not an American Wire Wheel Super Spoke is it? If so, there are plenty of reports of them failing.

 

I would send the wheel to a professional.

 

+ 1 on buying a new one, not worth the risk. I'm spoke runner myself.

 

Maybe I'm off base here, but couldn't you just just have all the spokes replaced, instead of replacing the whole wheel. Or is that cost prohibitive?

 

OUCH!!! 80 spoker, huh?
Couple of things run thru my bean. (I run spokes on a HARDTAIL)
First, What caused them to break? Are all five in series, meaning next to each other? One will break, and then that in turn loads the adjoining spokes, and then they break.
My guess, NOTE: GUESS, without being there, the spokes were NOT torgued equally upon assembly and trueing, originally. Unless she is a curb jumper. Causes the tight spoke to carry more of the weight, it is overloaded, pops, and now the ones on either side, etc, etc.

My advice. Replace the entire spoke set. I have replaced single spokes or a few, and when torquing and trueing the wheel, had adjoining spokes 'pop'. So now, I just redo the whole shebang.
Unless the rim has developed a 'kink' due to the uneven spoke tightness, and cannot be trued, I'd run it and not give it a second thought. If it cannot be trued with the spokes, well, then, sorta chit outta luck. We even tried putting a rim in a flat press one time to remove a 'kink'. Looked GREAT til we released the press, boing, kink returned. WASTED shot there.

And FYI, I now farm mine out to a guy down by the Cities. Some ppl are good with trannys, others motors, and still others are wizards with spoke wheels. My chopper wheels come off every winter, and I have them trued and torqued before they go back on.

Depending on who you talk to, some 'demand' stainless steel spokes, others say they are too brittle. Some only run chrome, others say the chroming process likwise weakens the spoke. Me, I run chrome in the front, and stainless in the rear. It's what came in them when I first got 'em.

And yes, Virginia, there is a Santa, and you can pop spokes tieing your scoot down too tight in a wheel chock. Seen it AND done it.
Spoke wheels work like a hammock, the weight 'hangs' on them. Your 500# scoot will weigh a ton to the spokes when you REALLY strap it down tight. I see ppl strap them down so tight, the tires are half flat or worse.

Good luck, Sir.

 

+1 those spokes broke for a reason. If you can not figure out how they were broke--replace all of them. If you aren't good with spokes and I deduct from your question that you aren't---find someone who is competent with spoked wheels and pay them to re-spoke and true your rim.Sounds like you are out of your league with this repair and unless you have someone more knowledgeable helping you may waste your money and not end up with a ridable wheel.

 

I,d take your wheel to an expert and get his opinion on why they broke. Maybe go for heavy duty spokes, if it were me i,d go for stainless just for the ease of cleaning and their longevity. Just a thought but is your rear wheel ok?

 

I might go with replacement spokes on my scoot........But if the problem was on my ol lady's bike , It would get a new wheel. I wouldn't want to wonder about her safety ,or why they broke

 

Get her a cast wheel. Lot less trouble, easy to clean and you can run tubeless tires which are less prone to blow out. Spoke wheels look purty but just ain't worth it.