Spoke loose from hub.

A plea for help from the mechanically clueless.

Noticed today that one of the spokes on my rear wheel had come loose from the hub. It looks like the little nub on the end that keeps it it the hub holes has broken off. Only a little bit of wooble in the wheel so far, but I imagine that will change.

So, how difficult is it to put a new spoke in myself? I know I'll have to go to the LBS (which is an hour away from me) to pick up parts. If I have them do it though, this time of year I have to make an appointment weeks in advance. So I was hoping to try and put a new spoke in myself, and hopefully not totally mess up the wheel.

Thanks.

You'll have to remove the cassette from the wheel. Have you done that before? It requires a lockring tool and a chainwhip. Once that is done, replacing the spoke is easy, though you'll probably need to remove the tire to put in a new nipple (unless your new spoke fits the old nipple). Then you need the correct spoke wrench to tighten the spoke, and you need to know the rudiments of truing to get the wheel nice and straight again.

You could try taking the wheel to the LBS with you to buy the spoke, and then asking nicely if they'll pull off the cassette (just takes about 2 minutes). Buy a spoke and nipple, spoke wrench, and lockring tool (those tools are $6-8 each). Do some reading about wheel truing and come back here if you need more help.

Thanks Deb!

The only thing I've ever removed from the rear wheel is the tire, so this will be a new experience for me. Hopefully I won't mess things up too badly.

Thanks again.

If you've never done wheel truing before and the wheel was pretty straight before the broke the spoke, I'd suggest that you mark the new spoke with a piece of tape when you install it. Then turn the nipple on just that spoke until it is under the same tension as the other spokes and the wheel is as good as you can make it. If that's pretty good, you could stop there. If not, continue truing using all the spokes, but don't turn anything more that 1/4 turn at once. Beware that you could throw off the dish if you get too aggressive at this point, and without a dishing tool you won't know how much it's off.

Weathergal, did you end up changing the spoke yourself? I was having trouble with broken spokes too, but I never tried changing one myself. I hope you got it fixed okay.

Yes, I finally got the spoke changed. It took some cursing and tears, and two trips to the LBS since I bought the wrong sized tools the first time. I used Ken Kiefer's instructions for truing a bike wheel without a stand. I have it *mostly* true, with just a barely discernable wobble that I hope to tweak out in the next couple of days when I find the time. Failing that, I'm starting out on Biking Across Kansas in less than two weeks, and they have several bike shops that follow us for mechanical support. I can probably get it fully trued from one of them the first day of the ride.

That is awesome that you tackled that yourself! Good job!

I think it's so cool that you are doing the Biking Across Kansas. My dentist, one of the few people I've found that likes to talk bike, has always wanted to do that ride. I wonder if they will be coming through my area. I'd love to see the cyclists come through. Good luck with the ride and I hope you have great weather!