Oh No!

[7rider]

Wow. Bummer about the wheel.
Do you have the Mavic MP3 protection plan on the wheel? (don't know if it applies to custom built wheels, however) I got a 3-year plan with my wheels that (according to the LBS guy) would fix or replace the wheel even if damaged through a pothole or parallel grate accident. I don't recall the specifics of the program, but I'm sure the Mavic site has some info.
Also..since it's your front wheel, running the chain on a different cassette wouldn't be an issue...so would your LBS be able to loan you a wheel if it takes a while to repair yours? Might be worth asking.
I can't say I've broken more than one spoke in the past 10 years. I did wreck the rim of my rear wheel on my old Seven (a Shimano Ultegra wheel) in a parallel grate. That was a pain.

[smilingcat]

sounds like a defective nipple. Have never seen a nipple fail. Normal failure I see is that the spoke usually breaks right where it goes into the nipple or if installed incorrectly on the hub, it can sheer on the right angle turn into the hub.

Could the LBS have put way too much tension into all the spokes? Have them measure the tension on rest of the spokes. If its too tight, you may need to replace all the nipples. And if not corrected, you can split the flanges on the hub where the spoke goes into the hub failed hub photo

You may want to keep a cheap spare bike or set of wheels for emergency.

Do you have a ride to the LBS? I don't think you should ride with a way out of aligned wheel. You can potentially tweak the rims so it becomes ever so slightly pretzled.

Highly recommend that you get a ride to your LBS. Well I'm glad that you didn't get hurt. Bikes can be replaced/fixed.

ride safe,
Smilingcat

[redrhodie]

Did you get your wheel fixed?

[kfergos]

Yep! I rode very carefully to the bike shop and got there just fine. They took a look and determined that, indeed, the nipple and not the spoke had failed. The mechanic checked the other spokes, and they seemed fine, so he replaced the nipple and sent me on my way with no charge. I love my LBS.

[Veronica]

That's most excellent. I'm glad it all worked out okay.

Veronica

[Blueberry]

Yay! I'm glad it worked out well!

Perhaps time to think about asking Santa for back up wheels? Just a thought, and not an extravagance for someone who uses her bike as much as you do!

CA

[kfergos]

I would definitely like back-up wheels. It'd also be nice to be able to switch back and forth between studded tires and regular tires at the drop of a hat. And since they're custom I know the LBS wouldn't have a loaner pair if I did have a real tacoed-wheel type emergency. It's a really good idea. But right now everything I have, and all I asked Santa for, is an Xtracycle conversion for my old mountain bike. This means I can't even look at the stuff on TE, not even the stuff on sale. "Xtracycle!" I keep reminding myself.