Cycling UK Forum

JC4LAB wrote:I love my Brompton but braking spokes on the sprocket side of the hub are the vain of my riding and stop me touring the world on it..Is it an easy fix if you know how?

The factory wheels are under-tensioned and using 13g spokes is hardly a solution. Build 'em tight and stress-relieve them and they'll last. I did my last Brommie wheel with Sapim Polyax nipples to try and get round the nasty spoke-rim angle (even with cross-2 lacing).

I would dearly like to thank everyone here who has offered some very helpful advice ...I never knew the world of bicycle spokes was so fascinating.

I took my cycle to another local bike shop ...who charged the same!!However, the mechanic did check and fine-tune all the other spokes in my front wheel and said that most were far too tight.

Interestingly, he showed me a brand new cycle in his shop (sorry, the make and model I can't remember ...but looked like a mountain bike) ...that he said had never been ridden ...but two of its spokes had snapped where it stood ...even though he had checked and adjusted all the spoke's tension ...as I said in my original post ...inferior materials used these days!

meic wrote:I always "settle" my wheels by riding for a day then re-trueing them. I love the musical tinkling as I do the first 2 metres.

Hate to deflate you, but out of the bag a well built wheel doesn't twinkle and won't need a retrue.

nm.