Ok I am a wimp.

[hondated]

Out on the bike today I suddenly heard a loud ping. I knew what it was of cause, as no doubt most of you would I expect, but I decided not to investigate it further until I got nearer home. When I did I spotted the broken spoke so I released the back brake and managed to get home on it.
This is when I think I wimped out because I decided to take the wheel for repair to my LBS and its only now sitting here I wonder whether I should have just brought a spoke and done the job myself. Particularly as I have just been on Youtube and it doesn't seem a too difficult job.
However I am still not convinced that if I had tried I would not have had an oval wheel at the end of it.

So whats your view is it a difficult job to do or not.

Still on a positive note at least I am supporting my LBS.

[Si]

A single spoke is normally pretty easy (sometimes complicated by being drive side back wheel - if the cogs are on tight).

The advantage of having a good wheel builder do it is that (s)he may look at the other spokes and tell you if they are likely to go too (although it's often hard to say for sure and so some wheel builders will err on the side of caution).

[Vantage]

Well, you'd have had to deflate the tyre, get the inner tube out and tyre off, rim tape off, get the cassette off, make sure you had the right length spoke, laced it up, tightened it properly, trued the wheel, refitted the cassette, replaced the rim tape, tyre and inner tube, seated it all and re-inflated the thing. And all without swearing or loosing your rag. And that's assuming it all went according to plan.
As much as I like the fact that when I do a job on the bike it's done right, there are times when I wish I'd let some other poor bugger deal with it

[cycleruk]

Well, you'd have had to deflate the tyre, get the inner tube out and tyre off, rim tape off, get the cassette off, make sure you had the right length spoke, laced it up, tightened it properly, trued the wheel, refitted the cassette, replaced the rim tape, tyre and inner tube, seated it all and re-inflated the thing. And all without swearing or loosing your rag. And that's assuming it all went according to plan.
As much as I like the fact that when I do a job on the bike it's done right, there are times when I wish I'd let some other poor bugger deal with it

I have fitted a spoke without any of the above.
Remove/unscrew old bits of spoke.
Inserted new spoke in the hub flange. (can't remember if it was drive or non-drive side?).
Bend spoke so it lines up with nipple and screw in place. Re-true wheel.
Obviously not the ideal way to do it.

[meic]

Obviously not the ideal way to do it.

Seems ideal to me, it is just that unfortunately you can not always manage it because there is a cassette (or disk) in the way.
Also unfortunately it is most often the ones behind the cassette that break.

[Grandad]

and have you got a single spoke in the right size?

[tykeboy2003]

Replacing a single broken spoke is sooooooooo easy.

Rebuilding a wheel is a bit harder, but I did it once and as long as you are prepared to take your time anyone could produce a reasonable effort. I did mine a couple of years ago and its still ok.

[tank]

If it make you feel less like a wimp, on Saturday I was out on my recumbent with the family. Half way home a spoke on my front wheel broke (I have V-brakes). The bike is now in the LBS having that sorted. I am all thumbs when it comes to something like that so I would rather some one else did it.

[gerrymcm]

I'm with cycler UK. I managed to replace four in the last few weeks by not taking the tyre/tubes etc off. Getting the correct spoke length and getting it to the correct position is tricky. When I replaced my broken spokes I inserted the new spoke so that it simply went into the hub and through the opposite side of spokes with the most clearance I could manage. I then weaved it up between the other spokes and into the correct position by holding it under tension and putting a gentle curve in it (not putting a bend in it). I cheated even further by re-using the original nipple. Trueing the wheel is slightly trickier. I used my forks and cellotaped two wooden lollipop sticks with the ends cut square to square. I also found that getting the spoke key really close to where your lollipop and turning it the right amount saves a lot of back and froi'ing with the wheel. So you essentially only move the rim by the amount you need.

Now as I write this I'm thinking that I didn't check to see what happened to the threaded part of my broken spokes!!!!!!

Good luck

[hondated]

Thanks everyone for your responses I somehow don't feel too bad about taking the wheel into my LBS now.

Mind you it has got me thinking about buying the J. Brandt book on wheel building and to attempted building one during the Winter.

Apologies for mentioning the W word as well.