Bike spokes keep your wheels straight and true. Broken or bent spokes left unfixed can lead to buckled wheels. So you have two main repair and maintenance jobs for bike spokes: replacing broken spokes and truing crooked wheels. Measure your spokes before you begin to ensure you buy the right size and type at your local bike store. You also need the right size spoke wrench. Working with spokes requires patience, as you'll be tweaking each spoke a small amount at a time.
Broken Spokes
Step 1
Loosen the wheel fork nuts with a wrench or flip the quick-release lever. Let the air out of your tire by unscrewing the pump-valve cap and pressing the top of the valve. Unhook the brakes. Remove the wheel from the bike.
Step 2
Remove the tire completely by pulling it over the wheel rim, or pry it off using a tire lever. Peel the protective strip from the inside of the wheel rim. When you reach the site of the broken spoke and expose the hole, stop removing the strip.
Step 3
Locate the broken spoke. Use a spoke wrench to loosen the nipple. Turn anticlockwise, according to bike repair expert Jim Langley. Slide the damaged spoke out of the wheel through the hub at the center of the wheel.
Step 4
Thread the new spoke into the appropriate hole in the spoke hub. Move the spoke in place so it matches the pattern of the rest of the spokes. For example, cross the spoke over the next spoke to the right, if that's the pattern the rest of the spokes follow.
Step 5
Add a drop of lubricant to the nipple. Try linseed oil, according to advice on the Bicycle Tutor site. Insert the spoke nipple into the hole on the rim where the new spoke will connect.
Step 6
Push the spoke into the nipple. Use a flat-head screwdriver to secure the nipple in place. Turn the nipple a few times using the spoke wrench.
Truing Spokes
Step 1
Hang your bike on a bike repair stand so the wheels are off the ground, or turn it upside down so it balances on the handlebars and saddle.
Step 2
Stand in line with the damaged wheel. Spin it and watch carefully for the direction of the wobble.
Step 3
Turn the spoke nipples of three to five of the spokes opposite the area where the wheel bends. For example, if the wheel bends to the right at a certain point, you need to tighten the spokes on the left in that region.
Step 4
Tighten each nipple half a turn, according to a bike tune-up guide by the University of Washington Triathlon Club. Rotate the wheel again when you have tightened the nipples. Tighten further if the bend is still there.
Tips and Warnings
- True by ear, suggests Jim Langley. Pluck each spoke and listening for variations in sound. All spokes should have a similar pitch. Use a truing stand to true your wheels if available.
- Ensure your bike stand is secure and won't topple before hanging your bike.
Things You'll Need
- Spoke wrench
- Wrench
- Tire level
- Lubricant
- Flat-head screwdriver
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