A spoke may occasionally break on the wheel of your bicycle while riding. Spokes usually break at either the nipple, where the spoke connects to the rim, or the flange, which holds the spoke in place on the wheel hub. A broken spoke should be replaced as soon as possible to ensure that the wheel stays true when it spins. Replacing a spoke is a relatively easy procedure that can be accomplished in about 15 minutes with the proper tools.
Step 1
Remove the wheel from the bicycle, then remove the tire, tube and rim tape from the bicycle rim. If replacing a spoke on the rear wheel, remove the sprocket cassette cluster or sprocket freewheel.
Step 2
Remove the damaged spoke from the hub and the spoke nipple from the rim. Unscrew the broken spoke from the nipple.
Step 3
Insert the new spoke through the hole in the wheel hub. Flex the spoke slightly to insert it through the hole in the rim.
Step 4
Lubricate the nipple threads with oil. Thread the nipple onto the end of the spoke and screw it in place with a flathead screwdriver. Press the spoke down with the palm of your hand to flatten it against the rim.
Step 5
Tighten the nipple with a spoke wrench until it is the same tension as the rest of the spokes. Check the tension by plucking the new spoke and the ones nearby to see if they sound the same.
Step 6
True the wheel and reinstall the rim tape, tube and tire.
Things You'll Need
- Spoke wrench
- Flathead screwdriver
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