Broken spokes

[stevebee]

I've owned a Torq since March. I've recently had 2 spokes break on the front wheel (which I replaced) - since which I've noticed that another one has gone.

Has anyone else had a similar issue

 

[Ian]

I've had my Torq almost a year now Steve, and have never suffered a broken spoke despite using the bike on some rough trails... touch wood. Likewise with my Sprint which has lighter than standard spokes.

I wonder if your wheel was built with a bad batch of spokes

 

[ITSPETEINIT]

Spoke breakages

I've owned a Torq since March. I've recently had 2 spokes break on the front wheel (which I replaced) - since which I've noticed that another one has gone.

Has anyone else had a similar issue

I only did about 500 miles on my Torq and no such problem arose.
It may be the spokes but it could also be the hub drillings or even the wheel build. Where do the spokes break? At the nipple end or the hub end?
You might get your answer from a good bicycle repairer who builds wheels who could probably check the wheel in the bike for build/component quality.
Do they have a "Friday afternoon" in China?
Peter

 

[stevebee]

I was thinking the same as they have all broken in the same place at the bend where they meet the hub. Hopefully the replacements are of better quality so eventually the problem will go away. The roads in London are REALLY bad so may have played their part. Fingers crossed

 

[Tim]

My own Torq suffered a couple of broken spokes soon after fitting Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres front and rear. My theory is that thin tyres give the rim and spokes a much harder ride that exacerbates any problems.

 

[flecc]

I've had no problem on my Torq, and Russ with his using Marathon Plus has had no broken spokes to my knowledge. I've also switched to Marathon Plus now, but using very small section ones, and that's not a problem either. Quite a large number of Torq owning members are on Marathon Plus tyres now, but of course if there's a problem waiting to happen, those smaller section tyres will bring it out.

Including Tim's posting, there seem to have been just four Torqs crop up in here where this has happened, out of the very large number sold. My guess is that the wheel build on these had some uneven tensions leading to this, since that can easily cause a spoke problem on any bike wheel.

Once the affected spokes are replaced the problem seems to disappear permanently judging from the reports of those affected.
.

 

[stevebee]

I also recently changed to Marathon Plus. Sounds like it could be a combination of the harder ride plus some dodgy spokes. Hoping the 'replacement programme' will work

 

[rsscott]

As Flecc says, I've never experienced a broken spoke on mine but that may be due to the roads being rideable around here. As my route is almost fixed I've learned all the areas to avoid.

Aron had a problem with his spokes in the early days on the forum:

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/114-help-spoke-problem.html?highlight=SPOKES

 

[flecc]

Apart from Tim's, the others I know of were from new on the original Kenda tyres Steve. There's many Torqs on the M.P. tyres now, and much of my riding is on some of the worst roads and back lanes without problems.

This 700c wheel size is used with the thinnest cycle tyres in existence running at 100 to 120 lbs pressure, so I can't see 45 to 55 lbs in a 38c tyre over 1.5" wide being a problem. I'm using the 1.3" wide 35c on my motor wheel, running at 65 lbs, and the 1.1" 28c on the other wheel at 80 lbs.
.

 

[stevebee]

Sounds like the spokes then. I did not want to go back to the Kendas as I much prefer the MP's. Thanks for the useful info - I'll feedback how I get on with the new spokes.

 

[stevebee]

Just an update. I decided to have a go myself and replace the spokes , tension (had to buy a tension meter as I'm tone deaf and couldn't differentiate the different twangs) and get the wheel true again.
After an initial problem (with the new spokes the wheel was way out of true) with a tweak here & there I've got the wheel back to true.
However, the general guide is that the tension should be between 80-120 kgf whereas I initially tensioned the new spokes the same as those already there which was only 50-60kgf.

Q. Should the tension be lower due to the hub motor or does this make no difference ?

Q. What is the ideal tension for the rim / spoke combination on the Torq ?

(nb I will ring Jim from 50 cycles on Monday to get their view)

 

[flecc]

I think eZee spokes are usually a bit lower tensioned, as I found both my torq and quando were similar to that when I initially re-trued the wheels when I received the bikes.

Since then I've dished the motor wheels for the Q and T bikes and used a higher tension thoughout without subsequent problems, so it seems that precise tension isn't critical.

The Q bike motor wheel in particular has very highly tensioned spokes now, but that's a smaller wheel, 20", though the same motor.
.

 

[imellor]

My own Torq suffered a couple of broken spokes soon after fitting Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres front and rear. My theory is that thin tyres give the rim and spokes a much harder ride that exacerbates any problems.

Hi All

I have not been on this forum for a while, but came back specifically to look for the subject of broken spokes.
I had a broken spoke on my Torq and had this replaced by the bike shop, at the same time I replaced the tyres with Marathon Plus.
Since then I have had another two spokes go and the shop has advised a wheel rebuild.
My theory is that the combination of a high PSI and the speed humps where I live have caused the breaks. Of course the thinner tyres, maybe a contributing factor.

Ian

P.S. My spokes broke on the bend near the hub.

 

[flecc]

I still have no trouble with either my T bike (torq derived) or Q bike (quando derived) with the same motors, despite the big offsets in the builds and high spoke tensions.

The problems are probably due to uneven spoke tensions, which place high spot loadings on the tighter spokes, causing severing at the hub end angle.

Uneven tensions are common in production bikes, and the Torq wheels do have big variations, as the two I've had have shown when I retrued them on receipt. The motor drive exacerbates the problem by applying a constant twist which will also load the tightest spokes the most.

An expert rebuild is the best answer, individual building allowing the time necessary for proper balancing of tensions.
.

 

[Ian]

Broken spokes, like the brake judder seem to be a problem affecting only some users. I wonder if both could be related to spoke tension. Like the other Ian I have M+ tyres that I run rock hard and I live in an area plaugued with speed bumps and cycle paths surfaced with hardcore but I've never suffered a broken spoke, I do sometimes get brake judder on my Torq, but not on my Sprint with a rebuilt front wheel and tighter spokes.

On the subject of speed bumps it beats me why local authorities can't make them more cycle friendly.

 

[JamesC]

Thanks to 50cycles

Noticed that my Torq front wheel had gone out of true, but don't remember any major potholes; found a broken spoke.

With not too far to travel, a call to 50cycles confirmed they had stock and I was able to get there with the bike this afternoon.

Not having done spokes, Lloyd kindly fitted the replacement and trued up the wheel, giving me lots of good advice along the way.

Many thanks - great service - and a good chance to see and try other bikes in the range with James50C.

I will keep an eye on the wheel as the nearby spokes might have received some extra loading.

James