Electric bike spoke breaks frequently

[Binesh]

Hi

This is Binesh. I purchased Gallego Woosh bike last year sort of November. Since then, I have had broken spokes twice. I am weigh only 65 kg. The last episode was only beginning of March and now again. Last time when I had, I was told by the dealer to check tightness and loosen the spokes regularly. I have been doing and it happened again. When I took it to Decathlon, one of the bicycle specialist reported, the spokes are arranged in a pattern they will tend to break frequently. As it's an electric bike, the torsion or torque level is high, So the spokes should be arranged in a specific pattern. When I asked why, He replied it's a cheap and quick way to do.

The wheel size is 16 inches and they use puncture less tyres. I don't know whether the size and the type of tyre makes a difference

Its only happening on my rear wheel. Do you guys know if there is any long term solution like rearranging the pattern of the spokes or something else to sort this problem? If this happens every month, it cost me a lot and also it's a waste of my time to take the bike to cycle shop. Since its rear wheel, I am unable to remove it. Also few of the bike shops refused to remove. Luckily good old decathlon is able to repair it

Many thanks
Binesh

 

[trex]

check your rear tyre air pressure. Under inflated tyres are the primary reason that spokes break. You need to make sure that the rear tyre is inflated to 45psi - 50psi. Air pressure helps to stiffen the rim and spread the load across all spokes.
For better retaining air pressure, fit Schwalbe innertubes.

 

[Nealh]

I taught myself wheel building by reading/ veiwing Sheldon Brown's web page and you tube Vid's, and now can comfortably lace and true wheels with or with out an e hub. Once you have learnt the skill the odd spoke replacement only costs the price of a spoke or two. The best way I found was to use a old unused wheel dismantle it and start from scratch after 3 or 4 builds I soon got the knack.
t have only ever had it on the rear with my CST hub, the Gallego is front hub so the issue must be for another reason, tpi Trex has mentioned , also pot holes / uneven surface another to consider is weight over rear wheel 65kg isn't much so panniers ?

 

[Binesh]

check your rear tyre air pressure. Under inflated tyres are the primary reason that spokes break. You need to make sure that the rear tyre is inflated to 45psi - 50psi. Air pressure helps to stiffen the rim and spread the load across all spokes.
For better retaining air pressure, fit Schwalbe innertubes.

Thank you Trex. I will make sure to check tyre pressure from now

 

[Binesh]

I taught myself wheel building by reading/ veiwing Sheldon Brown's web page and you tube Vid's, and now can comfortably lace and true wheels with or with out an e hub. Once you have learnt the skill the odd spoke replacement only costs the price of a spoke or two. The best way I found was to use a old unused wheel dismantle it and start from scratch after 3 or 4 builds I soon got the knack.
t have only ever had it on the rear with my CST hub, the Gallego is front hub so the issue must be for another reason, tpi Trex has mentioned , also pot holes / uneven surface another to consider is weight over rear wheel 65kg isn't much so panniers ?

Thank you Nealh. I spoke to decathlon. The specialist said, its difficult to built new wheel as its a smaller wheel

 

[Binesh]

Since its new, i will put up with this for now and possibly the next fold I buy has to be with bigger wheel. Any recommendations?

I need to take it in the underground tube, so it will be useful to have a bike to wheel it around after its folded

 

[trex]

t have only ever had it on the rear with my CST hub, the Gallego is front hub so the issue must be for another reason, tpi Trex has mentioned , also pot holes / uneven surface another to consider is weight over rear wheel 65kg isn't much so panniers ?

it's the rear spokes that binesh has problems with. On the Gallego, most of the weight is supported by the rear wheel. There is a bit of suspension at the rear by a neoprene block but it's nowhere as good as a coil like on the Zephyr-CDN. I normally would not over tighten those rear spokes, they are quite short, much less tolerant than longer ones on a bigger wheel.

 

[Binesh]

Just to repair one spoke and true the wheel has costed me around 20 quits excluding the cost of spoke. It will really annoy me if I end up spending this money every month

 

[Binesh]

As Trex mentioned, I will make sure to inflate the tyres

 

[Deleted member 4366]

If another spoke breaks, you need to get the whole wheel rebuilt with 14g spokes. I can't see anything wrong with that spoke pattern. I don't believe that it has anything to do with the spokes breaking.

Getting it fixed at a bike shop could be a problem because they're more set up for normal 700c wheels than 16"ones with servo-brakes. I guess it won't fit their wheel-building jigs, plus, they can't hold the bike on their stand to remove the wheel. Anybody could do it if they wanted. It's just a bit more messing about.

 

[JuicyBike]

I think there is a small, but possibly significant difference between brake types in how braking forces are applied through a bike.

The "route" a braking force passes along can avoid spokes better if braking is applied at the rim.

It seems to me that with rim brakes, friction force between the tyre and the tarmac transfers around the rim and onto the frame (main mass) through the brake mechanism, fixed quite closely to the frame.

With centre brakes the forces pass from the tarmac, through the tyre wall, wheel rim, then a much larger proportion is transferred along the spokes, then finally onto the bike frame via a disk or hub brake.

 

[Binesh]

If another spoke breaks, you need to get the whole wheel rebuilt with 14g spokes. I can't see anything wrong with that spoke pattern. I don't believe that it has anything to do with the spokes breaking.

Getting it fixed at a bike shop could be a problem because they're more set up for normal 700c wheels than 16"ones with servo-brakes. I guess it won't fit their wheel-building jigs, plus, they can't hold the bike on their stand to remove the wheel. Anybody could do it if they wanted. It's just a bit more messing about.

D8veh, Do you know how much will it roughly cost to rebuilt the whole wheel? Are you connected with Woosh bikes?

 

[Binesh]

I think there is a small, but possibly significant difference between brake types in how braking forces are applied through a bike.

The "route" a braking force passes along can avoid spokes better if braking is applied at the rim.

It seems to me that with rim brakes, friction force between the tyre and the tarmac transfers around the rim and onto the frame (main mass) through the brake mechanism, fixed quite closely to the frame.

With centre brakes the forces pass from the tarmac, through the tyre wall, wheel rim, then a much larger proportion is transferred along the spokes, then finally onto the bike frame via a disk or hub brake.

Juicy Bike,

If it's a problem to do with braking, what can I do to rectify it?

 

[JuicyBike]

Juicy Bike,

If it's a problem to do with braking, what can I do to rectify it?

Not a lot. My point was general. Try to avoid harsh braking...

 

[Binesh]

Not a lot. My point was general. Try to avoid harsh braking...

JuicyBike, I was told to avoid harsh braking last time when this happened. I have been avoiding since then any way.

 

[trex]

binesh, I think they confuse you with general discussion.
There isn't any truth in saying that rim brakes won't break spokes while hub brakes do, otherwise Shimano and Sram would stop selling their hub gears because most of them have built in long life hub brakes (also called rollerbrakes). The tension and stress on the spokes are more or less the same, if anything, a bit more concentrated for rim brakes than for disc brakes or rollerbrakes and by contruction, you can't have harsh braking on rollerbrakes anyway.
Most broken spokes, either front or rear, are caused by tyres that are under inflated, reducing the strength of the rim.
Next time you have a broken spoke, bring your bike to Woosh in Southend, they'll sort it for you.

Shimano rollerbrakes on your Gallego:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rollerbrakes.html

The Rollerbrake is most practical for urban cycling in areas without long, steep descents. Advantages are that is weatherproof and requires little maintenance. It also is replaceable as a unit -- unlike other drum brakes which are inside the hub, so the hub, and as a practical matter, usually the entire wheel -- is replaced if the drum is worn out. Several models of Rollerbrake of different sizes have been sold. Even the smallest Rollerbrake can skid the rear wheel of a solo bicycle.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

D8veh, Do you know how much will it roughly cost to rebuilt the whole wheel? Are you connected with Woosh bikes?

Theres no standard for a wheel-building cost. It just depends on who's doing it, how much they want the job and how much you can make them feel sorry for you. No, I'm not connected with Woosh. Try Trex.