November 7, 200817 yr Went away for a long weekend to france last week. It was first trip with the wisper and it worked well and was enjoyable to use except for the weight lifting it in and out of the motorhome garage:rolleyes: I noticed a clicking whilst riding and put it down to probably being to do with the new panniers bags I had just bought. just brought the bike in and with my sons help tried to ID the source. I can only describe it as it sounds like small pebbles are within the wheel...surely this cant happen? just looked again and I think it is a loose spoke....do they have nuts within the wheel? as have probably come of and thats the sound. is it much of a job? or should I take it to a bike shop?
November 7, 200817 yr Front or motor wheel Eddie? The spokes have nipples that you see at the rim end which can be tightened but beware of doing any up tight as it can affect the wheel trueness. If one spoke has no nipple showing it could be adrift within the rim, but that is very unlikely. .
November 7, 200817 yr Author Front or motor wheel Eddie? The spokes have nipples that you see at the rim end which can be tightened but beware of doing any up tight as it can affect the wheel trueness. If one spoke has no nipple showing it could be adrift within the rim, but that is very unlikely. . Ah I see...managed to tighten one (hand tight?) which was loose, another has no nipple to be seen, so I guess it is within rim? you can still see the threaded part what next? Sorry it's the rear wheel I am talking about. So it looks like I am suffering from the dreaded wisper weak rear wheel..... A bit disappointed as I hardly use the bike Update: the spoke has come out so nipple inside rim, have removed spoke....is it safe to ride with spoke missing?? Edited November 7, 200817 yr by eddieo
November 7, 200817 yr Not really! The wheel will be weaker with a spoke missing and it will be more likely to make others go. Best to fix it now before it gets worse. It's not too hard as your spoke hasn't broken. You will need to take the tyre off but shouldn't have to take the wheel out. When you've got the tyre and tube off, you need to fish the nipple out. Then you can re-fit the spoke. It just screws into the nipple. I would do it so that it is just tight. Hand tight is not really enough; ideally you'd have a spoke key, but you could get away with pliers. But as Flecc says, if you overtighten it, the shape of the wheel will be affected. While you're at it, I'd check for any other loose ones.
November 7, 200817 yr Author Thanks, will get a spoke key tomorrow, to busy with building work this weekend, will have a go during the week. Suppose I need to get a maintenance regime in place to avoid situations such as this..... saying that I have had bikes for leisure for 25 years and never had a spoke go.....
November 7, 200817 yr This how I dealt with the same thing on another bike, don't laugh!! Fish the nipple out from the double wall rim through the valve hole. thread the nipple onto a toothpick and hold it at the top of the toothpick with your finger, with the wheel positioned so that the nippleless spoke is pointing vertically towards it's hole in the rim, place the end of the toothpick through both walls until it's touching the end of the spoke, then let go of the nipple so it slides down the toothpick and straight onto the spoke, tighten is the usual way. I SAID.... DON'T laugh!!!
November 7, 200817 yr Author This how I dealt with the same thing on another bike, don't laugh!! Fish the nipple out from the double wall rim through the valve hole. thread the nipple onto a toothpick and hold it at the top of the toothpick with your finger, with the wheel positioned so that the nippleless spoke is pointing vertically towards it's hole in the rim, place the end of the toothpick through both walls until it's touching the end of the spoke, then let go of the nipple so it slides down the toothpick and straight onto the spoke, tighten is the usual way. I SAID.... DON'T laugh!!! Do you want my address? sounds like you need to practice, and I can do the video for youtube lol
November 7, 200817 yr This how I dealt with the same thing on another bike, don't laugh!! Fish the nipple out from the double wall rim through the valve hole. thread the nipple onto a toothpick and hold it at the top of the toothpick with your finger, with the wheel positioned so that the nippleless spoke is pointing vertically towards it's hole in the rim, place the end of the toothpick through both walls until it's touching the end of the spoke, then let go of the nipple so it slides down the toothpick and straight onto the spoke, tighten is the usual way. I SAID.... DON'T laugh!!!I can picture what you mean but I'm not sure it will work on a Wisper, I took to balancing the nipple on a flat screwdriver and pushing up through the hole and screwing it onto the spoke. Whichever way will probably need patience. You may have trouble finding a spoke wrench to fit, you need a UK 13 guage wrench. Probably best to get one of the round ones with several sizes in. Spokes coming loose isn't so unusual, a dished wheel has much tighter spokes on the drive side which shouldn't come loose.
November 7, 200817 yr saying that I have had bikes for leisure for 25 years and never had a spoke go..... The drive from the centre up through the spokes onto the rim on your bike has to take your 250 watts or so plus the motor's 500 watts peak, so the spokes take a bit of a caning on rear motor wheels at times. .
November 7, 200817 yr Multi spoke wrench This is the one I use for both Wisper and Mistral spoke nipples Link
November 7, 200817 yr Hi I think this thread is offensive and should be deleted, what are you all on about? BBC Radio 2 would not stand for this. thx Bob
November 8, 200817 yr Nipples 'an 'at Gord, Hope I don't get any of this spoke and nipple trouble on my brand new 905, so far so good though.
November 8, 200817 yr Hi I think this thread is offensive and should be deleted, what are you all on about? BBC Radio 2 would not stand for this. thx Bob Woss up Bob?
November 8, 200817 yr Author The drive from the centre up through the spokes onto the rim on your bike has to take your 250 watts or so plus the motor's 500 watts peak, so the spokes take a bit of a caning on rear motor wheels at times. . Cheers Flecc, I can understand the stress in this area. but if not fit for purpose they really need to come up with a stronger design for rear wheel. I have already been warned regards this weakness by others including one wisper dealer. Even if I take of tyre and tube will I get to rear of spokes and nipple? as Bob's post seems to indicate that the wheel is double skinned. my builder who cycles everywhere, has just had a look and he says both wheels are shot and has recommended I take it to a bike shop to get sorted Called the shop and they want the wheels only plus spokes and they will do it. So where do I get the correct spokes from? and how do I remove rear wheel (18mm spanner on way from e*ay) has the cable a plug? I split one of the handle bar grips, have taped it up temporarily. will any generic handle bar grip do? With all this, I think I will leave the 705 SE. One wisper in the family is quire enough thank you very much and for the chap who has just bought a 905 this one was 2 months old when I goi it and I have hardly used it.... Edited November 8, 200817 yr by eddieo
November 8, 200817 yr Called the shop and they want the wheels only plus spokes and they will do it. So where do I get the correct spokes from? and how do I remove rear wheel (spanner on way from e*ay) has the cable a plug?I suggest you contact your retailer about it, having a spoke come loose is not necessarily a huge problem but if it does escalate then it helps to have the right people involved. Most problems with spokes on ebikes are the opposite where the spokes snap, you may not have much trouble if this is done up again. I had a lot of trouble with the 905 back wheel but Wisper support was good and they kept with it until it was resolved. FWIW I tried a rebuild by an LBS and it lasted about 4 miles before going again, a pedelec hub isn't quite the same as a normal hub.
November 8, 200817 yr Gord, Hope I don't get any of this spoke and nipple trouble on my brand new 905, so far so good though. There is a lot to spokes as I've found out and occasionally they do come loose, some people have said that they take any new bike in to be checked after a couple of hundred miles as loose spokes when new is a common problem to a lot of bikes.
November 8, 200817 yr Author Thanks Mussels, De ver cycles are local to me and have a very good reputation, and I am sure they know better then me what to do...are you saying I should send the wheels to ETS or wisper as they will know better?
November 8, 200817 yr Thanks Mussels, De ver cycles are local to me and have a very good reputation, and I am sure they know better then me what to do...are you saying I should send the wheels to ETS or wisper as they will know better? ETS and Wisper both did a lot of work on my problems, ETS involved SJS as they have experience of special use cycles. Your LBS will probably be fine but may not have the experience to do the best full rebuild if that's what you are thinking of. It's probably not a warranty item as loose spokes are a service thing but there's no harm in asking their opinion.
November 8, 200817 yr Author wisper warranty.... here we go again! ETS and Wisper both did a lot of work on my problems, ETS involved SJS as they have experience of special use cycles. Your LBS will probably be fine but may not have the experience to do the best full rebuild if that's what you are thinking of. It's probably not a warranty item as loose spokes are a service thing but there's no harm in asking their opinion. Have contacted ETS Cambridge where bike was purchased and he is contacting London branch to see if they can do it as I live in London... your bike gets a daily hammering lol mine a few times a week around the shops/libray/bank etc...weather permitting:rolleyes: chap at Cambridge was very nice, but said it was like a car running out of oil not being covered by warranty, Mmm....I think they need to stress this more in user manual as I don't remember seeing anything (cant find it to check) it is obviously a problem with electric bikes. update: Mike from ETS london has contacted me just now and recommended a rebuild like he did for mussels as this is a stronger solution on a better/stronger rim. But he is prevaricating re warranty! Grrr.... I went through this before purchasing and was given assurances from ETS and wisper that warranty was valid! I am prepared to pay for a stronger wheel.....
November 10, 200817 yr Author of topic...... so this sad person has managed to distort the entire site by posting on all old threads....... Edited November 10, 200817 yr by eddieo
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