Spokes breaking

[JonathanM]

Hello, long time no post, this time I have a major problem with rear wheel spokes breaking on my 705. I am now on my 8th!
They started breaking after 18 months from new. Wisper were very good at sending out replacements while under warranty for me to have fitted locally by my excellent local bike shop (Cranked Bikes, Victoria, Cornwall). However it does usually happen when I am miles from home and on tour, so very inconvenient.
Twice the broken spoke has caught the derailleur gear flipping it up and locking the wheel so potentially very dangerous.
The last time was on the steep hill out of Coverack down on the Lizard with the motor and me on full assist. It is clearly due to the high torque required. Another bike shop locally said it is common on Wispers. In spite of the problems I have had with my 705, squeaky brakes changed to Shimano and electrics faulty connection in the battery control unit, actually I do like it!
Wisper have told me the wheels are machine assembled, which they informed me is not ideal!!
So what to do? Any suggestions please for a long term fix.

 

[matthewslack]

Hello, long time no post, this time I have a major problem with rear wheel spokes breaking on my 705. I am now on my 8th!
They started breaking after 18 months from new. Wisper were very good at sending out replacements while under warranty for me to have fitted locally by my excellent local bike shop (Cranked Bikes, Victoria, Cornwall). However it does usually happen when I am miles from home and on tour, so very inconvenient.
Twice the broken spoke has caught the derailleur gear flipping it up and locking the wheel so potentially very dangerous.
The last time was on the steep hill out of Coverack down on the Lizard with the motor and me on full assist. It is clearly due to the high torque required. Another bike shop locally said it is common on Wispers. In spite of the problems I have had with my 705, squeaky brakes changed to Shimano and electrics faulty connection in the battery control unit, actually I do like it!
Wisper have told me the wheels are machine assembled, which they informed me is not ideal!!
So what to do? Any suggestions please for a long term fix.

Your hilly roads are maybe giving the wheel a hard life.

The answer is probably a hand rebuilt wheel, either by you or a bike shop. If you search on here for sapim strong you will find useful threads.

 

[cyclebuddy]

IMHO, spokes are something an owner should be checking as part of a routine bike check every now and then, any found to have slackened off being re-tightened. It takes just a few minutes with a YT video and a £3/£5 spoke key.

I'm heavy and sometimes ride slightly rougher ground, so that's why the spokes slacken on my hybrid/folding e-bikes, but caught in time never a broken spoke. Your riding style of flat out everything up steep hills I'd think isn't going to help your case.

 

[Nealh]

Get the wheel hand rebuilt with new spokes, Sapim strong 14g S/S spokes will do the job.
I build my own wheels and don't suffer breakages with hub motors.

 

[JonathanM]

UPDATE!
Further to the frequent spoke breakage problem I can report that Wisper and their excellent after sales service, suggested they rebuild the wheel! So with a 1 week turnaround and at no cost to me they have fitted a new rim, spokes and nipples assembled with Spoke Freeze which I am assured will cure the problem. Time will tell. Given that the bike is well over 3 years old I am well impressed with Wisper.

 

[Bonzo Banana]

UPDATE!
Further to the frequent spoke breakage problem I can report that Wisper and their excellent after sales service, suggested they rebuild the wheel! So with a 1 week turnaround and at no cost to me they have fitted a new rim, spokes and nipples assembled with Spoke Freeze which I am assured will cure the problem. Time will tell. Given that the bike is well over 3 years old I am well impressed with Wisper.

Great service from Wisper. While one of the advantages of hub motors is the power of the motor is separated from the drivetrain which can massively extend the life of the drivetrain when you have a rear hub motor all the riders power and the hub motors power is going through those same spokes plus more weight at the rear. They are shorter spokes so less flexing and fatigue but still its a lot to ask of those spokes.

One of the advantages of a front hub motor which typically have hugely reduced spoke issues as well as extra comfort for the rider at the rear where most of the riders weight is (longer spokes so a better suspension effect).

 

[Wisper Bikes]

UPDATE!
Further to the frequent spoke breakage problem I can report that Wisper and their excellent after sales service, suggested they rebuild the wheel! So with a 1 week turnaround and at no cost to me they have fitted a new rim, spokes and nipples assembled with Spoke Freeze which I am assured will cure the problem. Time will tell. Given that the bike is well over 3 years old I am well impressed with Wisper.

Pleased to have been able to help!

All the best, David