spokes - need advice

[becoyote]

So my son and I rode the dalton 2 up to the Article Circle yesterday. Today going over the bike and changing the oil I find 4 broken spokes on the rear wheel. One spoke actually broke the tab on the wheel where it attached.

Luckily I had two spares. So now I am missing two spokes and one of which could not be replaced unless I tried to repair the wheel with jb weld or something.

I'm looking at $100 for a whole set plus overnight shipping charges to basically replace one spoke?

I'm going to drop the air pressure a bit.

I am two up and loaded. Safe to carry on or do I need to bite the bullet and order a full set?

 

[markjenn]

Tough call. I'd probably replace those that you can, try and have the remaining missing two on opposite flanges and opposite side of the wheel, tune up the wheel as best you can, do anything you could do lighten load (fly wife home?), and trundle home, slowing down on the rough stuff. I've got four extra rear spokes (two of each of the two lengths as I recall) and a bunch of us on this forum have extras, so if it helps you out to have an extra or two overnighted up, be glad to help.

- Mark

 

[yukondood]

I am in Whitehorse and have some on the way, if you are pooched I would be happy to give you some off my bike and only ask you replace them when return home.

 

[becoyote]

Thanks to both of you.

The dealer in Anchorage is closed today and I have a rear tire waiting for me at Alaska Leathers anyway. I will call them in the morning and if I can get a hold of an entire set in the next few days I will bite the bullet and spend the $$$ if not, I might take one of you up on your offers.


Trueblood, did I meet you at the A&W the other day? Probably aren't too many Whitehorse locals on Tenere's.

I was on the yellow tenere with the trailer.

 

[tomatocity]

I have a few spares I can mail you if needed. If you get a full set you can sell 'Sets of Six' for others to carry as spares.

 

[becoyote]

Here is where the wheel broke.

 

[yz454]

You can fix the wheel,you need to pull the tire off and weld it. AND GUYS IT WILL NOT HURT THE REST OF THE RIM .

 

[Roge]

Here is where the wheel broke.

Thats not good I assume the broken loose spoke caught on something there or at least I hope so.

 

[yukondood]

I believe there are 5 Tenere's in Whitehorse. Not me at A&W.

 

[becoyote]

Thanks all. I went ahead and ordered a set from Yamaha of Anchorage yesterday. Paid for red label shipping which I guess is the equivalent of overnight. They said they would be here Friday.


Today I remembered that Friday is the 4th and I called to confirm they would be open. They are closed Friday through Monday. ::009:: Paying about $175 for spokes and now I am a hostage here for a few extra days.

 

[MrTwisty]

Take the zip ties off immediately. I put zip ties on mine because I got tired of them coming loose. Everything was great for a while, then they started breaking. At first it was 1 or 2 at a time, later it became 3 or 4 at a time. I cut all of the zip ties off and so far, no more broken spokes. I'd much rather tighten loose ones than replace broken ones. However, without a torque wrench that may be an issue, but I'd bet that a torque wrench, an extension, and a 4mm allen socket is much easier to find than spokes. They should be torqued to 6 newton meters. I know it by heart.

 

[markjenn]

Take the zip ties off immediately. I put zip ties on mine because I got tired of them coming loose. Everything was great for a while, then they started breaking. At first it was 1 or 2 at a time, later it became 3 or 4 at a time. I cut all of the zip ties off and so far, no more broken spokes.

Maybe I'm missing something, but all zip ties do is keep a loose spoke from flailing about. I doubt it has anything to do with whether they loosen or break more easily.

- Mark

 

[fredz43]

I have had zip ties on mine for over 30,000 miles and no problems. I used a very low setting on my zip tie gun so they would not be snugged down tight together, though. Just enough so that if one came loose, it wouldn't flop around and damage the swingarm as has happened on some without ties.

 

[MrTwisty]

Zip ties are probably okay if you don't tighten them up. My theory is that if they are tight they create more stress on the spokes by not allowing them to flex properly and break the flaired ends off. Loose zip ties won't keep them from loosening, but I guess they might keep them from flopping around after the nut comes out. The best thing is to check them frequently and tighten to specified torque as needed.

 

[Brick]

Hmmm I don't have no stinking zip tie gun... But the ones I had on for most of the 65,000 miles on my 2012 and the 8,000 on my 2014 seem just fine.
I too just thought they were there to keep a broken one from doing damage.
Also I don't have a torque wrench for this... I "ping" them = set them by sound. All those mile I have only had to adjust 3 of them. And then I put a little blue locktite on the ones I adjusted.
Works for me YMMV



Brick

 

[528Hz]

Back in the day some motocross guys in USSR used electrical tape to tie the spokes. I am not sure if it's because they did not have zip ties or because it allowed for flexing or both. Best thing is just to check spokes and tighten as necessary. We don't take bikes apart after each run like they do. It's super easy.

 

[markjenn]

Zip ties are probably okay if you don't tighten them up. My theory is that if they are tight they create more stress on the spokes by not allowing them to flex properly and break the flaired ends off.

Sorry, but don't think much of your theory. The spokes are generally in pure tension, they don't flex much at all, and what flex they do have isn't going to be resisted by a tiny band of plastic. This idea that zip ties might cause spokes breakage problems is bogus.

- Mark

 

[MrTwisty]

Sorry, but don't think much of your theory. The spokes are generally in pure tension, they don't flex much at all, and what flex they do have isn't going to be resisted by a tiny band of plastic. This idea that zip ties might cause spokes breakage problems is bogus.

- Mark

I'm a mechanical engineer and I say that you are wrong. The spokes do flex and putting a zip tie in the middle shortens the radius about which they flex by half, essentially making them much stiffer. Increased stiffness means decreased flex. I could give you the formula to calculate the flex but I'm too lazy to look it up, and it's really not worth my time.

Would you like to explain the physics behind why you feel my theory is bogus?

 

[MrTwisty]

I'm a mechanical engineer and I say that you are wrong. The spokes do flex and putting a zip tie in the middle shortens the radius about which they flex by half, essentially making them much stiffer. Increased stiffness means decreased flex and met rigidity and more stress on the ends of the spoke. I could give you the formula to calculate the flex but I'm too lazy to look it up, and it's really not worth my time.

Would you like to explain the physics behind why you feel my theory is bogus?

 

[markjenn]

I'm a mechanical engineer and I say that you are wrong. The spokes do flex and putting a zip tie in the middle shortens the radius about which they flex by half, essentially making them much stiffer. Increased stiffness means decreased flex.

The spokes are always in tension, not compression, so the fact they're pinned in the center does not affect their reaction to loads. And the idea that a small strip of deforming plastic would materially affect the reaction of a steel spoke under thousands of lbs of tension doesn't make much sense either.

- Mark