The wheel is one of the most complex components on a mountain bike and at the same time one of the most stressed. Just think of botched landings, drifts or rides through nasty stone fields. Even branches lying around can often end the life of spokes abruptly. The most common defects, such as Aft rims or cracked spokes can still be easily repaired. In this article, we show you the most important steps for replacing a cracked spoke and repairing your MTB wheel quickly and cheaply.
Repairing a cracked spoke on the wheel: video instructions
Can you continue riding with a broken spoke?
Yes, usually yes! If a spoke breaks on the trail, it is best to wrap it around a neighbouring spoke with a few turns. This fixes it in place and prevents it from scratching the frame or suspension fork when you continue riding. Modern wheels are so stable that you can get home without any problems even with a torn spoke, provided the tyre does not rub against the rear triangle.
How do I measure the spoke length correctly?
To find a suitable replacement spoke, you need to determine the length of the broken spoke. To do this, measure a neighbouring, still intact spoke with a metre rule or measuring tape. It is best to leave the metre rule at the nipple and add twelve millimetres (for the spoke nipple) to the determined spoke length. Some wheels also have 14-millimetre nipples. If you want to make sure, you can also look at the manufacturer's website and search for your wheel model. Alternatively, you can also Tools such as the spoke calculator from DT Swiss utilise.
What is the best way to remove a cracked spoke?
To remove the old spoke, you may need to unscrew the cassette or the brake disc. Then pull the rest of the spoke out of the hub flange. The part of the spoke that is still in the rim with the nipple can best be removed by removing the tyre and rim tape and threading the spoke remnants together with the nipple through the rim.
What do I have to consider when threading a new spoke?
Insert the spare spoke into the empty hole in the hub flange and guide it to the corresponding hole in the rim. The spokes must touch at the last spoke crossing before the rim. To avoid errors when threading in the new spoke, you can use both the Threading as well as braiding in the spoke net always orientate on the still intact spokes in the wheel.
