Rise repeated broken spoke problem

Slow Goat

New Member
Aug 4, 2021
19
6
USA
Running stock Race Face Turbine R30 wheels. Weight 175 lbs, pretty light riding style, no big jumps or drops. So far broke 2 spokes in the rear. Never had problems with broken spokes before. Few of us that got Rise suffer from the same problem. Double butted spokes on R30 seem too flimsy for that kind of a bike. Trying to decide if I should look for stronger spokes (not sure if they exist) or replace wheels. Anybody else having the same problem? Advice welcome.
 

RustyIron

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
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Jun 5, 2021
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La Habra, California
When I rear of broken spokes, I think "insufficient tension."

Get yourself a gauge, and confirm the tensions according to what is recommended for the rim/spoke combination. The bike store might TELL you that the wheel is built properly, but you'll have a gauge. Trust, but verify.
 

b33k34

Member
Apr 15, 2021
265
98
UK
I can't find the detail of the spokes right now (anyone know what they are, and whether they're the same front and back?) but pretty sure they're a regular Sapim spoke the should be more than up to the job for normal use.

BUT with the weight of the motor the back end can take a bit of a pounding (I know a mate with a Wild who has had trouble) - maybe the wheels will suffer? (though I'd be checking tension first too - factory built wheels vary in quality...)
 

Slow Goat

New Member
Aug 4, 2021
19
6
USA
Thank you all for your answers. Here is tension spec I got from Race Face.
 

Attachments

  • Spoke Tension Chart - MOUNTAIN.PDF
    53.8 KB · Views: 2,353

Slow Goat

New Member
Aug 4, 2021
19
6
USA
Spoke spec is as follows: steel, 303mm, double butted 2.0/1.5/2.0, 3x lacing, straight pull, 3mm offset.
 
Last edited:

Manc44

Member
Jun 22, 2021
120
39
Manchester
Strike a happy medium with 2.0/1.8/2.0 - DT Swiss Competition spokes.

I always got mine from Rose Bikes. It was always cheaper to get them from there (even with the £8.60 postage or whatever it is these days) than to buy the same ones in the UK. If you're only buying several (not a pack of 20) maybe it's not cheaper from there. The only time I bought any, I was buying 80 spokes.

If you need 303mm they only have 302mm or 304mm so it would have to be 304mm

They sell them in singles too...

Maybe they are cheaper in the UK by now, but I couldn't find any last time I was buying them.

Sometimes specs can be off, the best way is to measure the ERD of the actual rim, but since you're only replacing a few spokes, it's not possible to, the rim has to be a bare rim to do that. Or you have a 1 meter long vernier caliper lol
 
Last edited:

RocratRacing

New Member
Aug 25, 2020
16
23
Friendcamwinch7@
Running stock Race Face Turbine R30 wheels. Weight 175 lbs, pretty light riding style, no big jumps or drops. So far broke 2 spokes in the rear. Never had problems with broken spokes before. Few of us that got Rise suffer from the same problem. Double butted spokes on R30 seem too flimsy for that kind of a bike. Trying to decide if I should look for stronger spokes (not sure if they exist) or replace wheels. Anybody else having the same problem? Advice welcome.
The issue is probably a badly built wheel , the first thing to do is check for even tensions . Pluck each spoke like a guitar string , the drive side on the rear should have a higher tension or pitch then non drive side , the front wheel will be opposite , so the non drive side should have a higher tension or pitch . The spokes on each side should all have more or less the same pitch . If not , the tensions will be off causing point loading on the higher pitched spoke . Most wheel builders will try to keep the high tension side of the wheels in the same pitch or tension range , then using the low tension side to pull into center and matching spoke pair tensions . So each crossed pair will have same tension .
If your wheel is not like this it will have issues . On average wheels these days have a spoke tension around 100 kg/f , so in a 32 hole rim the spoke load is around 3.2 metric tons .
I build high end carbon wheels for South Industries and we have a test lab that we use to test all aspects of wheel builds and construction, it’s very easy to make a component of a wheel fail with uneven spoke tensions .
Hope this helps find your problem
 

b33k34

Member
Apr 15, 2021
265
98
UK
I can't find the detail of the spokes right now (anyone know what they are, and whether they're the same front and back?) but pretty sure they're a regular Sapim spoke the should be more than up to the job for normal use.

BUT with the weight of the motor the back end can take a bit of a pounding (I know a mate with a Wild who has had trouble) - maybe the wheels will suffer? (though I'd be checking tension first too - factory built wheels vary in quality...)
Just found my note - the OEM are Sapim D-Light 303mm (I could only find 302 and 304 for sale last time I looked)
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,846
1,578
USA
Have you thrown a chain into the spokes? On some lighter spokes it only takes a small bit of damage to greatly weaken the spoke.
 

Tombax

New Member
Aug 1, 2021
3
0
Finland
10-15 spokes came loose from me on the rear wheel after only a few runs, without any damage, etc. 4-5 spokes were almost completely detached. After that the wheel was fixed by a professional and everything was in order for a while until again, after a few runs, the spokes were loose in many places.
Now the wheel is under inspection at the dealer / Orbea. I will return to this when I get an answer from them about the problems with the wheel. I have already purchased a new rear wheel because I think the wheel was originally poorly build etc.
My bike is Rise M-20 and stock wheels are Race Face AR 30c.
 

Andyzim

Member
Apr 21, 2021
36
34
Uk
I had to have my rear wheel retensioned after it went a bit banana shaped 100 or so miles in. The shop said they don't use nipple freeze in the factories usually so the spoke nipples can rattle loose after a while.
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
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Where have your spokes broken? (as in at what portion/position of the spoke is the break)
 

Gary

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towards to the nipple would normally be the thickest part of a butted spoke but the end portion of a spoke as it leaves the nipple if not aligned can become a stress riser so this can become the point where a poorly tensioned spoke fails.
Spokes generally break through fatigue or damage. and as you haven't mentioned any damage their failure would point towards fatigue. Spoke fatigue is caused by a combination of the spokes age, use and stress. and as has been explained by Rocrat uneven/incorrect spoke tension reduces your spokes lifespan by increasing the stress on them and accelerating metal fatigue from being loaded/unload.

First port of call with an issue with a new bike would be a warranty claim but this may take time (especially just now). But a decent shop should be able to replace your broken spokes and re-tensioned the wheel. If after this more spokes continue to break either have it rebuilt with new spokes or replace the wheel.
 

Markstrom83

New Member
Jul 18, 2021
8
2
Kiruna lappland sweden
towards to the nipple would normally be the thickest part of a butted spoke but the end portion of a spoke as it leaves the nipple if not aligned can become a stress riser so this can become the point where a poorly tensioned spoke fails.
Spokes generally break through fatigue or damage. and as you haven't mentioned any damage their failure would point towards fatigue. Spoke fatigue is caused by a combination of the spokes age, use and stress. and as has been explained by Rocrat uneven/incorrect spoke tension reduces your spokes lifespan by increasing the stress on them and accelerating metal fatigue from being loaded/unload.

First port of call with an issue with a new bike would be a warranty claim but this may take time (especially just now). But a decent shop should be able to replace your broken spokes and re-tensioned the wheel. If after this more spokes continue to break either have it rebuilt with new spokes or replace the wheel.

thanks for the info, i have 300km+ to my closest orbea dealer. And at least as long way to any bikeshop with the knowledge to fix spokes or wheels. So what i need is to find the correct spokes for now so i can ride my bike until the snow comes at least. Does anyone know what kind of spokes these wheel uses? 29” Race Face TURBINE-R30 TLR 15/110mm IS
Beacuse mine aint flat
 

Gary

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Beacuse mine aint flat
what AIN'T flat?

The head? - meaning you have J-bend spokes rather than straight pull
or
The profile? - Meaning your spokes are round profile rather than aero.

If you are just going to replace a couple of spokes yourself you just need the correct spoke head type, corresponding nipple and correct length.
Don't expect that fix to last you too long if you're not prepared to learn how to evenly tension and true the whole wheel though.
Tools wise you'll need a cassette tool/whip and allen key/torx for your rotor bolts (lockring tool if centrelock) and a spoke key
You don't actually need to run out and buy a jig. for home trueing you can just tip your bike upside down and use the bike's frame/fork and a little ingenuity eg. zipties or blu-tac and a couple of guides made from anything lying around. and a plastic ruler blu-tac'd to the stays will be fine for checking roundness.

Learning how to build/true your own wheels and maintain most aspects of your bike sounds a very sensible thing to do if you really live 300km from the nearest bike shop.
 

Slow Goat

New Member
Aug 4, 2021
19
6
USA
thanks for the info, i have 300km+ to my closest orbea dealer. And at least as long way to any bikeshop with the knowledge to fix spokes or wheels. So what i need is to find the correct spokes for now so i can ride my bike until the snow comes at least. Does anyone know what kind of spokes these wheel uses? 29” Race Face TURBINE-R30 TLR 15/110mm IS
Beacuse mine aint flat
Spoke spec is as follows: steel, 303mm, double butted 2.0/1.5/2.0, 3x lacing, straight pull, 3mm offset.
 

Slow Goat

New Member
Aug 4, 2021
19
6
USA
thanks for the info, i have 300km+ to my closest orbea dealer. And at least as long way to any bikeshop with the knowledge to fix spokes or wheels. So what i need is to find the correct spokes for now so i can ride my bike until the snow comes at least. Does anyone know what kind of spokes these wheel uses? 29” Race Face TURBINE-R30 TLR 15/110mm IS
Beacuse mine aint flat
here is tension spec for Turbine-R30 https://www.emtbforums.com/community/attachments/spoke-tension-chart-mountain-pdf.68190/
 

Markstrom83

New Member
Jul 18, 2021
8
2
Kiruna lappland sweden
what AIN'T flat?

The head? - meaning you have J-bend spokes rather than straight pull
or
The profile? - Meaning your spokes are round profile rather than aero.

If you are just going to replace a couple of spokes yourself you just need the correct spoke head type, corresponding nipple and correct length.
Don't expect that fix to last you too long if you're not prepared to learn how to evenly tension and true the whole wheel though.
Tools wise you'll need a cassette tool/whip and allen key/torx for your rotor bolts (lockring tool if centrelock) and a spoke key
You don't actually need to run out and buy a jig. for home trueing you can just tip your bike upside down and use the bike's frame/fork and a little ingenuity eg. zipties or blu-tac and a couple of guides made from anything lying around. and a plastic ruler blu-tac'd to the stays will be fine for checking roundness.

Learning how to build/true your own wheels and maintain most aspects of your bike sounds a very sensible thing to do if you really live 300km from the nearest bike shop.

they are round all the way, not flat in the middle, ”aero”? , race face themsef call them flat men the middle is flat..

I have all the tools besides a trueing stand. How to do it is not my problem or my question……. Yeah i really have over 300km to the nearest bikeshop who would be able to fix these wheels. I live i Kiruna in the northermost part of Sweden, google it and i think the you will understand why things are far away.. we have a skishop that sells some bikes and does some easier things like lube your chain and fix your gears at most.. no use to me, im a mechanic that works with installing and serviceing fire suppresion systems on mining equipment in the worlds largest underground mine. I have done all of my own repairs and serviceing on my bikes and helped friends too..

Good for you that you have become a wheel trueing expert, i can do it but it aint easy. But! Without spokes to put where they are missing it wouldnt help me if i was jesus of wheel trueing and had five bikeshops in my neighbourhood, right?

i need the spokes not advice about how to fix the wheel or questions about if i really dont have any bikeshops nearby………….

according to raceface the correct spoke for my wheel is
SPOKE,SS,S.P.2.0/1.5,303MM,BLK -- Part Number: D60081

now i just need to find where to buy them that will ship to sweden. Kit with five spokes are nr f60084
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
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If you can't find those.
any 2.0/1.5 double butted 302mm straightpull spokes will do. infact 20./1.8 0r plain guage will.
 

Markstrom83

New Member
Jul 18, 2021
8
2
Kiruna lappland sweden
If you can't find those.
any 2.0/1.5 double butted 302mm straightpull spokes will do. infact 20./1.8 0r plain guage will.

and how long will the wheel last with spokes with different size and strength?


”If you are just going to replace a couple of spokes yourself you just need the correct spoke head type, corresponding nipple and correct length.
Don't expect that fix to last you too long if you're not prepared to learn how to evenly tension and true the whole wheel though.”

i have already a flat spoke in place temporarly.. Now i need the correct ones, that seem to be only available in the US.. great prices on shipping:cautious:

6B64BA41-8D06-4C8B-9DEB-FC501FECC5E0.jpeg
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
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Mar 29, 2018
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the internet
I'm thankful for having an iota of common sense.
Seems its not actually all that common at all.
Enjoy your quest.
 

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