Spoke replacement

[Giff]

Has anyone replaced spokes om a DT Swiss rim ? Are the spokes at each side, going to hub side or disc side, different lengths ?

 

[Bones]

Why don't you measure them to find out?

 

[Giff]

It means taking them both out. I will take one out on the same side as the broken one but prefer to take as few as possible out. Thought someone may know as they seem to be millimeter accurate.

 

[Giff]

If it helps anyone else DT Swiss wheels from 2020 onwards have an i/d QR code on the rim, inside and out to identify the components. The spokes on my rims are 3 different sizes and aren't in stock at my LBS, or any other I could find. Easy-ish to replace when you have them but a while off the bike if you have to wait for deliveries.

 

[Stihldog]

As you’ve probably discovered there’s a wide variety of spoke types, lengths, shapes etc. a LBS that specializes in lacing bike wheels will have a wide variety in stock …but every type may not be possible.

A single broken spoke is usually not a problem. It can happen. Removing and replacing that single spoke is fairly straightforward …especially when you save the nipple.

There are a number of factors when it comes to length. Rim type, hub type, lacing method, nipple type. IMO the best way to determine spoke length is to carefully measure the broken spoke after it’s been removed. Or bring the broken spoke into a LBS.

If you are breaking spokes on a regular basis …something is wrong. Spoke tension is important. The drive-side and non drive-side may be different.

I’ve only laced a handful of wheels and I’ve discovered the endless variety of spokes. A tension tool may be helpful, if setup and used properly. A wheel truing stand is helpful but not necessary.

Welcome to the world of bike wheels …how far down the rabbit hole can you go?

Edit; IMO , 28 spokes for the front wheel and 32 spokes for the rear. Especially for eMTB’s.

 

[B1rdie]

Just don’t let that tinny washer fall inside the rim.

 

[Giff]

Thanks for that tip. I have just noticed that the washer on the old one is seized on the nipple.

 

[Binhill1]

Mine are hope I got the spoke size off their site. Cheap i think I had to buy minimum 6.

 

[JayGoodrich]

Has anyone replaced spokes om a DT Swiss rim ? Are the spokes at each side, going to hub side or disc side, different lengths ?

Get a spoke ruler. Straighten the spoke pieces to your best ability and put the pieces on the spoke ruler. You will get pretty close — within a mm or 2. Spoke sizes can vary on every side of the hub dependent upon the lacing pattern and rim hole locations (straight or staggered). If the rims are carbon, you will typically have to tension things into a specific range as well.

 

[darwink1]

Go to a shop that has a spoke cutting/threading setup and bring the old spoke with you. Done.

D

 

[Binhill1]

Everyone is making this so complicated

 

[Giff]

The broken spoke had a section missing so not possible to measure it.
It seems that most wheel manufacturers list their spoke sizes if you can identify the rim.

 

[Binhill1]

The broken spoke had a section missing so not possible to measure it.
It seems that most wheel manufacturers list their spoke sizes if you can identify the rim.

Now you tell us haha

 

[Giff]

 

[slippery pete]

It seems that most wheel manufacturers list their spoke sizes if you can identify the rim.

My experience with DT Swiss factory EMTB wheels (H1700) is that the spokes are a spec that is not available generally/individually, but they love to charge you an excessive premium for a "repair set" of spokes (if you can track it down) giving two spokes of each of the sizes needed for the wheel set (8 spokes total for front non-rotor/rotor sides and rear drive/rotor sides sizes).

i.e. they sell you 8 over-priced spokes when all you need is one for a typical spoke breakage.

I know this because I managed to flat spot a rim just after I got my Commencal in 2020. Given 30 years of building my own wheels, I was able to stabilise the wheel until I got my hands on the spokes to do a full rebuild with a new rim (4x repair sets = £££££££).

FWIW, the repair set is aiming to provide spare spokes for a front/rear pair of wheels so it took looking at individual spoke lengths to work out that the fronts are within a mm of the rears so you can use all the spokes in a set to do a full relace of a rear wheel if you get organised about sorting the sizes for the pulling vs pushing spokes.

What obviously happened is that I never got round to rebuilding the wheel. It still carries on with its flat spot that thumps every revolution on tarmac but is unnoticeable off road. One of these days I'll get round to it. I've got the spokes sitting ready so I need to pull my finger out to buy the rim before they change the design (ERD) making the spokes all the wrong length.

Moral of this story is ... avoid factory wheels (unless you've got factory backup or are prepared to treat them as disposable). It's just galling because bike wheels are simple and well-developed. Straight pull just means that aftermarket spokes are difficult to obtain. Custom butting profiles (for EMTB) just means aftermarket spokes are difficult to obtain. Low spoke counts (but heavier spokes) give you net-zero gains of any meaningful performance but becomes the rationale for custom butting profiles. Sigh. Marketing trumps engineering.

 

[Binhill1]

My experience with DT Swiss factory EMTB wheels (H1700) is that the spokes are a spec that is not available generally/individually, but they love to charge you an excessive premium for a "repair set" of spokes (if you can track it down) giving two spokes of each of the sizes needed for the wheel set (8 spokes total for front non-rotor/rotor sides and rear drive/rotor sides sizes).

i.e. they sell you 8 over-priced spokes when all you need is one for a typical spoke breakage.

I know this because I managed to flat spot a rim just after I got my Commencal in 2020. Given 30 years of building my own wheels, I was able to stabilise the wheel until I got my hands on the spokes to do a full rebuild with a new rim (4x repair sets = £££££££).

FWIW, the repair set is aiming to provide spare spokes for a front/rear pair of wheels so it took looking at individual spoke lengths to work out that the fronts are within a mm of the rears so you can use all the spokes in a set to do a full relace of a rear wheel if you get organised about sorting the sizes for the pulling vs pushing spokes.

What obviously happened is that I never got round to rebuilding the wheel. It still carries on with its flat spot that thumps every revolution on tarmac but is unnoticeable off road. One of these days I'll get round to it. I've got the spokes sitting ready so I need to pull my finger out to buy the rim before they change the design (ERD) making the spokes all the wrong length.

Moral of this story is ... avoid factory wheels (unless you've got factory backup or are prepared to treat them as disposable). It's just galling because bike wheels are simple and well-developed. Straight pull just means that aftermarket spokes are difficult to obtain. Custom butting profiles (for EMTB) just means aftermarket spokes are difficult to obtain. Low spoke counts (but heavier spokes) give you net-zero gains of any meaningful performance but becomes the rationale for custom butting profiles. Sigh. Marketing trumps engineering.

Yes it wouldn't be a big deal to give you a few spare spokes when you buy a wheel would it. I got two spare with my Dawes 2011 super galaxy they came attached to the chain stay and still there. Abody is on the rob nowadays sadly