# Breaking Tandem Spokes....Advice?



## butlerrider (Feb 9, 2009)

We have a KHS Milano with a 40 spoke rear wheel, Shimano hub and Weinman rim. There are about 1800 miles on the wheel. 340 pound team. We broke our first spoke about 400 miles ago, and broke another yesterday. Both broke at the hub on a mundane stretch of road with no pothole mashing.

I'm no wheel builder, but I'm thinking about giving all the spokes a quarter turn tightening, as I believe the wheels have detensioned causing unwanted movement of the spokes at the hub. Am I thinking right?


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## schaubut (May 29, 2011)

I've been riding tandems and singles for a very long time. It doesn't sound like you're a heavy team. Not a lot of miles on the wheels either. But one question would be the condition of the spokes. every tandem I've owned has had either bladed spokes or no less than 48 standard spokes and I've never broke one. Truing is an art and if you've never successfully completed truing I would allow a bike shop to help. IMO.


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## morryjg (Jan 6, 2008)

It sounds to me that the wheel is not tensioned correctly. Tightening all the spokes a quarter turn won't help that out. It sounds as some of the spokes have more tension than others therefore are taking more abuse and snapping. Then that throws the wheel even more out of whack. I would recommend getting it to a good wheel person that can go through the wheel and re-tension everything so the wheel tension is correct.


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