The first two happened at the same time and were non-braking spokes on the front wheel. WTF? front wheels are supposed to have lower tension (and even) to prevent this problem, plus non-braking spokes are even less cyclically loaded than braking spokes so they should be the ultra durables ones. Oy gevalt.
It's pretty funny because I actually had a draft post almost ready to publish yesterday (before nip #3 broke) where I said the following:
"Now call me crazy but if I were a betting man, I'd wager the drive side rear would blow a spoke or nip waaaay before two on the front. There is considerably more tension in the rear, afterall."
So which nipple popped tonight? yessir, driveside rear, thank you.
Now I've not exactly been kind to these wheels. They've pretty much been my bitch for the last two years, and they get ridden every where in every condition. Lately I've been logging lots of miles in the rain, but I routinely wash after a rain ride. Granted I don't relube the nip/eyelet joint but I didn't think that was needed. silly boy.
I went through the front wheel on Monday, checking tension and found several on the high side of acceptable, so I went to take a full turn out of each one. Problem is, that whole no-lube of eyelet joint thing kinda bit me, as I rounded a few more nips in the process. Oy gevalt!
Another bit I had ready to post yesterday:
"Makes me think about relacing using brass nips, which isn't a big deal I guess but I've had ZERO problems with Aluminum nips in the 5+ years I've been using them for both road and mountain."
On the way home after the breakage tonight I almost justified keeping the alu nips but decided I'm probably on the verge of blowing out all the nips on the rear so I'll just start over with brass.
I'm fairly certain the pummeling they've taken as of late with all the wet rides is a major contributor. Any triflo that was between the nipple and eyelet has long been gone, and the SpokePrep has pretty much taken ahold. Mix in continuous cyclic loading and something's bound to give.
On the good side of things, the auction ended for my Shamals and I got paid tonight, so I get to make way for the new hotness.
later
-the ATM
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