I swore off checking spoke tension until a wheel folded on a gentle curb

For years, I figured if a wheel wasn't wobbling, the spokes were fine. Then I hopped a tiny curb and the rear wheel just taco'd with a ridiculous pinging noise, leaving me sitting in the street. Now I tap spokes with a wrench during every tune-up, and it catches loose ones before they cause a scene.

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3 Comments

betty5677mo ago

That gentle curb was clearly waiting for its moment. I can picture the whole thing, that sad pinging noise as the wheel gives up. It's like the spokes held a secret vote to collapse at the worst time. Now you're tapping them with a wrench like a mechanic, which is probably more attention than they've ever gotten. Guess they needed a dramatic exit to get some respect.

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rivera.victor7mo ago

Did it really need respect, or was it just broken?

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dianaw897mo ago

Seriously @betty567, do you think the wheel really wanted that attention, or are we just making up stories for it?

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