I suppose this rim is toast

[Bos]

Well I just spoke to the DT Swiss agents here in Germany.  They said it should not have happened.  Even if it is out of warranty I must send the rim in for them for inspection and they might actually replace it.

 

I cant help but wonder, what the answer would have been If you were based in good oll SA  

[MORNE]

Well I just spoke to the DT Swiss agents here in Germany.  They said it should not have happened.  Even if it is out of warranty I must send the rim in for them for inspection and they might actually replace it.

nice pun 

[Bateleur1]

I cant help but wonder, what the answer would have been If you were based in good oll SA

 

Well lets just get the tim to them and see what the final verdict is before we get too excited.  I did mention though if it is normal wear and tear that caused this I most propably will buy another brand that could deal with normal wear and tear better.

[Dicky DQ]

Can you expand on the correct process please?

I never knew you had to release tension on all the spokes before truing, none of the wheel truing how to's I've read ever mentioned that.

 

Though I did always wonder how the winding up and tensioning of the spokes would work out over the life of a wheel.

Nothing to expand on. If you break a spoke and you need to have it replaced and the wheel trued.

 

1. take your spoke spanner (you must have one, even if it is the *** one on your multi-tool) and undo all the spokes one or two turns. Then take it in for replacement etc.

 

Why do you ask?

 

Because, most (not the respected wheel-builders) will just put in a new spoke and true the wheel. And then .........

 

If you slacken all the spokes they have to true and dish the wheel correctly. 

 

That is after all what you are paying for.

[Mongoose!]

Nothing to expand on. If you break a spoke and you need to have it replaced and the wheel trued.

 

1. take your spoke spanner (you must have one, even if it is the *** one on your multi-tool) and undo all the spokes one or two turns. Then take it in for replacement etc.

 

Why do you ask?

 

Because, most (not the respected wheel-builders) will just put in a new spoke and true the wheel. And then .........

 

If you slacken all the spokes they have to true and dish the wheel correctly. 

 

That is after all what you are paying for.

 

baie wyse woorde!!

[Jewbacca]

Can you expand on the correct process please?

I never knew you had to release tension on all the spokes before truing, none of the wheel truing how to's I've read ever mentioned that.

 

Though I did always wonder how the winding up and tensioning of the spokes would work out over the life of a wheel.

TDFN has the gist of it, but if you do it yourself, you should take all the nipples back to the top of the threads.

 

That way, when you start tensioning and truing, you are starting from a common point so the wheel will build up evenly and stay true side to side and up and down, provided you don't borrow too much in one go somewhere.

 

Starting from a place of common reference is probably one of the wheel building fundamentals that people miss.

 

I would also re-lube with linseed/sewing machine oil mix so it turns nicely then gels after a while.

 

So if guys are truing wheels without doing this, they are likely creating a wheel with huge tension variances, some too loose, some too tight, which will result in a dud wheel.

 

The rule of thumb is to rather ride a wheel under tensioned than one that is overtensioned. The forces of over tensioned spokes will result in a taco, cracked or pulled through nipples or spokes that constantly snap just below the nipple, where the bladed spoke goes flat/round or on the J-bend. 

 

It's actually quicker and more effective to take them back to thread height, so anyone who doesn't missed wheelbuilding101 and I wouldn't let those ham hands near anything on my bike.

[Skylark]

you should take all the nipples back to the top of the threads.

 

What do you mean by that exactly, completely de-tension all the spokes, basically all the spokes completely loose?

[Jewbacca]

What do you mean by that exactly, completely de-tension all the spokes, basically all the spokes completely loose?

so all spokes on the drive side will be the same length and all spokes on the ends will be the same length. The thread that goes into the nipple will all start at the same point.

 

So you un screw the nipple until you hit the 1st thread as you will pop a new spoke in and screw it to the top of the thread so everything is at the same starting point.

 

If not replacing a spoke, then all spokes/nips will be back to the same point so you can build an even tension wheel.

 

Everything goes back to the same starting point as if you are building the wheel for the 1st time

[Gerhard765]

Agree with releasing tension. At the LBS most guys will true the wheel until it is straight with no consideration of the tension in the spokes. I suspect that is why I always had more spokes failing later after having the first one replaced.

 

The cracks in the first post makes me think that either the specific spoke's tension was way too high damaging the rim around the spoke, or there was a defect in the rim where the cracking originated from. The variation in tension, as the wheel turns with weight on it, would result in a crack slowly growing over time.

[Longbarn Killer]

Had the same thing happen on my one week old bike I bought (Shimano wheels). The wheel was replaced under warranty.

 

The new wheel now has about 25k on it and is still going strong. 

[droo]

so all spokes on the drive side will be the same length and all spokes on the ends will be the same length. The thread that goes into the nipple will all start at the same point.

 

So you un screw the nipple until you hit the 1st thread as you will pop a new spoke in and screw it to the top of the thread so everything is at the same starting point.

 

If not replacing a spoke, then all spokes/nips will be back to the same point so you can build an even tension wheel.

 

Everything goes back to the same starting point as if you are building the wheel for the 1st time

 

Either that or just back everything off half a turn and play the boring spoke harp till it all comes back up to tension, as checked by your trusty tension gauge (check the tightest spoke before you start, just for reference.) If it's bent enough that this isn't enough you're probably in for a new rim anyway.

[Bateleur1]

Whoop Whoop.  DT Swiss replaced the rim even when not under guarantee!  Rim is in the mail!