Spokes keep breaking

Solanog

Every now and then some spokes on my MTB (has happened also with my road bike) break when riding on the hube end (I have Disk Brakes so I've been able to finish the ride), last time I was going down on the road at some speed (around mph) and two broke, they bent (the nipple end stayed on the rim) and the broken end hit me on my leg a couple of times it wounded me, it left a small scar and the bike wobble, it scared me since I didn't know what had happened.
What is going on? The rims are the ones that came with the bike (maybe not great quality) but I asked for a solution, maybe buy a new set of wheels (Mavic Crossland I think are expensive but if they worth it is O.K) a guy at the LBS told me to replace all spokes and I'll be good to go, it will be cheaper and maybe better than the lower spoke count on the Crossland (I'M not sure if this is the models name they have disc compatibility and are offered either alum or black finish) and since the Mavic's spokes are straight it will be a little difficult to find them is replacement is necessary.
What do you guys think? What about the Road bike? I weight 200lbs more or less.

el Inglés

rear wheel drive side ? could just be a spoke issue but if you want bullet-proof try getting a wheel built with a 36 spoke hub and 2mm spokes ( DT ? ) in a 3 cross lacing - old and boring but strong , easy to maintain and not too expensive xompared to the fancy stuff they sell these days .

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' too old to rock 'n' roll : too young to die '

Solanog

Thanks, yes generally the ones that break are the ones on the sprocket side, so to replace them I need to take the sprokets off. I'm not really interested in fancy stuff I want something durable. Mine is 32 spokes, I will take it and change all, but I don't think 2mm stuff will be available, at least I'll ask for the best and most strong to see what they have to offer.
What about the Road bike, I've even broken one front spoke not by hitting a pothole or something just riding, those were good quality ones, maybe a lemon since this hasn't happened again, in the rear wheel it has happened other times but not as frequent as in the MB which travels on much more rough terrains.

moparchris

what brand are the spokes that are in it ? (look on the tip that holds the end in the hub and see if theres a logo there) there no-name spokes alot of stock bikes have and they dont last as long as something like DT or wheelsmith. Are they silver or black ? black ones actually dont last as long as silver because the way they make them black makes them harder and a little more brittle.

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GT Ruckus SS
2006 Giant Trance 1
Giant TCR Euro

Solanog

Spokes are silver, the ones the bike came with have no stamping or logo, the ones I've bought for replacement are supposed to be good ones, they have some stamping but I'm not sure what it is I think si something similar to an S but I'm not sure, there are about $2-$3 each, stainless steel. Seems like a good idea to replace them all and test.

Don Shipp

Could be Sapim.
Have the whole wheel rebuilt by someone who knows what they are doing, with Sapim or DT spokes.

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"Boudreaux pissed me off, what should I do?"
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el Inglés

Generally spokes come in three types : 2mm , 1·8 mm and 2-1·8-2 mm ( double butted as they´re called )
as DT are Swiss they will be in mm but may not be called that in the US if you fancy the maths 1 inch = 25·4 mm but what that is as swg I don´t know .
you can , of course , get heavier or lighter than the above sizes but these are the standard types that everybody keeps .

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' too old to rock 'n' roll : too young to die '

motorhommer

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t202078.html

See this thread. I have had similar issues which have now gone away. You may have radially spoked wheels which means that they do not cross each other. If this is the case and normally done for front wheel, then get wheel relaced with new spokes and 3 cross. If you get double butted 3 cross good spokes you will not have a problem.