How To: Replace a spoke behind the freewheel

How to Replace a spoke behind the freewheel

Ever had a spoke break on your bike wheel? Don't throw the wheel away! Repairing a spoke only takes a few tools and some patience. You will need, at a minimum: a freewheel tool (used to remove the part of the wheel that engages the bike chain), a wrench, and a screwdriver. First, remove the tire and inner tube from the wheel. Next, remove any parts of the broken spoke that are accessible from the underside of the wheel rim. If the spoke is attached to the side of the wheel where the freewheel is located, you will have to first remove any components that secure the wheel and come before the freewheel (for example, a skewer, or the nut that attaches to the wheel hub). The easiest way to remove a freewheel is to place the freewheel tool in a vise. Set the wheel on top of the secured freewheel tool and rotate the wheel counter-clockwise until you can remove the freewheel by hand. You should now be able to access the place where spokes connect to the inside of the bike wheel. Run a new spoke through the hole that held the broken spoke and secure it to the outside part of the wheel using a screwdriver. To reassemble the wheel, complete the steps you took in disassembling it in reverse.