While I was riding yesterday, I noticed that the back end of my bike has a bit of a shudder when I was going approximately 20 mph. When I looked down at my rear wheel, I noticed that the wheel was out of "true" and wobbling approximately 0.5" off of center at one point. If it hadn't been for my disc brakes I would have been calling somebody for a ride, as rim brakes would have grabbed onto that wobble and made for a disasterous ride.
When I got to work, I set to "truing" the wheel by adjusting the spoke tension. As I scrutinized the location of the loose spoke, I noticed that no spokes were loose. Upon closer inspection, it was evident that the spoke/nipple grommet had pulled through the wall of the rim. This was evidenced by an inch long longitudinal crack along the rim. I attempted to identify an inexpensive replacement wheel only to find that repairing my wheel would cost a minimum of $150 and a replacement wheel ranged from $150 to $400. It is pretty hard to find a 700c wheel with a disc hub.
Fortunately, someone ordered just such a wheel from a local bike shop near my home. That person special ordered the wheel and never actually purchased it. My good luck, right! Well, I am a heavy rider, otherwise known as a clydesdale in cycling lingo. The mechanic at the shop advised me against purchasing the wheel as the maximum recommended riding weight for cyclist gear is 180 lbs. This sort of blows my mind...I have only weighed less than 180 lbs for about 6 months of my adult life, whereas, I have riden on the order of 20,000 miles.
Anyway, I purchased that wheel and it served me well this morning. Hopefully no more grommets pull through my wheels.
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