"A spoke broke on my rear wheel. The wheel size is 20"" (it's a fold-up bicycle). I have no idea what length the spoke is; it has an elbow shape at one end. I don't have a spoke ruler. The rim and hub are non-descript OEM parts and I had no luck finding specs for them online.
I tried contacting the bike manufacturer, Dahon and had no luck as of yet. Given their customer ""service"" history, I'll probably hear from them sometime next year.
Can anyone recommend a bike shop in the city that:
- has a spoke cutting tool (and implicitly can measure spoke lengths correctly)
- stocks 20"" rims and it's complimentary hubs (70mm front, 110 mm rear).
At the very least I'd like to get a replacement spoke. The wheels are a bit low end, so I may consider just building up another pair as well if I can source the parts.
"
Help with 20" wheel parts
"try www.bikefriday.com
They stock alot of accessories and wheel parts for 20"" wheels."
"Google search ""spoke length calculator"" turns up quite a few of them. Maybe that'll help you narrow down your search for a replacement. And when in doubt, don't forget Sheldon Brown - if he doesn't have it, he'll know where you can get it."
There's a folding bike specialty shop at 224 East 13th Street: www.bfold.com.
Hannah
"Thanks for the replies; I chose the local route.
FWIW, I took the wheel apart, removed the spoke, measured it and then slogged my way into the city today. I went to a small, but very helpful bike shop, Liberty Bicyles (846 9th Ave; approx 53 rd St/west side of 9th).
They have a spoke cutter machine. I purchased a few extra spokes for good measure. They also sell ""threadless"" long stem valve tubes, which is another plus in my book. I picked up a few of them while there.
I also learned at yesterday's wheel building workshop, that Sid's bike shop on 34th has a spoke cutting machine as well. (Thanks for the tip, Manuel).
"
