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Zip ties on spokes?

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Beararcher

Beararcher

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Sorry for the noob question, I've only been riding for 8 months or so and have just seen this done.

I'm watching the long way round and they are putting zip ties on their spokes. I understand the concept but does it actually help/work?
 
Does it help/work with what? Keeping broken spokes from flailing around, maybe. Strength, no way no how that a little plastic ziptie is going to do anything to a properly tensioned spoke wheel. I've heard some guys say it helped with vibration, but if your wheel is properly strung, then it doesn't really matter.

Anywho, those are my thoughts on it.
 
Yeah I was taking more about strengthening it than the other. I'm positive it would help keep a broken one from flapping.

That's kinda my thought. If everything is set right to begin with then you'd be fine right. Kawasaki seemed to think so, along with many other motorcycle manufacturers.

I don't know just getting thoughts on the matter.

Somewhere out there I've seen spokes run though small metal plates when two meet in the middle. I wish I could remember what I saw it on.
 
Keeps s broken spoke from poking a hole in the tire ot getting wrapped up in the rear dtive.

sent from a phone, excuse typos
 
Forget zip ties. I use twist ties, but only from Mrs. Baird's bread. :thumb:
 
Zero benefit. The plastic cannot actually grip the spoke tight enough. If the spoke is broken it is going to do what it is going to do. Period. But, I am referring to DS and offroad bikes, I don't have any coffee house bikes.
 
Safety wire (metal) would definitely make the spoke stiffer, and might make the spoke less likely to break. If one spoke is loose and another one tied to it is tight, the tight one helps out the loose one.

Zip ties (plastic), probably not. Plastic stretches too much.
 
The Bruce said:
Keeps s broken spoke from poking a hole in the tire ot getting wrapped up in the rear dtive.

sent from a phone, excuse typos
Click to expand...
A friends new KLR broke a front spoke and somehow locked up the front wheel at low speed. His wife broke her arm. Never heard of such a thing before? He then zip tied the spokes.
 
Good enough for the KTM Dakar team,?

81096_COMA_KTM_450_RALLY_KTM_Rally_Dakar_2014_0751_1024.jpg
 
IMG_7011.jpg


Safety wire or nothing.

Safety wire will keep your spokes from throwing a chain or getting lodged in the brakes and/or hub.

However, it may also keep you from realizing you have a broken spoke. Not realizing you have one broken spoke my lead to the above, and that's about 5 minutes at 75mph from total disaster.
 
Hellwig said:
did it get them home?
Click to expand...
He zipped them after the fact to prevent it from happening again. I might have broken one or two spokes in 40 years. And that was back before motorcycles had much suspension.
 
I haven't seen this since the 1970s, but if it gives you peace of mind, go ahead as it won't hurt. However, you must remove wire or plastic in order to check and adjust spoke tightness, and that's what you really need to be doing from time to time.
 
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Scrambler said:
I haven't seen this since the 1970s, but if it gives you piece of mind, go ahead as it won't hurt. However, you must remove wire or plastic in order to check and adjust spoke tightness, and that's what you really need to be doing from time to time.
Click to expand...

I used the spin the wheel slowly and let a small screw driver ping on the spokes, any that went "tunk" instead of "tink" got further investigation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
 
focus frenzy, yep, that's the way to do it. They should all "tink" the same. That was my point, with the ties you can't do it. New bikes, and new wheels require spoke tightening a couple times as spokes stretch and bed in. After a few times you are pretty much in good shape and they won't need much attention. Meriden, good to hear from you, I'll be doing more moto stuff soon as I get moved. Finishing the mold today for the fiberglass Triumph seat I showed you.
 
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