2 spokes missing on rear wheel

ckahleer

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I guess I'm mot very observant, as I didn't notice this when I bought the bike. But today I was cleaning the wheel and discovered two spokes missing, about 90 deg apart.
What would cause spokes to be missing?
The bike had new tires on it when I bought it, and I have only put about 200 miles on it. My guess is the PO mounted the tire knowing the wheel was missing the two spokes.
Is it OK to ride this way and deal with it when the tire need replacing?
Will it be difficult to replace the two spokes?
 
Is it OK to ride this way and deal with it when the tire need replacing?
Will it be difficult to replace the two spokes?
Just speaking for myself... I wouldn't ride it. The spokes are probably missing because they either rusted in two or there was an impact somewhere on the wheel that was severe enough to break them. Whatever the cause, wheel integrity is compromised (and probably ain't running true).
 
Agree 100% on not riding with broken/missing spokes. What ever the cause I would be thinking that what broke those two probably has effected the others.

Now if you were out in the middle of the bush and wild fires were just up wind all warnings are off!

Or as my first boss at the shop liked to ask; "What would you do if you were in the Sahara Desert in 1942 and Rommel was coming over the dunes heading your way, would you run it?" If you said yes he'd agree then add; "Well he's not heading this way so we will fix it right!"
 
Yeah try to figure out why they broke, does the wheel run true? Are the remaining 34 tight? I'm not quite as worried about running it as the other guys but you would certainly want to keep an eye on it. I've bought bikes that had obviously been run for a long time with a missing spoke.
 
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