Why don't cycle shops sell wheel spokes?

[WorriedNoodle]

One of the first things that goes wrong with my MTB is either I get a flat or I break a spoke. It happens occasionally, maybe once or twice a year.

** I recently went to about 5 different MTB shops in the Don Muang area of Bangkok and not one of them sells spokes. Why is this? Where else am I expected to shop for spokes if not a bike shop?

I could go all the way into Bangkok Pro Bike shop, where I bought some a few years ago, but why don't other cycle shops sell this basic item, or am I misunderstanding something?

[impulse]

I see half a dozen shops in Chinatown, bordering Khlong Thom Market lacing up their own wheels.

I can't imagine they wouldn't sell you the spokes to do it yourself.

[WorriedNoodle]

OK, I haven't tried all the mom & pop local bike shops that cater for the masses. Just curious why a specialist sports bike shop sells all the accessories for high end bikes but no spokes - at least 5 shops in Don Muang area I went to all listed on http://bicyclethailand.com/bike-stores/ - was i just unlucky or am I wrong to look here?

[impulse]

I suspect it's for the same reason I can't buy a replacement keyboard for my 2011 model Acer laptop at Power Buy, where I bought it.

But if I go to Fortune Town, I can find lots of places that sell the replacements.

I suspect high end bike shops would rather sell to the guys that either a) buy a whole new wheel, or leave the wheel with them so they can send it out to a subcontractor to lace it up and retrue it.

It's a function of inventory, turnover, profit margins and what brings in the bacon.

Like many DIY guys, I spend a lot of time here scrounging for things like keyboards and spokes. Back home, I'd do the EBay thing and save the shoe leather.

[WorriedNoodle]

Your probably right. but I am always of the opinion that the customer is always right. I'll be using my extra shoe leather unfortunately to avoid the shops I've been to in future if they cannot be bothered to sell what this customer thinks is essential to keep a bike like the models sold in their shops running on the road for an item that costs next to nothing to keep and store.

[KRS1]

what language are you speaking for 'spoke' ?

thai word is 'see law'

[WorriedNoodle]

what language are you speaking for 'spoke' ?

thai word is 'see law'

Well I certainly didn't use Google translator - have you tried that!? The bicycle talked!

I actually used "liew lor", but the guys all knew what I wanted as I had the broken spoke in my hand to show them. Only response was a look of "don't be so silly for asking for such a thing in a cycle shop".

Anyway I went to my favorite shop, albeit 800km away, and they had all the supplies I wanted. So I bought a couple years supplies worth at 7 baht per spoke.

[ianf]

I think the problem here is that there are many lengths and shapes of spokes. It would be best to identify your wheel model and find the spokes online, getting a few spares, then getting a competent wheel builder to reassemble your wheel.