[Enoch562]

Never had it happen to me, but for some reason it is my worse fear, so I usualy run 24 if possible.

Anybody ever have one break while decending?

 

[dmaciel]

Ya ride enough it's going to happen. I just keep an eye on the rims for any damage and replace as needed or feel it needs to be done as preventive.

This last year I replaced my rims of 11 years of riding, in that last year I broke two spokes and cracked both rims.

 

[Kerry Irons]

Never had it happen to me, but for some reason it is my worse fear, so I usualy run 24 if possible.

Anybody ever have one break while decending?

I think I have broken one front spoke in some 350,000 miles of riding but maybe that was a hub flange failure (I know I had the hub flange failure so maybe that was the only "broken spoke") In other words it's a VERY rare event. Possible, sure but a front tire blowout is MUCH more likely and that would have more serious outcomes on a descent. I have had front tires go soft on a descent but never had one blow out so that is pretty rare too.

Maybe you should shift your focus to getting shat on by birds, which HAS happened to me twice. Now THAT was unpleasant.

 

[Fireform]

I had a front spoke pop in a bumpy corner on a set of AC 58 carbon tubulars. It probably wouldn't have dumped me on a downhill but it wouldn't have been pleasant. With my front brake released all the way it still rubbed on the way home. A blowout would be worse.

 

[Zen Cyclery]

Hole count is not really a factor when breaking spokes. A well built 16/20 wheelset will be more durable than a poorly built 24/28.

 

[JCavilia]

Hole count is not really a factor when breaking spokes. A well built 16/20 wheelset will be more durable than a poorly built 24/28.

The number of spokes may affect how far the wheel goes out of true if you do break a spoke, but as several people have said, this is a rare event.

 

[bigbill]

The only front spokes I have broken in almost 30 years of cycling have been the result of a crash. I've had front wheels go out of true and if left uncorrected, probably would have resulted in a broken spoke, but I didn't let it go.