So my Solar Undercover has decided that the wire should snap that holds all the ribs to the centre hub. Is there an obvious procedure to fix it as I can see it being a right PITA?

I've no experience of doing this on the larger brollies but I've done a few of the 45 and 50inch ones over the years. I'm afraid you are right - it is a PITA! You need to get some wire - gardening wire is ideal - make sure it's the right diameter. Then feed it through the hub attaching each rib as you go and then the fun bit where you need to twist it with some plyers to get it all nice and tight trying to keep all the ribs in the right holes! It's one of those jobs that is not that hard but very fiddly. Two people make it a lot easier.

In reply to Post #2
Thanks for that, makes sense. Sounds like fun, trying to do that white fighting with the rest of the brolly 🤦‍♂️🤣

If the cover comes off that makes it easier, some have velcro attaching the cover to the ribs which makes it simpler.
The wire tends to rust so a squirt of wd40 helps.

In reply to Post #4
Yes you’re right. Found a video on YouTube and it looks a lot easier if you detach the fabric from the frame, still looks like PITA though 😂

In reply to Post #5
Does take a bit of patience, wire needs to be strong enough not to snap as you twist it up to tighten it.

I've done this numerous times over the last fifty odd years.
Definitely detach the fabric and get yourself some stainless steel wire.
I had some thin stainless wire that I doubled up and it worked a treat.
Some stainless steel brick ties come on a length of wire, if you happen to know someone who works on site.

Thanks for the advice guys, I got some 1.6mm galvanised wire from Screwfix for £3.50, took about 15 minutes to do once I'd worked out which spokes went where. Got plenty left for when it does it again 😎

As a footnote, apparently the problem is mainly caused by storing the brolly ‘hub down’, so all the moisture collects on that top wire section.

In reply to Post #8
Galvanised wire should last better but wd40 or similar on a regular basis helps 👍