truing

I have the hardest time in doing this and my back wheel at least once a week need this done, does anyone have a simple and easy way to do this.  I have the tool and use the frame as a compass.  Thank You for any help.

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Permalink Reply by Gecko on September 25, 2011 at 10:44am
Ideally, a truing stand is the best way to go, but if that's not an option, try using the brake pads as a reference point instead of the tire and the frame.  They can give you a better idea of how true your rim is because they're closer to the actual rim than the tire, which can have a different shape and different imperfections than the rim.  You could also try using smaller adjustments, i.e. a quarter turn of the spoke wrench at a time instead of a half or full turn.  Also, if there is a particularly troublesome spot, there is usually one spoke at fault, but if you adjust the spokes around it as well, you can get better, smoother results.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 25, 2011 at 11:17am
If you are truing the wheel once a week you have a bigger issue.  A properly tensioned wheel in decent condition should hold true much longer than that.
Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on September 25, 2011 at 11:47am
What dug said.
Permalink Reply by Craig S. on September 25, 2011 at 1:40pm

Simple and easy?

 

Buy a truing stand, a dishing tool and tensiometer and then take a wheel building class.  After that, practice and practice and practice building and fixing wheels.  

 

After building several dozen wheelsets and fixing and truing my own wheels, I'm no where near knowledgeable to try anything beyond a standard 3X lacing pattern.  Unless you're Jobst Brandt, I don't think it ever becomes simple and easy.

 

Your problem sounds like improper spoke tension.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on September 25, 2011 at 2:42pm

As has been correctly implied the ART of wheel trueing is not just twisting a few nipples (no rude jokes here...save 'em fer later). There are many factors that influence the stability of a wheel. If the basic tension (dramatically different on each side on a rear) is not in the ballpark the wheel cannot true well or hold its true.

If you are not trial riding or racing on very uneven surfaces a good true should last a very long time (of course time is relative). My own wheels on the 3 bikes I ride regularly have gone hundreds of miles between needing a tweaking unless I hit a curb hard or twist the tire in a bad bike rack.

Check your techinque and read up on the techniques needed for good tension, dishing and trueing to be sure you are approaching the skill with the right knowledge.

Good luck

Jeff

The Chicagoan

Permalink Reply by mark stetson on September 26, 2011 at 8:00pm

If you're going to do it in the frame, taking the tire off will help.  It will allow you to see what you're doing, especially if you don't have  narrow road tires.  Will also allow you to check out of roundness, or "hop".

If the wheel keeps loosening up, you aren't getting enough spoke  tension in it.  The dish may be way off if it's happened several times.  Make sure the wheel is in the dropouts evenly, then compare the distance from the rim to each chain stay.  Because of the angle of pull of the spokes, it's much easier to pull the rim to the left than the right once the tension is getting close to optimal.  So err in the direction of having the rim closer to the right stay than the left until you're nearly done.  Then go around all the left side spokes and give them a quarter turn each at a time until you pull the rim back to center.

You can adjust the hop out using 2 popsickle sticks as a guage.  Place one on top and one below the seatstays and tighten a bread twist wire around them near each stay.  You can then slide the sticks down next to the rim to check the hop.  Find the high spots and tighten the spoke on each side of the wheel nearest the high spot.  The same amount on each side's spoke.  Do a couple of rounds working on the high spots, then a couple of rounds working on lateral trueness.  Keep alternating until both are reasonable. 

It will help a lot to have a properly tensioned wheel close at hand, preferably one that has a known history of staying true and tensioned for many miles.    It should be the same diameter with the same gauge spokes and lacing pattern.  You can pluck the spokes on each side, comparing the tone to the wheel that you're working on.  Build tension as you true your wheel, while doing what you can to make all the spokes (on a given side of the wheel) make the same tone when plucked.  Once you have the wheel reasonably true, you can bring the spokes up to proper tension.  Go around the wheel giving the right hand spokes each a half turn.  Then  give the left spokes all a quarter turn.  Check the rim's lateral position to the stays.  If the rim moves appreciably toward one side, change the amounts on the next round to compensate, or go around just one side with a quarter turn each.

 

The goal is obviously to have the wheel round, laterally true, with the rim centered in the frame, and each side's spokes having the same, and proper, tension.   In practice, there will be  a couple spokes that have a bit more tension, and a couple that have a bit less.  If you're careful and patient, you should be able to make your wheel run for hundreds of miles, if not more.

Permalink Reply by John S. on September 30, 2011 at 9:45am

If you're able to actually get the wheel true, your problem is lack of proper tension.  Marks' reply above is correct.  The only problem you'll run into is that you'll need a rear wheel with the exact same number of spokes, same diameter, same spoke thickness.

 

The tension of the drive side (spokes run off the side of the hub directly behind the cassette) will be approximately double the tension of the non-drive side spokes.  This is for a rear wheel only.  A front wheel will have equal spoke tension on both sides.

 

If you enjoy working on your bike, it might be worth the $50-$60 or so to get a park tool tensiometer.

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 30, 2011 at 9:56am
Not all rear wheels have equal spoke tension differential side to side and some even have the same side to side; it all depends on the hub.
Permalink Reply by John S. on September 30, 2011 at 6:43pm
I agree Dug.
Permalink Reply by Pete M on October 1, 2011 at 4:22am

Drop it off at a bike shop.

Spend $30  ....help a mechanic pay rent .

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on December 6, 2011 at 9:49am

I know this is an old discussion, but I have the same problem right now- it seems my rear wheel goes out of  true every few weeks or so. I am a daily rider, at least 16-20 miles a day, I carry panniers on the back rack and go grocery shopping with this bike, too, so it is many times pretty heavily loaded. I know the wheels are stock, so not the best which I understand may be the problem.  The rear wheel was so bad today that it was rubbing the brakes (this is after I loosened the brake cable enough to allow the wheel to spin so I could at least commute in to work-mind you, the wheel was okay yesterday, it just is getting progressively worse).  My question is: Should I just spring for a new wheel; have the existing wheel re-built; or should I just keep taking it to be trued at the shop again (3rd wheel true in 2-3 months) or finally, should I just find another shop to have the wheel trued and tensioned at since I have explained this issue before and they happily true the wheel and let me go on my merry way, only to see me in a month or two with the same issue?

 I have no real problems with the front wheel, it rarely has gone out of true, it is just the rear which I can only believe is from my grocery store trips and other loads on the back rack. Any advice is appreciated- thanks.

Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on December 6, 2011 at 10:22am

Try truing your existing wheel and install a front wheel rack with the panniers. This way the cargo load will be more evenly distributed (especially since the rider's weight is more on the rear than the front wheel) .Works for me, and I have cheapo stock wheels that rarely go out of true riding about 800-1000 miles a month. If you can't find a front rack at your LBS, here's a good one for $32.50. This will work on a 26" (MTB) or road (700c and 27") as well.

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