Mickle's tip of the - Season to be Jolly: Wheel truing.

[albion]

"Tighten any spokes that seem to be loose, but only up to roughly the same tension as the others. This may or may not make the wheel more wobbly, "

Maybe best avoided on old wheels. You could turn a 2 minute job into a long days worth.

 

[Si_]

i'd love to see the look on bike shop mechanics face now if you asked them to cut and thread a spoke...

 

[albion]

The Haughton Cycles guy at Concorde still sizes them exact that way.

 

[Si_]

really? i was under the impression that you shouldn't do that , particularly with butted spokes as it changes the relative lengths of the thinner part to the thicker part? I assume the cut and rethread method only applies to plain gauge?

 

[albion]

Obviously if its an unusual length you have to go that way, rather than stocking way too many to be never used.

I imagine you can also get different lengths of the thin part anyway so even there it may only be a change from a 'set perfection'.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Aargh! Can't stop thinking about this thread. I've been thinking for a while now, that it would be nice not to have to rely on a bike shop to build wheels for me, so was thinking of buying the rims, spokes and hubs I'll need for the next pair of wheels on my commuter (the Vivente tourer), and building the wheels myself . The only catch is that the front hub, since I use the bike for commuting every working day without fail, would have to be a new dynohub. I think I can live with that, though - I could just keep the old one as a spare, and use it for the subsequent wheel rebuild.

Just 1 question (for now): the OP mentioned one of the required tools being a heavy-duty wire-cutter. Would these be suitable?

 

[mickle]

Aargh! Would these be suitable?

Nope. Them's cable cutters. Spokes will destroy them. Wire cutters look like small bolt croppers - with kissing blades rather than a scissor action. But you dont really need them, only use them to chop the hub out. It's no more difficult to unscrew all the spoke nips, it just takes longer.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Nope. Them's cable cutters. Spokes will destroy them. Wire cutters look like small bolt croppers - with kissing blades rather than a scissor action. But you dont really need them, only use them to chop the hub out. It's no more difficult to unscrew all the spoke nips, it just takes longer.

Good, thanks for that . I have the mentioned cable cutters in my Park Tools AK-37 tool box, and I didn't want to ruin them by using them incorrectly.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Reply so I remember to bookmark later

Cheers Mickle

 

[Kies]

+1

 

[Broadside]

Whilst were on the subject can I just say that this, in my view, is the best spoke key that money can buy:

And it's available from, amongst other places, here: http://www.i-ride.co.uk/images/large/6674_3976_094609.jpg

Mickle - that link no longer works due to a change on the i-ride website. I need to buy a spoke key, which one was it that you recommended?

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Just read this article and it gave me more insight into adjusting my wheels if they are out. One thing when I tried to adjust spokes today was the whole spoke turned so because they are like flat blades in the middle I could see them twist, now surely that aint right cos they will break. The bike is only 7 months old so what am I doing wrong ? apart from been stupid sometimes

 

[ianrauk]

Just read this article and it gave me more insight into adjusting my wheels if they are out. One thing when I tried to adjust spokes today was the whole spoke turned so because they are like flat blades in the middle I could see them twist, now surely that aint right cos they will break. The bike is only 7 months old so what am I doing wrong ? apart from been stupid sometimes

Did you oil the nipples?

 

[rideswithmoobs]

Erm, stupidly no because I figured hey would be pretty good as there new. WD40 at the ready tomorrow

 

[inkd]

So after watching a few vids on youtube and reading the above I think im ready to give this a go tomorrow. Are there any pointers for a truing virgin? do I need to wd40 the nipples first? I have a wobble on the back wheel that is effecting the brakes. I found this video to be easiest to understand