Rear wheel appears to have a kink

[bobsinatra]

Hi

I think the alignment on my rear wheel is messed up.

I was cycling with a friend and hit a small hole in the road. My partner said that it seemed to throw the alignment of my rear wheel off.

Any advice on how to fix appreciated. I am happy to take to bike mechanic.

I have done some repairs, but I think getting wheel alignment true may need specialist kit I don't have.

Any advice appreciated.

Video attached.

View: https://youtu.be/wrpkdI2iWl0

 

[fossyant]

Thats not great. There is a technique to sorting it, but thats fairly bad and not recommended for a beginner.

 

[Big John]

If that happened after hitting a pothole you've broken a spoke (or maybe more than one). Check your spokes for breakages. If it's not a spoke then you've bent the rim although if that was the case I'd have expected you to have punctured when you hit that hole. If you're not mechanically minded a trip to the bike shop is needed. Not sure what the cost might be but if it's a simple spoke breakage you'll need a new spoke and a wheel truing. If it's the rim damaged then a new rim and a rebuild.

 

[Cycleops]

That is quite bad, but as you may need a new rim/wheel anyway (depending on what you want to do) I should have a go at truing it, you’ve got nothing to loose.
You don’t need any specialist kit apart from a spoke key and a low stool. Put the bike upside down and work from there. Loads of videos on YouTube.

As an aside I should take a pic of the hole and send it to the local council demanding reimbursement for a new wheel. Motorists do it all the time. Nothing ventured and all that.

 

[raleighnut]

Yep that's buckled

 

[bobsinatra]

Thanks for confirming everyone.

Yes a spoke was also busted, so I had to move the rim tape and rip that out.

Whilst I have fitted new pedals and seat, I will leave wheel alignment to a pro.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I've clamped each flange of a damaged rim in a bench vice minus it's tyre before now to brute force out the worst of pothole impact damage. You can never fully recover an impact buckled wheel but you can usually fix them up enough to be rideable without fouling the brake blocks.

 

[MichaelW2]

Wheel trueing is a useful skill to have. All you need is a cheap little spoke wrench and you can ruin an expensive wheel. Trueing in the frame can get you to within 0.5mm of true.
Best practiced on a cheap junk wheel but note that cheap wheels start with cheap components and the rim may never be trueable whilst ensuring even spoke tension. You have to find a compromise.

 

[Mike_P]

Obviously you may not have a choice but one LBS to me charges around a third less than others for truing a wheel so if you do have a choice ring round first.