Truing and truing again... (for tight northeners)

[Stef 1]

Bought a spoke key and had a go at truing my rather wobbly back wheel using the ‘cable ties attached to frame method’, leaving the deflated wheel in the bike frame.

Really very f’ing pleased with the result. No visible wobble or inconsistent sound from the cable ties. Was so close to buying or fettling a truing stand... figured it was worth a go though despite some stuff I’d read against truing a wheel whilst in the frame. LBS on charges a £10 to true if I screwed up so no big risk.

After an a couple of hours this evening in the sun with a glass of wine I have to say i think wheel truing is a perfectionists dream... think I was verging on OCD by the end of it.

Question though - whilst there was a little loosening of spokes, there was far more tightening overall. If I end up having to straighten the wheel again sometime in the future (hopefully not for a long time), would it be advisable to loosen everything a little first to lessen the risk of over tightening? I don’t want to snap spokes or end up with an egg shaped wheel...

Thanks for any advice!

Too true

• Stef 1
• 11 Jun 2018

 

[Ian H]

Most machine-built wheels are under-tensioned. You appear to have decent rims, so unlikely to pringle one through over-tightening. You're more likely to round-off a nipple with a standard 3-sided spoke key than actually break anything.

 

[Stef 1]

Most machine-built wheels are under-tensioned. You appear to have decent rims, so unlikely to pringle one through over-tightening. You're more likely to round-off a nipple with a standard 3-sided spoke key than actually break anything.

Great - thanks for the info!
Cheers

 

[BorderReiver]

I've tried truing wheels myself but it brings out my OCD and I have to keep going for hours until the damn thing is perfect. I find it better for my mental health to pay somebody to do it.

 

[winjim]

Spoke nipples may work loose over time but they will never spontaneously tighten.

 

[ianrauk]

I enjoy doing most mechanicals on my bikes and am willing to give anything a go. However. Wheel buulding and truing is not one of them. LBS for me.

 

[winjim]

I enjoy doing most mechanicals on my bikes and am willing to give anything a go. However. Wheel buulding and truing is not one of them. LBS for me.

It's one of the most satisfying parts of bike maintenance for me but it does require time, peace and quiet, and not having a two year old shouting at you.

 

[Venod]

Most machine-built wheels are under-tensioned

Whilst this may be true of cheap BSO wheels, the better machine built wheels are very good.

I build my own with very good results (IMO) but am under no illusion that I am more accurate than a properly set up dedicated machine.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EITEQLn8SUE

 

[I like Skol]

I couldn't see where they were putting the coal......

 

[DCBassman]

In lots of technologies, eventually someone builds a machine that, while not perfect, is generally more consistent than the average artisan, although probably not up there with the master builders. A guitar analogy would be a Plek fret-levelling system...

 

[winjim]

In lots of technologies, eventually someone builds a machine that, while not perfect, is generally more consistent than the average artisan, although probably not up there with the master builders. A guitar analogy would be a Plek fret-levelling system...

This may be apocryphal but I seem to recall George Martin being quoted as claiming that the single greatest innovation in studio recording was the electronic guitar tuner.

 

[Stef 1]

I've tried truing wheels myself but it brings out my OCD and I have to keep going for hours until the damn thing is perfect. I find it better for my mental health to pay somebody to do it.

If I wasn't feeling guilty for leaving the missus board and alone (although tbh, she probably really appreciated the time to herself) I would've dragged out a lamp and carried on after sunset.... perfect enough for now though. Very happy with my first attempt. With a proper truing stand I can easily see it becoming a proper quest for perfection!

It's one of the most satisfying parts of bike maintenance for me but it does require time, peace and quiet, and not having a two year old shouting at you.

Definitely! Kids in bed well before I started! I can see how I become as obsessed with truing my wheels as I am with indexing my gears every week.

Whilst this may be true of cheap BSO wheels, the better machine built wheels are very good.

I build my own with very good results (IMO) but am under no illusion that I am more accurate than a properly set up dedicated machine.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EITEQLn8SUE

That's amazing! Looks proper heath robinson too!

 

[Alan O]

Bought a spoke key and had a go at truing my rather wobbly back wheel using the ‘cable ties attached to frame method’, leaving the deflated wheel in the bike frame.

Really very f’ing pleased with the result. No visible wobble or inconsistent sound from the cable ties. Was so close to buying or fettling a truing stand... figured it was worth a go though despite some stuff I’d read against truing a wheel whilst in the frame. LBS on charges a £10 to true if I screwed up so no big risk.

After an a couple of hours this evening in the sun with a glass of wine I have to say i think wheel truing is a perfectionists dream... think I was verging on OCD by the end of it.

Question though - whilst there was a little loosening of spokes, there was far more tightening overall. If I end up having to straighten the wheel again sometime in the future (hopefully not for a long time), would it be advisable to loosen everything a little first to lessen the risk of over tightening? I don’t want to snap spokes or end up with an egg shaped wheel...

Thanks for any advice!

Too true

• Stef 1
• 11 Jun 2018

Nice work.

I've always trued up my own wheels, but I think the main reason I've found it reasonably easy is that they've only ever been slightly out of true. One of my obsessions is checking that spokes feel tight, and tightening them if I ever feel any slight looseness before the wheel really suffers. The bike I mostly ride has very little clearance, so I'd quickly spot any small deviation, and that helps - but I regularly check the others too on the grounds that prevention is best.

If you've managed to true up a particularly wobby wheel on your first attempt, that's seriously impressive.

I expect I'd find it a lot harder truing up a wheel that was significantly out, and actually building a wheel is something that would pretty much be beyond me.

 

[Svendo]

It's one of the most satisfying parts of bike maintenance for me but it does require time, peace and quiet, and not having a two year old shouting at you.

Or wobbling the wheel in the truing stand because he’s ‘helping’ Daddy!

 

[Stef 1]

Nice work.
If you've managed to true up a particularly wobby wheel on your first attempt, that's seriously impressive.

Thanks – I actually am very pleased with myself. Not often I get to say that I let the missus know it too... many times! I'm sure it wouldn't cut the mustard if a pro were to inspect it tho, but I can't spot or hear any wobble or high spot so am happy. I took my time, only a quarter turn max at any time... spin the wheel, re-check, repeat... thought I had it pretty much spot on a couple of times and then made it worse again! Got there in the end though.

Most difficult bit was in the first 10 minutes getting my head around turning the spoke nipple the right way. Once I started imagining turning it from outside the wheel (i.e. from where I was standing, outside the rim) as if with a screw-driver or simililar it became obvious and much easier. I do wonder if I might have off-set the dishing somewhat, but it feels and looks okay.

It may be purely in my head, but my bike felt a whole lot smoother to ride this morning too!

Or wobbling the wheel in the truing stand because he’s ‘helping’ Daddy!

I'm a sucker for it, even if it makes a job last twice as long... especially with my yougest... she loves being able to 'help'. Not many things I'll turn her away from.... mig welder might jsut be one though.