Out of true already?

Hello, I just bought a new bike about a month ago and i realized today when I washed it that my rear wheel is really out of true. it rubs on the brakes to the point that if you spin the wheel with your hand...the wheel stops about 1/2 through the rotation. Is this a manufacturing defect that I didn't notice? What could have caused this? How do I fix it? Should I bring it to the dealer and ask them? I have no idea what to do really.

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"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place." -Lance Armstrong

Is it a Mavic wheel??

Take it back to the shop and get them to true the wheel. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for prebuilt wheels to go out of true because of the lack of decent wheel building processes in the factory (no stress relieving). What often happens is either the wheel is not evenly tensioned, tensioned high enough, or the spokes rotate in the nipples and become loose.

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Precision Sports

My money's on Bontrager.

Take it to the shop and have them take care of it. Hopefully the bike didn't come with completely inappropriate wheels for you and your riding needs.

NOT operator error but probably pisspoor assembly and attention to the wheels when new.

Why does everyone hate Bontrager? I have a set and they have been very good wheels for the past 1K miles. They have been so good that I'll probably relace the hubs to new rims once the old ones wear out. Admittedly I don't race so they may not be the most suitable wheelset for that pursuit, but they have been great for the recreational and quasi-training riding that I enjoy.

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One life, one chance. Don't waste it!

I have heard that new wheels, especially machine-built ones, will go out of true pretty quick sometimes, but when you have them tensioned and trued it will last provided the job was done well.

Great guess lava, they are the stock bontrager wheels on my 2008 trek 1.5...they have 20 spokes in front and 24 in back. I have put just over 500 miles on the bike since I bought it, is that an excuse for why they would be out of true already? Maybe I shouldn't have been bringing it to the skatepark, but I just cannot resist those jumps.

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"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place." -Lance Armstrong

Having 500 miles on 'em is no excuse for wheels to go out of true.

Correct.
Going over jumps at a skate park though is another matter

Speak of the devil. I had the same experience with the same bike (albeit a few years back). Not only did the Bontrager wheels go out of true once a week, but the Bontrager crank warped over time. I had the rear wheel replaced under warranty, and the new one did the same thing. So I bought a pair of Campagnolo Zondas and an Ultegra crank and never looked back. It's been two years and and the wheels are still true. Low-end Bontrager stuff is absolute junk.

I talked with Trek's Bontrager Wheel folks a few months back and I think I understand why they have the wheel issues. I was trying to locate a Rolf wheel "Pre-Stress" box and they said they don't use them and don't have any ideas where to get them.
The box Pre-Stresses the spokes so that they are bedded in. This requires a few "extra" steps that most wheel builders take.

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David Ornee, Western Springs, IL USA

Wouldn't riding them then truing them a few times also pre-stress them?

Yes, riding stresses will ultimately bed the spokes in toward the asymtotic function limit. The wheels then need to be trued, properly tensioned, and centered. That cycle needs to be repeated until further bedding in stops in riding.
I wouldn't call that "pre-stressing".

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David Ornee, Western Springs, IL USA

Did you make sure the wheel is even in both dropouts? It could be that the wheel is just **** pied.

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Cake or Death?

A wheel not properly installed in the dropouts won't wobble if it is true.
I see from reading what the OP said, there isn't a specific statement about lateral or radial wobble. Your statement may be the solution, and certainly is worth dealing with.

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David Ornee, Western Springs, IL USA