straightening wheels

[Wisch5200]

I had a little "accident this weekend with the girlfriends bike, and the rear wheel now looks a little like a potato chip from the rear profile.

What are the best tips for calibrating the spokes? I am sure there are books written on this science, so a few of the best found methods or tactics would be great.

 

[531Aussie]

it depends how bad the buckle is. It might be beyond 'backyard' cababilities, so it's really best to take it to a shop, especially if it's an expensive wheel, but it sounds like like wanna try yourself.

I'm no expert -- i've probably only built about 20 wheels -- but.....

Doing wheels without a truing stand is a bit of a pain, which I didn't fully appreciate until i bought one. Adjusting for roundness is especially tricky without a stand, unless you can rig up something very good on the frame.

Make sure the spoke tool is EXACTLY the right size -- it's easy to round off tight, old nipples. The nipples are usually brass, which obviously isn't rock hard.

The best tip is to even out the adjustments to prevent making a flat spot or a hump; meaning, each time you tighten a spoke on one side, loosen off the other side the same amount.

If the wheel is a bit old, you might need to lube the nipples with some WD40, which could then mean you'll need new rim tape after you've finished.

Also, if the nipples are a bit locked up, the spokes will just twist instead of move in the nipple, so try to watch for this, even if it means drawing a dot on the spokes with a marker to make it easy to see.

The way I was taught to adjust a bend is to adjust the spokes in the middle of the buckle more so than the peripheral spokes, so, for eg, the middle 2 spokes may need a 1/4 turn (1/4 tightening of one side, vs a 1/4 loosening on the other), and the peripheral spokes may only require an 1/8 of a turn. Also, it's not always necessary to adjust all the spokes across a buckle; for eg, if the buckle covers 10 spokes, it may only be necessary to adjust the middle 6.

Do small adjustments at a time (I usually don't exceed 1/4 turns each time), coz there's nothing worse than pulling the buckle too far, then having to go back

Then, just when you think you're done, you've gotta tension, or "ping" the spokes. I do this by very gently flexing the wheel on the floor, both sides. This tensions any slack that might still be in the spokes you've loosened. Then you've gotta check the straightness again.

All in all, it requires a lot of patience, especially if it's new to you. I usually end up doing it in front of the TV to reduce my frustration.


BUT, I'll repeat: it's probably best to go to a shop, especially after my 'backyard' "advice".

 

[ScienceIsCool]

If it looks like a potato chip, then the rim has yielded. Bent. Tacoed. I'll go out on a limb and even say it's destroyed. The only way to know for sure is to slacken all the spokes and check the rim for straightness. If it's not perfectly straight, then it's wrecked and you'll need rebuild the wheel. Your local bike shop can help you with this.

John Swanson

it depends how bad the buckle is. It might be beyond 'backyard' cababilities, so it's really best to take it to a shop, especially if it's an expensive wheel, but it sounds like like wanna try yourself.

I'm no expert -- i've probably only built about 20 wheels -- but.....

Doing wheels without a truing stand is a bit of a pain, which I didn't fully appreciate until i bought one. Adjusting for roundness is especially tricky without a stand, unless you can rig up something very good on the frame.

Make sure the spoke tool is EXACTLY the right size -- it's easy to round off tight, old nipples. The nipples are usually brass, which obviously isn't rock hard.

The best tip is to even out the adjustments to prevent making a flat spot or a hump; meaning, each time you tighten a spoke on one side, loosen off the other side the same amount.

If the wheel is a bit old, you might need to lube the nipples with some WD40, which could then mean you'll need new rim tape after you've finished.

Also, if the nipples are a bit locked up, the spokes will just twist instead of move in the nipple, so try to watch for this, even if it means drawing a dot on the spokes with a marker to make it easy to see.

The way I was taught to adjust a bend is to adjust the spokes in the middle of the buckle more so than the peripheral spokes, so, for eg, the middle 2 spokes may need a 1/4 turn (1/4 tightening of one side, vs a 1/4 loosening on the other), and the peripheral spokes may only require an 1/8 of a turn. Also, it's not always necessary to adjust all the spokes across a buckle; for eg, if the buckle covers 10 spokes, it may only be necessary to adjust the middle 6.

Do small adjustments at a time (I usually don't exceed 1/4 turns each time), coz there's nothing worse than pulling the buckle too far, then having to go back

Then, just when you think you're done, you've gotta tension, or "ping" the spokes. I do this by very gently flexing the wheel on the floor, both sides. This tensions any slack that might still be in the spokes you've loosened. Then you've gotta check the straightness again.

All in all, it requires a lot of patience, especially if it's new to you. I usually end up doing it in front of the TV to reduce my frustration.


BUT, I'll repeat: it's probably best to go to a shop, especially after my 'backyard' "advice".