HELP with truing a bike wheel...

[Traditional_Ale]

I need someone who may have a spoke-wrench who might be knowledgeable in the area of truing a bicycle tire? I live very very close to Chinook Centre and will pay of course for your troubles.

Just the front tire too, back one seems great.

For anyone who remembers, my girl's bike got stolen, but an angel has appeared with a temporary replacement that is actually half-decent, just in need of some tuning.

While it seems simple enough (searched google) to do, its easier to learn by having someone demonstrate it, or at least just watch them.

I might be on the hook for a stern talking to from the Mrs. because it didn't make it into a shop on time, but truth be told I can't bear to pay the standard rate for what seems like an easy job. Simply, because I have never done it before, I don't want to F the bike up.

Cheers!

[Hakan]

Uhh do you have a truing stand?

In all honesty, if you've never straitened a wheel before you probably wont have any clue how to do it properly. I would bring it to a bike co-op and pay the 15-50 bucks to have a guy walk you through it. Worth the money as it will take you WAY less time, you will do it properly and you'll learn how to do from then on.

[Traditional_Ale]

I think its warped anyway...I may have to replace the whole wheel.

[Hakan]

Yeah, usually it's more hassle than what it's worth to true a wheel if it isn't a nice wheel. You can buy aluminum wheels for 50-60 bucks now. If you paid a guy at a shop to true a wheel it would cost probably $100. You only really true wheels that are nice.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Yeah, usually it's more hassle than what it's worth to true a wheel if it isn't a nice wheel. You can buy aluminum wheels for 50-60 bucks now. If you paid a guy at a shop to true a wheel it would cost probably $100. You only really true wheels that are nice.

Cheers!

This gets me off the hook! Thanks for the heads up!

(...CP rules...)

[Hakan]

Apparently I don't know what I'm talking about. Seems like truing wheels isn't as much as I said, 20-50 bucks is about right. Either way, new wheels are relatively cheap.

[Eric Vail]

If you have a major bend in the wheel, it will be beyond truing. If is just rubs the breaks a bit then there is hope it can be saved. I'd take it to a bike shop and get their opinion. They'll know right away what your situation is.

[gottabekd]

Am I missing something? I've done this myself on a number of occasions, without any professional direction. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, but no expert. Wheel had a little wobble, used the spoke key to fix it. It isn't THAT hard?

[habernac]

the late Sheldon Brown's website is about the best I've ever seen for how-to advice.

[BlackArcher101]

Here you go:

I think it's pretty self explanatory. It's not hard to do at all.

[Hakan]

Maybe I'm mechanically inept but I've always found it hard to true my wheels perfectly.

[Shnabdabber]

I don't know about bicycle rims, but I laced up new rims on my dirtbike last winter and it was really a piece of cake. Seems intimidating to start, but as long as your patient, it's easy.

I didn't have a truing stand, what I used were two jack stands on a pool table.

I started by using approx. 8 spokes (I think) to get the rim half assed centered over the hub, and so that I could put the axle on said "wheel stand"

I used two pieces of wire hanging down both sides of the rim so that as you add spokes in the specific pattern, and as you turn the wheel, you can watch runout. Also having a strait edge against the bottom helps to watch runout vertically on the rim.

It's really simple, the trick is to be patient and meticulous. Remember that tightening on one side of the rim also tightens up the other side by virute of pulling the hub against the other side of the rim.

Check these sites out... They are for dirty bikes, but the principle is the same.

http://dirtbike.off-road.com/dirtbik....jsp?id=303757

http://dirtbike.off-road.com/dirtbik....jsp?id=264455

http://www.dansmc.com/spokewheels.htm

Good Luck!