How To True A Bicycle Wheel
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- čas přidán 24. 11. 2013
- Bicycle wheels can buckle due to a crash or simply go out of true. Daniel Lloyd explains how to straighten your wheels.
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This is a video that we've had lots of viewer requests for: How To True A Bicycle Wheel.
Truing wheels is one of those maintenance jobs that is far easier than it sounds. Anyone can have a go at it with a couple of simple tools.
To true a bicycle wheel you will need:
Patience
A stand. This can be home-made, high-end, cheap, or even an upturned bike.
Spoke key. Make sure you get the correct size for your spokes and nipples. (hehe...)
More advanced wheel-truers (or builders) may want to use a dishing tool or spoke tensionmeter.
In this example Daniel used a high-end wheel truing stand. However, you don't need one of these; if your wheel is slightly buckled, you may be able to true it to acceptable level by using your brake pads as a gauge. Obviously this will not be as accurate as the stand that Daniel is using but it will get you home or tide you over between trips to the bike shop.
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Great video, taught me that I'm never going to bother truing a wheel
Lol
Practice makes perfect I’ve been doing it for years on all my bikes and pretty much do it by eye now !
I was very nervous at my first time truing a wheel myself. But once i started, it was an addiction :)) Nothing difficult.
@@snoop35L den watchu doin on this video? chekin for nostalgia? respect snoop!!
Oh lord, half way in and i started visualising walking in the shop. Which i don't want to do because the peeps there are not particularly welcoming or friendly 🤷🏾♂️
How is this 10 year old GCN video so much better than the 3 year old GCN video on the same topic? Much more concise and a great illustration to make it 100% clear which way to turn the spoke key
The length of this video is perfect. You tell and show just enough to get the job done, without over-explaining as so many other videos do. Good job!
I don’t even know why I watched the whole video. After about 30 seconds, I realized I would never be able to do this on my own.
The rabbit hole gets deeper and deeper. Geez, so many specialized tools
So true.. the more complex it is the more they make money from it.. a shame really when ordinary people have no alternative or choice. This is where the industry becomes monopolistic and makes it unaffordable to buy and maintain a bike
Fantastic Video! I have tried and failed to do this in the past. I blindly followed all your steps and have a straight wheel now.
Many Thanks. 😎👍
Oh man ! This is one of the best youtube videos i have seen in years,,, and i spend 2-3 hours daily. Your voice /instructions/ illustrations/ lenght at the vid etc .
I enjoed the moment :) !
Thousand thx Bud !
thank you for allowing do-it-your-selfers to true a wheel GOOD ENOUGH, using just the brake pads and not a high end truing stand. very encouraging! Thanks! I think I can do this.
Replace 6 spokes so i put my wheel in my Jet trainer stand, got it running true and then found when i tried to fit to my bike the dish was way out, so followed the instructions, adjusted to true again and sweet! First time ever tried - big thanks GCN!!!
Thanks very much Dan, just what I needed to give me the basic knowledge to have a go at this myself (remembering, of course, that confidence is a highly over-rated quality!)
Thank you sir. Thought I was out time and money on a MTB wheel. One pair of pliers, steady finger to track deflections and I'm ready for the trails again. Good stuff.
the method in the video is to get it super accurate - you can leave the tyre on and simply turn the bike upside down and spin the wheel and use the brakes or something else as a guide for the alignment. Then loosen a spoke on one side and tighten the one on the other to adjust - you can get it fairly close simply using your eyes.
One of your best videos! Thanks a lot GCN!
Agreed, except for not a single word about importance of even spoke tension within a specific tolerance.
thanks for the video it did not take long for you guys to make it Cheers
Thank you this simple and still so useful video!
I learn to true wheels when I was 15 while doing trial riding, after watching this I realised I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but some how I made them true…. Well some of them. 😂
At 2:04, are those arrows pointing the same way?
Exactly. This is the only thing I came to this and half a dozen other videos. Which was is clockwise, with respect to the nipple and the rim? The infographic shows clockwise and anti-clockwise as the same rotational direction. wtf dude.
Great video man. Very informative.
Really good discription! Thank you!
Good explanatory & demonstration video! :)
Good overview. I would have liked to have seen some of the homebrew trueing options explored in greater detail.
to anyone trying to true a wheel I've got a cheap solution, if your brakes can be adjusted make sure to have them adjusted so that they are just slightly clearing the rim therefore if the brakes start rubbing you can tighten or loosen the spoke in the correct places
Happy fixing :)
Bro thinks I own all these equipment
so basically it is impossible to do it yourself if youre a mere mortal
***** we wouldn't go that far... Just requires a bit of time.
I do it myself with a very cheap material, and the result is less than 0.5 mm . ;-)
@@mogeoofficiel Honestly it's way easier than people think. My first wheels I was very surprised when I got them within 1mm in an hour or so. I thought I was gifted but it's not that, it's just not as hard as people say. I think why people think that is because of the time, it does take time. Going closer than 1mm takes a lot more time as it gets harder. But getting to 1mm really isn't difficult.
@@alantaylor6691 The difficult part is getting a decent truing stand... that costs a fortune... :S
@@danzirulez
I suppose you wouldn't want to use a cheap truing stand, better off just using your bike frame!
Wheel saved, thank you!
Thanks, I managed to pick it up pretty quickly and that's with my bike upside down. So for me, upside down working - at the bottom of the wheel, it was anti clockwise to tighten and clockwise to loosen the spokes. I find a gentle creaking noise is when it's actually adjusting through tension. I've got the wheel running smoothly between the brakes now and that's good enough for me. I'll probably make small adjustments every week as I learn more and get better at it, because canal tow paths certainly smash my wheels about anyways lol that babies head gravel.
My experience exactly. Once adjustments started to become visible, it started making more sense. The creaking of the tensioning spokes is really helpful to note
Hello Global Cycling Network, I find this tutorial interesting. For employment, I'm a bicycle mechanic on a level of novice when it becomes to obtaining this essential skill and as well as the knowledge of truing a bicycle wheel. Right now I'm still in progress of practising wheel truing, I just like to say thank you for having the time to do a demonstration. It really helps me out. 👍
Reverse threaded, got it. That's what I was looking for.
Great vid!
Thanks, really helpful!
at 2:01 the arrows for anticlockwise and clockwise are in the same direction!!??
great video!!!
Great vid, but the graphic at 2 mins shows turning the same direction to tighten or loosen the spoke. Unless I am looking at it wrong.
At 2:00 your diagram shows clockwise and anti-clockwise as being identical to each other.
Thanks for this.
did anybody noticed at the marker 2:00 that the instructions are correct but the picture is wrong? LOL both arrows point to the same direction - clockwise and counter-clockwise :)beside that - very nice video
Which one is correct ? if the text is correct it means the thread is the opposite of most ? To open a bottle you need to turn anti-clockwise.
After a long time using lightweight Shimano C24 wheels 16/24 aero spokes (or similar) I got tired of constantly truing them, and experiencing bad handling when they went out of true, which was always within a few days of truing them.
Then I got a set of sturdy Velocity A23 hubs with size 14 round double butted steel spokes 32/32 hand built wheels - the builder offers a lifetime service guarantee because such a setup never (well, almost never) goes out of true - IF BUILT WITH EXPERTISE IN THE FIRST PLACE. He's built over 4000 wheels and hasn't gone bankrupt yet. And surprise, after the initial service (within a month after purchase) I haven't needed another tune up in the following 6 months. And these wheels (including build) were 1/3 of the price I paid for my C24s. It's hard to imagine going back to the world of broken spokes / loose spokes just happening in the middle of a ride.
If you are a racer I understand it could be different - but then it wouldn't be worth doing lightweight wheels on the cheap - to make it worthwhile you have to get your low spoke count wheels from expert wheelbuilders to start with so that your spoke tensions are nearly all the same at perfect true, and then make sure your wheels are always perfectly trued before you race.
I suppose for all the spokes to be nearly all the same tension at perfect true, that's determined by having a rim that's straight?
The ccw and cw arrows in the graph are showing the same direction...
this is the best and simple way
Great video
Thank you sir !
thanks for the info
Top stuff. Thanks
very helpful thanks! Riding an old pair of shimano wheels that came with an old giant ocr1 bought second hand online. Gets out of true every 200kms so have to deal with it until i get a new pair of lighter wheels.
Do you like Ultegra?
Awesome & Thanks :)
Thx bro ! Perfect! I am ready to build my new rim with fresh spokes and a hub! BTW, I am thinking theses Pros are a bit who scoff at your wheel would faint at my DH bike. Rear wheel has been 6-12mm off or so for more the 7 years !!!!! hahahaha It has never failed! just keeps pounding the trails out. Cheers !
Good video
Oh wow, I actually got it 😂 thanks man
2:14 is the most useful info
How important is the balance of the wheel? Mine vibrates at the frequency of rotation, it could be the valve of course plus some of the "no flats" liquid. My question is: Should I do something about it or not?
FUUUUUU I've tried all sorts of equipment and been to bike repair classes. I CAN'T HIT THIS ONE ON THE HEAD! Every time, I make something go SOOO wrong, it's three times worse than what I started with. Also, I'm not wanting to fork out £30 for a high-end truing stand, and was hoping there is something like a house-hold item I can use for the job?
Thanks for the vid, GCN! Staying subscribed for life. My friend is joining the road bike community and I'll show him some of the How To videos.
The clockwise arrow at 2:04 is pointing the wrong way is it not?
typo.
i second that
I actually didn't know you could fix that. I am such a noob. Thanks for the video !
Bicycle shop here I come!!! 😂
What about wheel balancing? I saw a video of Shane Miller showing some drastic wheel shaking due to the weight of the valve on one side of the wheel. I never heard of this phenomenon before and couldn't find a video explaining it on the GCN page. Cheers!
What if all the spokes on the side that you are trying to pull towards are too tight, while the other side is loose?
0.1mm sounds great to me -- that's just the thickness of a sheet of ordinary paper!
Where can I get one of those? I have a ton of rims in my storage unit. I have no money to buy new rims.
I have always felt a sense if wonder, when i see someone truing, a rim. but when i purchase a bike, i prefer the non spoked rims. with the thicker metal. i know this would weigh more, but i like the low maintenance requirements of the non spoked, thick metal type rims.
Hi team . I find I am breaking my j-bend spoke every second day of riding.
If I change the the spoke and hub to straight spoke will it hold up. If so how please
i hate when my foot fall asleep during the day watching videos ... cause that means it's goin to be up all night .
My guy went from addition to algebra in no time my dude 1:30 - 1:33
I'm confused, I just read on another website that to tighten the spokes, you turn it clockwise and to loosen turn counter clock wise? Which is it? Thanks
I find this confusing as well. At 2:00, the arrows are both showing the same direction, yet one is labled clockwise and the other anti. Difficult to find anyone who can make this clear.
I weigh 77 kg and I have a ztr mk3 rim, cube tune king and kong and spokes sapim cx ray. I would like to know how much voltage (tensiometer) I put in the rays. Because when I ride of standing the wheels pop
excellent thanks.
just picked up a cheap second hand winter bike...............it's got stock wheels on....................on the rear wheel while it runs true a lot of the spokes where very loose when I had a feel of them and had a lot of play side to side........................so I took my spoke key to them and gave them around a half turn or so and tightened them all but now the wheel is way out of true and pulls to the left....................doI back off the spokes a bit and try to get the wheel trued again but have loose spokes or do I try and tighten the spokes that are laced on the right hand side of the wheel.....? thanks
I'm not a wheel expert but have some minimal experience with truing wheels. From what I understand, spokes have to have a tension between 15 and 25 units of whatever. When I was working as bike mechanic in a bike shop for a short time and we had a simple spoke tension tool. You can buy them on ebay or whatever I think for about $50. It's very easy to use, you just place it on the spoke and it tells you the tension.
I know your comment is 2 years ago and may not apply now, but I'm answering anyway. What I think you would have to do is use the spoke tension tool on those loose spokes. If they are below 15, tighten them to just above 15. I'd then go around all the spokes and make sure they are within the 15-25 range. Bring them just within range if any are out. Then I'd go ahead and true the wheel, checking periodically with the spoke tension tool.
In answer to your specific question, I do think you need tighten your spokes so they are tight enough. Then as you said, loosen the other side so you get it dished correctly again. No good having loose spokes, even if the wheel is true. I think it would be better to have a buckled wheel than really loose spokes.
If you can't get the wheel true while having the spokes within tension range, then perhaps the rim itself is bent too much out of shape. I'm not an expert I'm just guessing there.
Marty Feldman... am I right? I like this guy, always has lots of good information and he presents it well.
i am so glad i watched another vid first, yours is very hard to understand
Kindly show me a video on how to true a Shimano WH-R560 wheel set
You got it within 0.1 mm of perfect true? Who the hell would scoff at that? Most wheel companies say that anything within 1-2 mm is acceptable for new builds.
my mountain bike is 2 years old and I even trued those wheels to 0.1mm just last week I hear so many aim for 0.2mm but I aim for half but if it wasn't a mountain bike I might make it more true
Yes, Simon, but truing a wheel to the best of your ability ensure you won't have to true it to the same extent next time.
Never thought about that actually, good point.
@@SimonWoodburyForget Depends on your riding style I'd say.
In my experience it's pointless to spend a lot of time trueing a wheel precisely on my Enduro bike.
There will be side forces and it will be bend a bit soon anyway.
On my road bike I'll take my time. I'm sure it helps last longer during normal riding stress.
Hi there, how do you decide to tighten one spoke on one side or loosen two spokes on the opposite side ?
Check the tension on the spokes in the area where spokes need be tightened or loosened. If the tensionon a spoke is high, do not tighten the spoke. If it is low, do not loosen the spoke.
The best way to measure the tension on a spoke is to use a tension gauge.
www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Spoke-Tension-Meter/dp/B013T0L556
If a tension gauge not available, squeeze two adjacent spokes from opposite sides and find how they flexes.You may do this for all the spokes and find even a broken one.
Great video. I’m going to try myself rather than bike shop. Thanks
Just go directly to the bike shop
Good advice, but your graphic showing "Anti-clockwise - Tighten" and "Clockwise - Loosen" (at 2.02 in the film) have the arrows of rotation both going the same way. Think you need to change the "Loosen" to the other way around.
Maybe, just maybe, he was putting counterclockwise (Amuriken) a seen from the other orientation of the weel ;D
bizarre, mind-bleeping error in the graphic, that, at 2:02
I was hoping for some additional advice on bladed spokes and how to keep them angled correctly whilst truing.
Thanks so much Dan! How about carbon wheels? Or should I just send it back for maintenance? Most lbs here seem to not be so gentle...scratched my frame too...:-(
+jcc2150 probably best to let a pro deal with carbon spokes. Dan
Let your bike shop true your wheels. Think about it: You almost never have to deal with a wheel truing issue....how good can you be at truing a wheel if you almost never do it? Not very good, I'd say. It makes so much more sense to take your wheel(s) to a shop and let a skilled mechanic true them up in a few minutes. Pay the guy or gal who's your local mechanic.
Is the spoke key size 48x40x13mm/1.89x1.57x0.51'' ?
Mistake in the graphics @2:00. Anyone else spot it?
yup, the clockwise arrow is turned the wrong way.
yep
Only video that made sense
Clockwise and anti clockwise point in the same direction?
I wish I would have noticed that you used the same Arrow graphic for anti-clockwise and clockwise
What about the wheel that have eyelet/ nipple ( tubeless version )
I just like listening to him talk
What is the importance of a true wheel? what happens if your wheel is slightly untrue vs very untrue vs perfectly true
how does it affect your riding?
wears brake can damage Brake Caliper unstable riding better true then not
I had my wheels trued professionally but guy suggested that they were SO far out it might be worth investing in new wheels.
Yesterday training ride back wheel wobbling so bad bad brakes are sticking to wheel fully opened! Quick repair-Enough to get home.
However, my question- Once your wheel gets out of true vertically (as well as horizontally) does this mean a new purchase is due?
Eyeing up Campagnola Zonda currently.
All replies gratefully received.
Top videos GCN!
Hell no, the radial true (vertically) is a normal part of a wheel getting out of true just like the horizontal true. Truing stands have a thing where you judge the radial true as well as the side to side wobble, and you fix them both in any normal truing job. In fact when you buy a new wheel they are very often out of true radially and side to side and need to be trued to get them right.
I have a bike without spokes. It's these racing wheels. How do you straighten the wheel then?
They sound expensive lol
wow ...nice wheel truing stand
ts-3?
I have a question: What's the name of the support where you put the wheel? Thank you.
A trueing stand.
There needs to be a version of this video for people who have none of the proper tools and have to just wing it.
how much weight can a 700cc wheel with 28 spokes hold?
“Wheel truing stand” hahah you mean my bike flipped upside down? 🙃 😂😂 if it works it works my wheel is happy
Very helpful. Good thing he used day to day tools that’s laying around a lads home
Is the loosening and tightening process the same for all bikes?
it depends how much is offset and spoke tension
0.1mm or 4 thousandths of an inch. That seems pretty good, especially give that tyres aren't or don't always go on straight. What do you think the industry standard tolerances? I watch a Park video and they suggest 1mm on lateral and 0.5mm on the radial.
all are good
Do ALL the spokes tighten and losen in the same directions?
Yes they do, but remember that the orientation of the wheel is key!
Shimano spokes/nipples on some wheels are lefty loosy righty tighty.
como eu coloco o aro neste centrador??
This is the hardest part to learn....
@ 1:30 and @ 2:30 are the key steps (as @Jake Wilson pointed out, @2:30 the clockwise arrow in incorrectly drawn)
i have a truing idea but idk if it would work. Im thinking of releasing tension on all spokes which will cause the wheel to untrue greatly but then slowly Increase tension on all spokes just enough to hit the same note/pitch with a guitar tuner. (lets say the tuner reads an "A" on all spokes which means in return that all spokes have the same tension. the A would be the truing base point. Then begin to actually true like it shows here? The point being is to have the closest stress on all spokes vs uneven stress by truing directly. What do you guys think?
Won't work. If you increase tension in 1 spoke there are many other spokes directly affected. Some will decrease in tension, others increase.
Truing a wheel from scratch requires lots of practice and skill.
Does it work with really twisted wheels?
Nope, that one's screwed, you're better off getting a new rim.
What do you guys recommend for a stationary trainer?
I have the Tacx basic. 29,000km and still going strong. The kurt kinetic does interest me though