Carp my wheels out of true...

[Bigtallfatbloke]

..the rear one is wonky. I tried to true it using the brake pads, found the place where it touched the pads and then tightened the two spokes on the left of the wheel...it did make the wheel not hit the pads but looking at it spin it is still all wonkey.

As a guitarist I tried the musical approach next...like this:
http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm

...to be honest getting all the spokes to sound like a Gmaj note was impossible...and the wheel is still wobbling...what am I doing wrong? Got a better way without me having to spend any cash?

 

[col]

Unless you know what your doing,i think it best in the long run to take your wheel to a shop,but then i dont know how much it would cost,but its all to easy to make things worse if your unsure.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

...yep I know...only th ething is I want to learn to do all this myself because it will be cheaper for me in th elong run and being a big bloke I suffer from lots of wobbly wheels, and also on a tour bike shops are not where you need them.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Got a better way without me having to spend any cash?

Find a bike just like yours... and take their wheel, thus giving them some much needed practise too. Everyone's a winner.

 

[col]

...yep I know...only th ething is I want to learn to do all this myself because it will be cheaper for me in th elong run and being a big bloke I suffer from lots of wobbly wheels, and also on a tour bike shops are not where you need them.

Good reasons,but as a tip i saw some time ago,dont go by your brakes,attach a matchstick to the frame with tape or similar and use that to get a truer line on the wheels wobble,brakes cant be relied on to be central or to stay put.And even though its sticking in my throat,shark has a good idea there.but from a skip or tip

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

And even though its sticking in my throat,shark has a good idea there.but from a skip or tip

You still mad with me, Col??

 

[col]

You still mad with me, Col??

Course not

 

[Crackle]

..the rear one is wonky. I tried to true it using the brake pads, found the place where it touched the pads and then tightened the two spokes on the left of the wheel...it did make the wheel not hit the pads but looking at it spin it is still all wonkey.

As a guitarist I tried the musical approach next...like this:
http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm

...to be honest getting all the spokes to sound like a Gmaj note was impossible...and the wheel is still wobbling...what am I doing wrong? Got a better way without me having to spend any cash?

Actually you're going the right way about it. It's a bit of an art, a half turn at a time and unless your wheel continually drifts out of true I wouldn't fret about the notes (see I made a funny then - fret, notes ). Just keep running it and adjusting a bit at a time and it'll come good - honest.

 

[Carwash]

Carp my wheels out of true...

I wasn't aware that you could use 'carp' as a verb in this sense. Is this like that 'Pimp my ride' thing? Why on earth would you want to 'carp' your wheels out of true anyway?

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

..oops looks like I need a good teacher...Catherrrinnne!!!!!!

 

[Crackle]

Carp my wheels out of true...

I wasn't aware that you could use 'carp' as a verb in this sense. Is this like that 'Pimp my ride' thing? Why on earth would you want to 'carp' your wheels out of true anyway?

'tis a bit fishy

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

so do you all true your own wheels or go to a LBS?

 

[Crackle]

Own.

 

[thebikemarket]

Remember when truing your wheel, if you are tightening one side to bring the rim across - also remember to loosen the opposite side, otherwise you will pull a flat spot in your rim.

Paul
thebikemarket.com

 

[PpPete]

I've only just started to try my hand at truing up wheels ... still not very good it at it, but can take serious wobbles out now.

I've a rusty old close tolerance frame & forks that I up-end in the B & Decker Workmate.
Put the wheels in, use bits of masking tape "diagonally" across the top of the stays (and the forks) - gives a good enough reference point that I can adjust - just keep on putting more and more tape on, closer and closer to the rim.
Seems to work OK and it costs me nothing...
Actually it nearly cost me a new wheel, because the first time I tried I was turning the spokes the wrong way, couldnt understand why it was getting worse .... Doh!