Mickle's tip of the - Season to be Jolly: Wheel truing.

[Blue Hills]

If you've built a wheel and, on checking, the wheel (rim) is pleasantly circular with no high or low points, and the wheel is true (or good enough) and you've stress relieved and ensured no spoke twists remain . . .
BUT the tensions are not equal(ish), how do you then go about getting the tensions closer to equal yet keep the wheel circular and true?
And why? Provided the spokes are well tensioned Ie the opposite of loose), what is the jeopardy of running a wheel with unequal tensioned spokes?
NB On one side of the wheel - obviously there'll be a difference from one set one side to the other set the other side on a dished wheel.

Can't really argue with that.

 

[RichardB]

If you've built a wheel and, on checking, the wheel (rim) is pleasantly circular with no high or low points, and the wheel is true (or good enough) and you've stress relieved and ensured no spoke twists remain . . .
BUT the tensions are not equal(ish), how do you then go about getting the tensions closer to equal yet keep the wheel circular and true?

Good question. I have had several wheels where some spokes have gone ping and others plunk, and yet have been acceptably true. When I have diligently gone round the looser spokes trying to get the tension even, the result has been to start to push the rim out of true, so I learned to leave well alone.

 

[mpemburn]

Excellent compendium! I have had little call to true wheels until a recent crash. Glad I had both a decent spoke wrench (a Park) and a bladed spoke holder. Wish I'd known the WD-40 trick, but the truing went well nonetheless.

BTW: If you want nice, rock-solid alloy wheels for a decent price, I highly recommend Fulcrum Racing 5's. 1650 grams for the pair. I paid about $230 for them a couple of years ago.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

I've managed to true a few wheels now, but at the weekend I made a wheel WORSE. I will rectify my bad workmanship!