Wheel truing - how often?

[Maz]

When/How often does a wheel need truing?
I have never ever trued a wheel in all the years I've owned a bike. Is it something you do as part of routine maintenance or only if you fall off the bike and fear the wheel(s) are bent?
Thanks

 

[Judderz]

Only if it's out of true, no point trying to true a true wheel..

 

[Maz]

Only if it's out of true, no point trying to true a true wheel..

What makes it go out of true?

 

[Friz]

potholes typically. Or crashing into a badger. It pains me to say that.

 

[Davidc]

What makes it go out of true?

AFAIK it's just a slow process of losing spoke tension &/or a whack from a kerb, pot hole etc. I'm not the greatest expert on wheel truing, but I do normally do my own successfully.

There are two forms of distortion. One where the rim is still flat and all that's needed to restore truth (trueness) is to re-tension the spokes, the other is when the rim itself is no longer flat (for example after a visit to a tram line or an oblique meeting with a kerb). In this case a small amount of distortion can usually be picked up by overtensioning some spokes, any more and it's time to buy a new rim and rebuild the wheel. In the case of losing tension in some spokes wheels will often come back into true by adjusting all the spokes to the same tension (by ear - pluck them) and making tiny adjustments to tensions from there to compensate for rim wear and tear. The brake blocks are normally a good enough guide to do the job with the wheel still on the frame.

More detail and better descriptions are around. A good write-up on how to true wheels is on the Sheldon Brown website.

edit: I'm sure a badger would do just as well as a kerb!

 

[Maz]

AFAIK it's just a slow process of losing spoke tension &/or a whack from a kerb, pot hole etc. I'm not the greatest expert on wheel truing, but I do normally do my own successfully.

There are two forms of distortion. One where the rim is still flat and all that's needed to restore truth (trueness) is to re-tension the spokes, the other is when the rim itself is no longer flat (for example after a visit to a tram line or an oblique meeting with a kerb). In this case a small amount of distortion can usually be picked up by overtensioning some spokes, any more and it's time to buy a new rim and rebuild the wheel. In the case of losing tension in some spokes wheels will often come back into true by adjusting all the spokes to the same tension (by ear - pluck them) and making tiny adjustments to tensions from there to compensate for rim wear and tear. The brake blocks are normally a good enough guide to do the job with the wheel still on the frame.

More detail and better descriptions are around. A good write-up on how to true wheels is on the Sheldon Brown website.

edit: I'm sure a badger would do just as well as a kerb!

Thanks for this. Much obliged.