When is a wheel out of true?

[ak88]

When is a wheel out of true for minor wobbles? how far deviation before you will say 'Thats out of true'? I have a pair of relatively new hand builts - riding is fine and I don't notice anything but when checking the brake pads the other day, I did notice that the wheel isn't 100%.

If its out of true - anyone know a good wheel builder in City, London? I am a stones throw from Spitalfields (Evans and CycleSurgery).

 

[Saddle bum]

If you can detect it by eye, then it's out of true.

 

[RedBike]

Most wheels do 'wobble' a bit even even when new. It's nothing to worry about.

It's quite normal for new wheels to need re-tweaking after the first few rides.

 

[robbarker]

+/- 3mm according to the CTC who have condensed the British Standard for a saleable wheel. Most wheelbuilders work to +/- 1mm.

 

[Tharg2007]

were they a custom build by a bike shop? if they were then they usually true the wheel for free once its ridden in a little.

 

[fossyant]

Anything over 2mm I'll tweak mine !

 

[ak88]

The wheels were handbuilts from ribble - I am actually quite pleased with what I got - Tiagra hubs with Mavic Open Pro CD rims and I specified 36 spokes (coming close to 95 kg so want all the strength I can get!). They were perfect when I got them but lately commuting around the East London Hackney Eastway etc seems to have taken a toll - don't its prob 2mm out at most. So I can't get them re-trued from ribble. Hence wondered if anyone used the CycleSurgery or Evans around the City or any other decent close by bike shops where I can get them re-trued if need be.

 

[spandex]

+/- 3mm according to the CTC who have condensed the British Standard for a saleable wheel. Most wheelbuilders work to +/- 1mm.

A wheel can be out actuely by 4mm each side = +/- 8mm. Thats the industry Standard

 

[Twenty Inch]

I've not had good experiences in Evans or Cyclesurgery in the City. There's a good shop called BicycleMagic in Whitechapel, although I don't know how good they are with wheels.

Any of those shops will sell you a spoke key however, and a library will have a bicycle maintenance book that tells you how to true wheels. Time to learn?

 

[ak88]

Thinking about learning - I got my old wheels still (formula hubs on alex rims) - so may get a spoke key and test out the theory. Wouldn't want to attempt truing on my main and only usable set of commuter wheels.

 

[goo_mason]

Broke a spoke on my three-week old SCR2 rear wheel which has a Formula hub and an Alex rim too. Wheel still true though, but probably not for much longer !

(Anyone know if these wheels should cope OK with 15st 10lbs of me bouncing along on them ?)

 

[John the Monkey]

I weighed close to 14st when I started riding my SCR2.0 goo, for what that's worth...

Last time (crosses fingers etc) I broke a spoke was on the old bike - cost me £5 + 40p per spoke (they only had to replace one, but it's not that uncommon on old wheels for others to break when the wheel is brought back to true, apparently) to get it replaced and the wheel retrued. Looking on the bright side, at least these unfashionable high spoke count wheels stay true enough to ride when one spoke goes

 

[goo_mason]

The rear wheel on my MTB started breaking spokes regularly over the course of a week after about 6 months. I got the EBC to fix them and true the wheel up (it was pretty wobbly !). But it wasn't long before it did it again, so I ended up buying a new rear wheel which is still (18 months on) intact with its original spokes. I bought spare spokes for the old wheel, fitted them myself and trued it up - it's in a cupboard as a spare !

Going to pop into the EBC to get some spare spokes tomorrow and I'll get the cassette off and fit a new spoke on Sunday. I do get the feeling though that in the long run I may have to save up and get a better rear wheel !

 

[yenrod]

Dont talk to me about wheels - Im on the edge of joining a religious sect such is my desperation over my 'spoke snapping wheels' !

I am now an expert in wheel~truing after what ive been through recently !!!

I was thinking of spending of splashing 100 notes on a new pair of wheels as a spare set - as Ive been all over the back wheel especially recently due to spokes snapping; but've got a pair of real nice rims in the house, I now am looking to buy some cheap hubs and spokes and build the rims on the hubs such is my confidence !


What i did was loosen all the spokes off (i was gonna remove the rim and straighten it out ) but managed against that and just kept the wheel true whilst increasing the spoke tension.

One thing that has became MASSIVELY apparent recently is how much and how weak a 9sp/10sp whlle is due to the dish !

The new Shimano factory built wheels with their 'off-set designed rim' on the rear helps but still...

 

[Saddle bum]

Some of the figures metioned here for tolerating "out of true" are outrageous. If a new hand built wheel is more than 1mm out overall, it is not good enough.