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How much can I expect to true a wheel?

TimeTraveler

Maximum Pace
Feb 6, 2012
397
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Hey team, this morning as I was riding my bike along Arakawa, I removed my hands from the handlebars to take a short breather and the front wheel began to wobble. I thought it might have been due to road surface and wind condition so I attempted to ride with no hands several times, but always with the same result.

I think that it is weird that a new wheel would need truing only after three months of riding. Is this situation typical for a new wheel?

Well, getting to my question. I cannot trust my LBS as the crew there often attempts to sale me the most expensive item in the shop or are totally of no real assistance. So, what can I expect to pay to true a wheel?:confused:
 
Right first thing off:

Spin the wheel, does it wobble side to side or does it bob/pulse?

If so you need to get it either trued or redished.

If neither of these happen it could be because the bike is not balanced correctly or you are not positioned correctly on the bike.

If you have a dashboard full of light, computers etc this can have an effect.

Of if you are new to riding it could be learners wobble.
 
Check the headset, check that the wheel is centred in the forks and if those are good then what James said. Get it checked out soon, was it windy at the time?
 
An interesting question!

A few things I'd personally like to know is, how much does it usually cost and if it's possible to attempt truing by myself. What's the science behind truing? What symptoms does somebody look for and how are they countered?

I feel that the answers to the above questions could lead to a wall of text, but I'd still appreciate even a tl;dr short explanation! :eek:
 
Yah, if it is the wheel, YouTube will give you a few pointers. Texting how to true a wheel could take a while.
 
An interesting question!

A few things I'd personally like to know is, how much does it usually cost and if it's possible to attempt truing by myself. What's the science behind truing? What symptoms does somebody look for and how are they countered?

I feel that the answers to the above questions could lead to a wall of text, but I'd still appreciate even a tl;dr short explanation! :eek:

Rule number one: Sheldon is #1
http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html#tensioning

who was the dickhead that messed up the rules with a long list about socks, shorts and formulas about bike ownership?
 
Thanks everyone for all the advice/input to my query. I apologize for the delay to respond to questions as I am accessing this thread from my office PC.

I will give more detail about my bike's condition when I return home tonight.

Cheers,
Kevin
 
I pay about 2,000 Jpy for a full on wheel service that includes trueing and dishing.
 
I paid 3000 for true&dish at Nalsima Tokyo. The wheel actually was out of dish
 
Yeah, about 2000yen for a Mavic trained engineer to true each wheel.

I keep my Mavic carbon spoke tool at the bike shop, so I can just wander in any time, and pay them to fix my wheels. Feels similar to how an old git feels having his own tankard behind the bar in a pub back home. Love it!

For the money it costs, if you are not absolutely confident in your ability to fix a wheel, I would just pay it and leave it to the boys who know what they are doing.
 
By all means, please do this yourself so that when the wheel is totally wonked, I can fix it for you! (Or sell you a new wheel). You have to know HOW the wheel became out of true to begin with before you start twisting spokes. A dented rim behaves much differently than say, one that is out of true due improper spoke tensioning. The wheel is essentially a pre-stressed structure with a very small region of tolerance. If the <pre> tension is not accurate across all spokes then you risk building a taco chip waiting to happen.
 
By all means, please do this yourself so that when the wheel is totally wonked, I can fix it for you! (Or sell you a new wheel). You have to know HOW the wheel became out of true to begin with before you start twisting spokes. A dented rim behaves much differently than say, one that is out of true due improper spoke tensioning. The wheel is essentially a pre-stressed structure with a very small region of tolerance. If the <pre> tension is not accurate across all spokes then you risk building a taco chip waiting to happen.

tl;dr - Tim can fix it for you, or go to a bike shop. Or Tim can sell you a new wheel.
 
I've always liked that a bike wheel is structured kind of like the roof of a yurt.

Or is it that I've always liked the roof of a yurt since it's kind of like a bike wheel?

I wonder if "truing" the two have anything in common?

on edit: edited slightly before I was quoted by theDude...
 
A friend of mine in high school 25 odd years ago used to build his own wheels and I thought that was the coolest thing. I tried truing my own wheel and concluded I just didn't have the knack for it -- did more harm than good. Go to the pros, cough up 2,000¥ each... Don't look back.
 
A friend of mine in high school 25 odd years ago used to build his own wheels and I thought that was the coolest thing. I tried truing my own wheel and concluded I just didn't have the knack for it -- did more harm than good. Go to the pros, cough up 2,000¥ each... Don't look back.

There you go!

Just pay a bit of money and get it done correctly.

Learn it on the side, but don't risk it on your own.
 
Right first thing off:

Spin the wheel, does it wobble side to side or does it bob/pulse?

If so you need to get it either trued or redished.

If neither of these happen it could be because the bike is not balanced correctly or you are not positioned correctly on the bike.

If you have a dashboard full of light, computers etc this can have an effect.

Of if you are new to riding it could be learners wobble.

James and Simon, with your advice I believe I have found the reason why the front end throws a tantrum whenever I release my hands from the handlebars.

I have not had an opportunity to take my bike out and test the theory, but I have checked all points you both have suggested and have concluded that the source of the wobbling is revealed in the attachment that follows this post. Thanks for the advice:D
 
Ah..., you need both a horizontal and vertical stabilizer.
 
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