{"id":55787,"date":"2023-10-21T17:00:45","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T15:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=750468"},"modified":"2023-10-21T18:35:37","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T16:35:37","slug":"how-to-true-a-wheel","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/how-to-true-a-wheel\/","title":{"rendered":"How to true a wheel\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our step-by-step guide to getting your hoops straight\u00a0 <\/p>

By Oscar Huckle\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 21 October 2023 at 15:00 PM<\/p>

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Truing is the act of adjusting the tension of a wheel\u2019s spokes to make it perfectly straight and round.<\/p>\n

Truing is a normal part of any wheel\u2019s life. Wheels are subject to extreme forces, from withstanding a clattering from an unexpected pothole or rough riding off-road. Over time, or in the case of a heavy hit, this may cause the wheel to go \u2018out of true\u2019.<\/p>\n

This presents itself as a wobble in the side-to-side (lateral) trueness of the wheel, or its roundness (radial).<\/p>\n

A wheel that is out of true won\u2019t handle well when riding and will potentially shorten the lifespan of the components. If your bike has rim brakes<\/a>, the rim may contact the pads as it spins. In extreme cases, it could even cause the rear tyre to abrade on the inside of the seatstays or chainstays.<\/p>\n

In this guide, we\u2019ll run through the four main principles you need to know when truing a wheel.<\/p>\n

Because there is so much nuance to wheel building, this guide is by no means exhaustive and is intended as a reference point to get your wheel back into working order.<\/p>\n

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We recommend practising on an old wheel to build up your skills.<\/span><\/figcaption> Jack Luke \/ Immediate Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Wheel truing requires a basic understanding of the principles of wheel building, patience and practice \u2013 you are very unlikely to get it right on your first go.<\/p>\n

If you are new to wheel truing, we would strongly recommend you practise on an old wheel first. Exotic carbon wheels are best left for when you have lots of experience.<\/p>\n

Before truing a wheel, it\u2019s worth checking if the hub is properly adjusted. Any play in the hub will be amplified on the truing stand. We have a full guide on how to service a hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tools required<\/h2>\n