How to True a Bicycle Wheel

A tutorial on how to true a bicycle wheel, as well as what to do if you break a spoke while riding. This tutorial was created by Atlanta Bicycle Shop, Intown Bicycles.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• cycling
• road
• bike
• mountain
• true
• truing
• wheel
• repair
• fix
• spoke
• bicycle
• how-to

[IntownBicycles]

Vertical truing is done by tightening or loosening spokes in pairs, using spokes that are next to each other. Working this way maintains lateral true. Work in half to full turn increments, and only work in the section where the wheel is out. Don't worry about what's happening on the opposite side of the wheel.

[IntownBicycles]

Actually, you need to decrease the spoke tension on either side of the broken spoke. It'll be fairly obvious when you look at it, or certainly when you start turning spoke nipples.

[meadz4]

Did Cartman get a job in a bike shop?

[K1llJ0Y94]

I dont get if the spoke comes from the left you tighten to the right if it goes to the right you loosen please ellaborate

[JohnKingRussell]

how do i know which size spoke wrench to buy?

[norwaynever]

Best of all the videos I've viewed on this subject. Shows the direction to turn when truing---the most important element to truing. THANK YOU!

[Hmusic3]

To whoever made this video thank you. Never thought that spokes would be the answer to fixing my bike. I have the spoke isolation down to 4 spokes. Just needs some more fin tuning.

[mrdmojica]

Why does my rim wobbles on one side only? I was able to straighten one side but the other side wobbles

[iclypso]

@elstado1 If you remove the tension from those spokes with the stripped nipples, you should be able to easily unscrew and replace the damaged parts. You can either: 1) Cut the offending spokes (use a pair of tin snips or, if you don't have that, you can use a hacksaw blade). 2) Unscrew the nipples on the opposite side of the rim. The tension will be relieved and you can unscrew spokes from the nipples. Replace spokes with ones that are the same length and install them with new nipples.

[iclypso]

Great job, Mike. Thanks to you and Intown Bikes for the video.

[elstado1]

What do you do if a spoke nipple is stripped and your tool can no longer grip onto it? The metal on mine seems to be really soft and now I have a buckled wheel wheel with 3 nipples that I cant adjust any more. Does this mean I have to re-build the wheel?

[elstado1]

Best quality tutorial on wheel truing yet. Thanks uploader!

[jcc2150]

sorry, another post, the wheels i have are shimano rs10...the rear wheel has a slight wobble but no more than 2mm i just wanted to practice this and make it as straight as possible. thanks mike!