Wheel Alignment

[cliff123]

Okay, so I've just this minute replaced the brake pads on the bike, front and rear. Once they were back in, and the wheels in I gave the wheels a spin. In doing so, I can see that the wheel seems to have a slight wobble in it. It's fitted straight, but as it rotates it's as if a little section of the wheel is bent. This is true for both front and rear, though the front is certainly worse. I understand this can be adjust by tweaking the spokes nipples. Never done this before so would appreciate any advice. Should I be worrying about this at all and how finely should I be aiming to get them straight. Dead on, or is a little wobble okay? Cheers.

The rims are: Custom DT Swiss X420SL, 24mm w/ eyelets, 28/32h
The Spokes are: DT Swiss 1.8mm stainless, black, alloy nipples

[ewenm]

First find out if any of your spokes are loose - squeeze them in pairs to test the tension. If there are some obviously loose, then they'll need tightening, but be very careful as it takes very little extra tension to pull a rim out of true (1/4 turns at a time!).

I't something I'd practise on an old wheel before doing it on your main ride.

[ysnnim]

My method as follows. Bike upside down. Get a piece of 'post it' note, and if working on back wheel spin round and stop where the wheel is considered 'straight. Fix post it note to seat stay, so that end of 'post it' note is 'just' brushing wheel rim, on the section of rim which is straight. Now spin wheel, and from this you can see where 'post it' note either does not touch rim, or bends a lot...

Get out trusty Park Tool spoke tighenter thingy... and where adjustment is needed, depending on 'post it' note, adjust spokes as necessary. Constantly check by spinning wheel.

Make sure you only tighten the spokes that are attached to the correct side of the hub (obviously, and as previous poster said, not a lot of adjustment is needed to bring wheel to 'true'.

Edited by ysnnim on Friday 26th March 14:10

[OneDs]

I tried this once and the 1/4 turn is very true even so much as an 1/8 can make a difference depending on the type of wheel and spoke pattern you have.

Anyway after endless turns and unturns of nearly every spoke on the rim I ended up down at my LBS who did it perfectly in 1/2hr, for what I had been trying to do for the past 3hrs and not succeeded.

If you like to play with this sort of thing then enjoy, however if you like to ride, then get it done on someones elses time. For the cost of a true it wasn't worth another minute of my time.

[stu8975]

Before you adjust the spokes, make sure it's the actual wheel out of true and not the tyre thats slightly off. If you have never done it before i'd take it to a shop, to tighten a spoke when the bikes upside down (spoke/buckle at 6 o'clock) the nipple tightens anti-clockwise..clockwise and you are taking tension out of your wheel..not good.
http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=81