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Questions and answers about sports

Does a slightly untrued wheel damage the wheels?

5 min read

Asked by: Brono Martinez

Do new wheels need to be trued?

The wheel does not have to be perfectly round or true; slight runouts are acceptable (a few millimeters). As long as there are no loose spokes and the wheel is reasonably straight (the rim and tire mustn’t rub on the brake pads), it will ride nicely and hold up fine.

Do wheelsets make a difference?

Saving wheelset weight will make a huge difference to your sense of acceleration and overall energy efficiency and endurance while out riding.

Can I ride Untrued wheel?

Untrue wheels are weaker, may cause steering to be difficult at high speed, and if you’re using rim brakes it will cause stuttering or lockups. Having said that, it would need to be damn untrue for any of the above to be a serious problem. Show activity on this post. It depends on the reason for them not being true.

How long do wheelsets last?

“The lifespan can fall within a pretty huge window,” he explains. “In the worst cases, riders may experience rim lifespans as short as 1500 miles, and in the best cases perhaps up to 12000 miles! So as you can see, it’s a tricky one to put a figure on.” Not all rims are the same either.

How often do wheels need truing?

about once a year

You should have the wheels and spokes trued and tensioned about once a year (if your ride often). Bicycle spoke rings can be plucked just like any other stringed instrument such as a guitar or a harp.

How do I know if my spokes are tight enough?

Once the rim is free from blips and serious flat spots, check the tension of the spokes. Put your thumb around one spoke and your fingers around the spoke next to it and squeeze. The spokes should feel tight and firm. They should have just a little give when you squeeze them fairly hard.

Should I upgrade my stock wheels?

Upgrading the stock wheel would be worth it only if the value brought by the substitute wheel, in terms of aerodynamics performance and weight, is significantly higher than the cost of the wheels.

How much faster are 50mm wheels?

2-3mph

50mm is going to be a bit faster for a novice rider, wanting to get up a group in chaingangs etc. Average speeds can increase 2-3mph over box-section wheels. Good for bunch riding and fast stage racing for all levels. 60mm is the way to go for smooth rolling roads where outright speed is paramount.

Do aero wheels make you faster?

Using aero wheels has been found to reduce a cyclist’s CdA by 3-5%, so if you generate 350W of power, using aero wheels could see your speed on the flat rise from 44.6kmh to 45.4kmh, an increase of 1.63%.

How much does it cost to Respoke a bicycle wheel?

If the wheel is fixable–it generally looks good but has a wobble–you can expect your local bike shop to charge $20 – $30 to true it using professional equipment like a truing stand for the perfect line and roundness.

Why do bike wheels go out of true?

One of the most common reasons wheels go out of true: loose spokes. Check tension by squeezing two spokes at a time between your thumb and fingers, says LaPorta. A really loose spoke will be obvious (as you do this more often, you’ll be able to feel subtle differences).

How do you know if your bike wheel is not real?

A bicycle wheel that is properly round and that doesn’t wobble from side to side is said to be ‘true’. If it’s a circle, without high spots or low spots, it’s concentrically true. If it the rim doesn’t move to one side or the other when you spin it, it’s laterally true.

How often should you tension spokes?

You can do a quick check by plucking the spokes like a string. They should all have a nice high note. You should have them trued and tensioned about once a year if you ride often. To be honest I don’t check every ride, especially since I got disc brakes.

How tight should a bicycle spoke be?


Quote from video: It's best to start with a spoke next to the tire valve this will give you a clear stopping point once you've made your way around the rim.

How do you true a wheel at home?

How to true a bike wheel with a stand

  1. Place your wheel in the truing stand. We’re looking at lateral alignment, where the wheel is pulling to the side. …
  2. Spin the wheel. Rotate the wheel in the stand. …
  3. Locate the buckle. …
  4. Find the relevant spoke. …
  5. Adjust the tension. …
  6. Check and recheck.


Are new bike wheels true?

Quote from video: Playlist at a fundamental level the wheels act as bearings between the bike and the ground allowing you to roll down the trail or the road but inside the structure of the wheel.

Why do bike wheels go out of true?

One of the most common reasons wheels go out of true: loose spokes. Check tension by squeezing two spokes at a time between your thumb and fingers, says LaPorta. A really loose spoke will be obvious (as you do this more often, you’ll be able to feel subtle differences).

How much does it cost to true a wheel?

If the wheel is fixable–it generally looks good but has a wobble–you can expect your local bike shop to charge $20 – $30 to true it using professional equipment like a truing stand for the perfect line and roundness.

Can you unbuckle a bike wheel?

To get rid of the buckle, tighten the spoke(s) on the opposite side to the buckle. Start with the spoke in the middle of the buckled section. Tighten it half a turn. Turn the wheel by hand to see what effect this has had.