What to Spot
There are a few indicators to show you that your wheel is not in its proper circular shape and is no longer true. Firstly there are loose spokes. If you squeeze your spokes together and wobble them individually and feel that one or a few of them are loose or slacker than the rest, is the reason for the wheel falling out of shape.
Other visual indicators of an untrue wheel are that if you turn you bicycle upside down and spin the wheel, you may notice the wheel float or bob up and down, another indication that the wheel needs truing. Also, with your bike still upside down if you look down the barrel of where your brakes are you may notice that as the wheel spins the wheel will sway side to side, from one brake to the centre or over to the other brake, then you have a wonky wheel that needs fixing!
But what is a True Wheel?
Your bicycle wheel is made up of three major components that make it into a wheel. First there’s the circular rim, second the spokes, and third the hub. The hub is the centre section of the bicycle and the spokes are threaded through this and are fixed down into holes in the rim.
To make the wheel into a complete circular shape the spokes need to be in equal tension with each other, when complete is known as being in true. When first building a wheel tightening up the screws inside the rim holds the parts into position. Then to accurately tighten the spokes this is done using a special tool at the bottom of the spokes where it joins the rim. The tool enables the spoke can be turned to adjust its tension and in doing so pulling the rest of the wheel into shape.
The Truing Tool – Spoke Wrench
The tool is called a spoke wrench and fits at the bottom of a spoke, into the larger point entering the rim known as a nipple, to enable the spoke to be turned to increase or decrease the tension. A truing key is available in different sizes, according to the variations in the different size nipples.
It’s a simple inexpensive tool that can perform a major much needed adjustment to your bicycle wheel but you really do need to know how to use it properly to perform this task.
Further Reading
How to True a Bicycle Wheel
How to true a bicycle wheel is a relatively simple procedure all you need to do is tighten up the spokes again to bringing the wheel back into shape. But it takes time and patience and an observant eye to make the adjustments. This article takes you through how to true a bicycle wheel first by checking for misalignment.
