How to Fix a Warped Bicycle Wheel
Repairing a bent or warped bicycle rim is a great skill for any avid cyclist to have. However, if you have a rim that is severely bent, your best bet might be to take it to your trusted bike mechanic or even replace the rim or wheel entirely. A rim that is out of true is a fairly simple fix. A truly damaged rim can be weakened and dangerous to ride on.
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Instructions
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Truing a Bike Rim
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1
Assess the damage to your rim. Turn the bike upside down and spin the suspect wheel. Does the rim seem to wobble a little bit or is it truly bent beyond recognition? Is there just a slight bend or multiple bends? For severe damage, you might want to take it to your bike mechanic.
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2
Remove the damaged wheel from your bike.
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3
Deflate the tire and remove the tire from the damaged wheel.
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4
Mount the wheel on your truing stand. It is possible to perform this repair without removing the tire or wheel from your bike, but you'll get the best results if you remove the tire and tube, and use a truing stand.
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5
Find the warped section(s) of the wheel. Spin the wheel in your truing stand and see where the wheel wobbles or touches the guides.
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6
Adjust the tension on the spokes. Find the spokes in the middle of the bent section. Loosen the spokes on the convex side and tighten the spokes on the concave side. Turn counter clockwise to the rim to tighten a spoke. Use a half-turn of the spoke wrench at a time and check the trueness of the wheel often. It is best to take each step gradually.
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7
Check frequently to see if the wheel is true. If it spins in your truing stand without touching the guides or spins straight in your forks without wobbling, remount the tire, inflate it and get back to riding.
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Tips & Warnings
Take it easy with the spoke wrench. Don't turn it more than a half turn or full turn at a time for each spoke. Truing a wheel takes time and patience.
Your adjusted wheel might make some noise, clicking or popping, when you start riding again. This is normal. The spokes have been adjusted in length and tension and need to re-seat themselves in the wheel.
