Things You'll Need:
- Spoke Wrench
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Step 1
With the tire and rim strip removed. Grasp the axle firmly on each side between the thumb and first finger of each hand. If it is a rear wheel place the gear side on your right.
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Step 2
Pick up the wheel, still holding the axle firmly, Hold the wheel below eye level and spin the wheel away from you (direction of travel). You are looking for side to side play. Note if the bend goes to just one side or one side than another (snake bend).
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Step 3
If the wheel has a slight bend to one side skip to step 6. If the wheel has a pronounced bend or snake bend you need to loosen all the spokes in the wheel. Make certain you have the correct spoke wrench, In order not to strip the spoke nipples.
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Step 4
Clamp the bent section of the rim in a vice sandwiched between 2 pieces of wood (short sections of 2x4 preferred).
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Step 5
Apply pressure all along the bent area moving the wheel as necessary, easy on the pressure. When bend is reasonably straight, remove.
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Step 6
Place the wheel in a truing stand or flip your bicycle upside down and install the wheel making sure the hub is centered in the frame or fork. You can start with the spokes at the current tension or loosen all spokes with the same amount of threads showing above each spoke nipple. Your goal is to center the rim between the rear chainstays (pictured) the fork blades or the truing stand calipers. These are your guides, brake pads are not always centered. Your goal is also to keep the same approximate tension on each spoke. Tighten each spoke nipple until you just cover the spoke threads. Counter clockwise to tighten, clockwise loosen.
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Step 7
Slowly continue tightening each spoke the same amount of turns. If you tighten the spokes that come from the right hand side of the hub, the rim will move right, same for the left side. When the spokes get tight, loosening the right hand spokes will allow the wheel to move left, loosen the left to make the rim go right.
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Step 8
Once the spokes start to get tight and the rim centered, spin the wheel in the direction of travel every third spoke or so to check your progress.
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Step 9
Now start checking for up and down motion of the rim (hop). If the rim is too high, you will need to increase the tension in the area. If rim is too low, decrease tension in the area. Once the wheel is just about ready, take the wheel out of the bike and set it on the ground. Push down on the rim hard. Keep turning the wheel, pushing down on all sides. You are relieving the stress on the spokes allowing them to seat, you will hear them ping. Put the wheel back on the bike, continue to true, stress relieve, true.
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Step 10
Patience and practice will keep you rolling.
