To ride any type of bike safely, the wheels must be aligned and spin straight. The spokes on your bike wheels play a big role in keeping your wheels aligned properly. When the tension on all of the spokes in a wheel is even and the spokes are tight, the wheel is strong and “true.” When you adjust the spokes to correct the alignment of the wheel, it is known as “truing” the wheel. You may need to adjust your wheels for anything from dents in the rim, to the brake pads slightly rubbing when you turn. A lateral true, or side to side wobble of the wheel is the most common alignment problem, and is not complicated to fix.
Step 1
Place the bike in a “truing stand” or some type of stand that will keep it still and enable you to spin the tire. You can also hang the bike up.
Step 2
Turn the wheel around until you find the spot that is creating the problem.
Step 3
Grab four or five spokes between the wheel hub and the rim at the site of the problem and gently squeeze to shorten the spokes slightly. Look to see if the rim bends in the direction you want it to go.
Step 4
Stand above the wheel and turn the spoke nipples clockwise to shorten the spoke where you were squeezing. Turn each nipple about half a turn, then inspect the result.
Step 5
Continue tightening some spoke nipples and loosening others until you find the right balance. Patience is the key. Stop when the wheel spins straight and no longer makes contact with the wheel.
Things You'll Need
- Bike stand or truing stand
- Spoke wrench
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