A loose spoke can lead to mechanical failure of your cycling wheel, and it must be tightened to the appropriate specifications. A loose spoke is an indication that your wheel rim is also out of alignment and must be trued (aligned with the rim). Truing may appear complicated, but with practice the process can be accomplished quickly and with little difficulty.
Step 1
Remove the wheel from the bike and place it in the truing stand. Adjust the caliper arm of the truing stand so that the calipers are aligned with the rim wall and are approximately 0.5cm away from the rim wall.
Step 2
Locate the loose spoke and tighten until slight tension is developed in that spoke. Place a small piece of electrical tape on the loose spoke for easy identification. Examine the wheel for other loose spokes. Locate the appropriate spoke wrench for your particular wheel set. Use the spoke tension gauge to insure that proper tension is maintained in each spoke around the wheel. Tighten those that need tightening and loosen those that need loosening.
Step 3
Rotate the wheel to determine if the truing calipers touch the rim. If the rim touches at any point, loosen the calipers until the wheel rotates without touching. Spin the wheel again. As the wheel rotates, slowly close the calipers toward the rim until you hear the two touch. Locate the section of rim that touches the caliper as it rotates.
Step 4
Loosen the spoke (using the spoke wrench) located on the side of the rim that touched the caliper and tighten the spoke on the opposite side. Make small adjustments to both spokes, only turning a quarter to a half turn each time.
Step 5
Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the calipers are 1 to 2mm from each side of the rim and the wheel rotates through the caliper without touching.
Tips and Warnings
- Bladed spokes will require the use of a tool to keep the blades facing in the correct direction.
- Always check spoke tension prior to riding.
Things You'll Need
- Truing stand
- Spoke wrench
- Spoke tension gauge
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