[Da Peach]

Recently I've had a problem with spokes popping out of my hub on my Dee-Max wheels. This is likely due to a lack of tension in the spokes. I don't know a whole lot about truing wheels, so I'm pretty hesitant with fiddling.

I'm guessing that as long as the wheel is straight, if I mark the starting point, then go around making slight adjustments to the each spoke, I'll be alright. But how do you proceed? Do you tighten opposite spokes (180 degrees from one another, in pairs)?

I don't want to make a Dee-Pretzel.

 

[HAB]

You can just go around the rim tightening spokes in succession. As long as you don't go crazy about it, you'll be fine.


One piece of advice: Don't tighten them as much as you think you should to start with. When you start tightening, you'll effectively pull the hub off center just a tiny bit. Once you get all the way around, you'll have pulled the hub back to center, and increased the overall spoke tension a bit more than it seemed like you were after doing the first few.

 

[H8R]

First off, practice on a ****ty wheel.

1/4 turn at a time. Start from "zero" tension and re-tension the wheel EVENLY.

Maximum tension is reached when the rim can no longer hold true. (on most wheels with alum rims) You will know it when it happens. The wheel will pull out of true in one sweeping slightly "potato chip" wave. Going higher than this might fvck the wheel up.



Back off at least a quarter turn from there to reach max tension.


Like I said though, practice on crap wheel till you get the hang of it.

Remember the formula:
Expensive wheel + spoke wrench / inexperience = fail.

 

[Da Peach]

First off, practice on a ****ty wheel.

1/4 turn at a time. Start from "zero" tension and re-tension the wheel EVENLY.

Maximum tension is reached when the rim can no longer hold true. (on most wheels with alum rims) You will know it when it happens. The wheel will pull out of true in one sweeping slightly "potato chip" wave. Going higher than this might fvck the wheel up.



Back off at least a quarter turn from there to reach max tension.


Like I said though, practice on crap wheel till you get the hang of it.

Remember the formula:
Expensive wheel + spoke wrench / inexperience = fail.

Yeah, I've been spooked out of touching wheels from a bad BMX "truing" experience as a child. The last thing I want to do is have my tinkering cost me a day out riding.

 

[H8R]

Yeah, I've been spooked out of touching wheels from a bad BMX "truing" experience as a child. The last thing I want to do is have my tinkering cost me a day out riding.

Don't worry, it only takes several years to get the hang of it.

 

[ultraNoob]

...Once you get all the way around, you'll have pulled the hub back to center, and increased the overall spoke tension a bit more than it seemed like you were after doing the first few.

The wheel will pull out of true in one sweeping slightly "potato chip" wave. Going higher than this might fvck the wheel up.

Remember the formula:
Expensive wheel + spoke wrench / inexperience = fail.

My first lace job went exactly like that. I've since learned better..... sorta.

Good luck with the spoke peach. Looks like you're not the only one with that problem.

 

[urbaindk]

I have a related question...

I have a cheapo machine built cyclocross/hybrid wheel (deore hub/sun cr18 rim) that I have retensioned several times. I get it nice and true and tight but after 50-100 miles or so a few spokes come loose and it goes out of true again and starts popping and tinging. With out completely taking the wheel apart is there any way to keep the tension up so I don't have to retension it every week?

I suppose I could just undo one spoke at a time and put spoke prep on but that seems like a pain. I'd almost rather just start over and build a new wheel.

 

[Da Peach]

I'm now popping a spoke with every ride. This sucks.

 

[H8R]

I'm now popping a spoke with every ride. This sucks.

A wheel that has been ridden with insufficient tension will develop overall fatigue in the spokes that will result in failures.

The failures are from cumulative stresses. That's why the spokes popping is (probably) seemingly random.

A properly tensioned spoke (and wheel overall) can withstand the loads being put on it better and the load cycles do not flex and fatigue the spokes.


I hope this makes sense.


Sometimes just getting the wheel properly tensioned and true by a pro will prolong the inevitable - the wheel is dying.

Or get it re-built with fresh spokes and make sure the tension is kept at maximum, especially after a break-in period.

 

[Da Peach]

A wheel that has been ridden with insufficient tension will develop overall fatigue in the spokes that will result in failures.

The failures are from cumulative stresses. That's why the spokes popping is (probably) seemingly random.

A properly tensioned spoke (and wheel overall) can withstand the loads being put on it better and the load cycles do not flex and fatigue the spokes.


I hope this makes sense.


Sometimes just getting the wheel properly tensioned and true by a pro will prolong the inevitable - the wheel is dying.

Or get it re-built with fresh spokes and make sure the tension is kept at maximum, especially after a break-in period.

Yeah, I guess I'll have to find a wheel guy, and probably another wheel.

 

[HAB]

I have a related question...

I have a cheapo machine built cyclocross/hybrid wheel (deore hub/sun cr18 rim) that I have retensioned several times. I get it nice and true and tight but after 50-100 miles or so a few spokes come loose and it goes out of true again and starts popping and tinging. With out completely taking the wheel apart is there any way to keep the tension up so I don't have to retension it every week?

I suppose I could just undo one spoke at a time and put spoke prep on but that seems like a pain. I'd almost rather just start over and build a new wheel.

It dosn't sound like you're retensioning it enough. Spokes come loose because they're too loose to begin with. The portion of the wheel that is in contact with the ground deforms up slightly, relieving some of the tension on the spokes. The spokes should be tight enough in a static situation that they are still taught when the wheel has deformed and loosened them some. If they're too loose to begin with, they can loose most of their tension when the wheel deforms, and loosen up even more. If they stay tight, they won't move.

 

[Wumpus]

I suppose I could just undo one spoke at a time and put spoke prep on but that seems like a pain. I'd almost rather just start over and build a new wheel.

Linseed oil works well and you might be able to get it to 'seep' down by spinning the wheel -- OR -- you could try some loctite and do the same.

 

[BikeMike]

Linseed oil works well and you might be able to get it to 'seep' down by spinning the wheel -- OR -- you could try some loctite and do the same.

Good advice.

Blue loctite will do the job if it's not too greasy in there. Clean the nipples as best as you can and apply just a tiny bit of the stuff to the spoke/nipple interface after you've tensioned and trued. Then spin the wheel. It will seep in a bit. Should be good for a few adjustments.

Also, when you tension the wheel, are you relieving the spokes intermittently? I use the hard to describe "hunch over and stick the rim on top of your upper quads, grasp the far side with both hands, lay forearms across rim and make like you're trying to fold the wheel in half, but not too ridiculously hard, then rotate and repeat" method. If the spokes are wound up, they will ping/unwind/pop/do whatever spokes like to do. If there was a lot of pinging, you'll probably have to true the wheel again and repeat.

Edit: Wumpus gets old school bonus points for suggesting linseed oil. However, it takes a while to polymerize enough to become tacky. I think loctite is a better bet for post-build spoke locking, but I don't have enough data to draw any real conclusions.

 

[urbaindk]

Edit: Wumpus gets old school bonus points for suggesting linseed oil. However, it takes a while to polymerize enough to become tacky. I think loctite is a better bet for post-build spoke locking, but I don't have enough data to draw any real conclusions.

I went to Home Depot hoping they would have some linseed oil. They did, in a 1 gallon container. How many wheels you reckon I could build with a gallon of linseed oil? I didn't buy it so I guess I'll never know. I think I'll try the loctite. I've got to find some liquid loctite. I have the solid kind that comes in a lipstick tube but it doesn't seep so it won't do me much good in this application.

 

[HAB]

I went to Home Depot hoping they would have some linseed oil. They did, in a 1 gallon container. How many wheels you reckon I could build with a gallon of linseed oil? I didn't buy it so I guess I'll never know. I think I'll try the loctite. I've got to find some liquid loctite. I have the solid kind that comes in a lipstick tube but it doesn't seep so it won't do me much good in this application.

About eleventy-billion. The shop I work at has a gallon jug that looks like it's at least 15 years old, and we're less than 1/4 of the way through it.

 

[H8R]

I've Got To Find Some Liquid Loctite. I Have The Solid Kind That Comes In A Lipstick Tube But It Doesn't Seep So It Won't Do Me Much Good In This Application.

Don't Use The Red Stuff.