How to correct a bicycle wheel

How to correct a bicycle wheel with a spoke wrench

Preparation: Install the wheel Before you start bending the wheel, you need to do three things:
1. Loosen the quick release lever and release the wheel from the fork
2. Prepare each nipple with a drop of light oil
3. Remove the tire and inner tube with a tire rod
Although not mandatory, this second step is essential for beginners. Without tires, you will be more likely to find rim deviations.

Step 1: Put the wheel on the orthopedic table and adjust the indicator
Once the hub is fixed on the shaping table, place the indicator on each side of the rim, approximately 1 inch. You don’t want them to touch, but they must be close enough that you can hardly fit a finger.

Step 2: Rotate the wheel to find out the source of deviation
To do this, slowly rotate the handle until you hear the contact between the rim and the indicator as the wheel rotates. Make sure to stop turning the handle once the rim and indicator lightly touch each other.

If the wheels stop, you are going too far. Release the indicator and rotate the wheel again.

Step 3: Position the edge off the center of the area
Once you have identified the area on the rim where the deviation is severe, you need to find the center of this area to know which spokes to tighten.

To make sure you find the correct position, grab the two nearest spokes from the center and squeeze them together. If the rim deviates from the indicator, it means you are working in the correct area.

Remember, you need to turn the spoke wrench clockwise to tighten the spoke threaded joint, and turn it counterclockwise to loosen it.

Step 4: Use a wrench to tighten the spoke threaded joints
Keep moving slowly and observe how the rim reacts when the spokes are tightened. If it is too tight, there is a risk of damaging the integrity of the spoke.

If you hear the squeaking sound, you either forgot to add oil, or the threads were turned too hard. In doubt, loosen the spokes.

A good rule of thumb is: After every quarter turn of each nipple, rotate the wheel backwards and compare its effect on deviation with an indicator finger.

Step 5: Repeat the process until the deviation is corrected
In order to keep the balance of the wheel intact, you need to tighten the spokes on both sides of the rim to ensure the opposite. Once the right spoke of the rim is evenly tightened, switch the sides and focus on the left spoke.

How do I know when to stop plastic surgery?
If you have been riding a bicycle long enough, it is likely that your wheels are under a lot of pressure. This means that they may not be “completely real.”

For reference, professionals usually think that a deviation of 0.5 mm is the perfect moment to stop tightening the spokes.

In fact, you will hardly notice this difference. A rim with a lateral deviation of 1 mm will not affect your performance on the bike, nor will it affect the life of the wheel itself.

Bicycle wheel anatomy
In order to learn how to adjust the wheel without reducing the strength of the wheel, it is important to master the components and functions of the bicycle wheel:
One: The structure of the wheel:

The wheel is the driving part of the electric bicycle. The motor generates power and drives the rear wheel to rotate at a certain speed to make the electric bicycle move forward. The front wheel cooperates with the control system to control the driving direction of the electric bicycle.

Pneumatic tires for wheels have certain strength and elasticity and can bear loads. It can slow down the impact caused by uneven road surface and reduce the resulting vibration.

According to the different wheel structure, it is divided into spoke wheel and aluminum alloy integral wheel.

The tire includes an outer tube and an inner tube, and the main material is rubber (natural rubber or synthetic rubber).

1: Tire: It consists of tread (crown and shoulders), carcass, buffer layer and beads.

The tread is in direct contact with the road surface when the vehicle is running, and various patterns are added to obtain proper adhesion and improve anti-skid and braking performance. Electric bicycles sometimes lean on the road. To prevent side slip, the tread pattern should extend to the shoulders.

The carcass plays the role of supporting the tread and connecting the bead. It must have a certain strength, but not too thick.

The ply is the skeleton of the outer tire, and its strength determines the strength of the outer tire. It is not only related to maintaining the shape and size of the tire, but also has an important impact on the rolling stiffness of the tire.

2: Inner tube: It is made of rubber and has a circular ring shape. A valve is installed on it. The inner tube is inflated through the valve. The inflation pressure of the inner tube is the main factor affecting the rigidity of the wheel, the cushioning performance and the life of the tire.

The size of the inner tube is determined by the matched outer tube. The main quality index of the inner tube is air tightness.

3. Edge
The rim is the circular part of the wheel where the tire and spokes intersect. Usually made of aluminum alloy or stainless steel, this is the part of the wheel that is most likely to be impacted by impact or collision with rocks.

4. Spokes
The spokes are thin, hard ropes fixed between the rim and the hub. They can be made of aluminum, stainless steel, carbon fiber or even titanium. They form an important part of the wheel, allowing it to continue spinning without becoming heavy.

5. Hub
The hub is the center point of the wheel, all the spokes are gathered here, and the axle is connected to the front fork. Standard bicycle wheels are usually made of a mixture of steel, aluminum and carbon, and include a set of two bearings to smooth the rotation of the wheel.

6. Brake pads
Also known as brake system or rim brake, brake pads are not part of the wheel because they are connected to the front fork, but they directly interact with the rim and cause some wheel failures after falling or twisting. There are different types of brake pads on the market, such as calipers, cantilever or v-type brakes.

If you are interested in motorized bike and want to know more, you could browse previous articles or visit our Official Website, also choose to leave your message below. If you are interested in electric bike, you can contact us. zhebike.en.alibaba.com/
Please leave a message