How to true a wheel

You cannot make an omelette without a few breaking eggs. Your wheels can also break down of course. Your wheel is like a hoop with strings that hold the hub in the middle. If all strings (the spokes) are the same length and have the same tension, then the wheel is straight as an arrow. No buckles, laterally or concentrically. In this 'How to true a wheel' I’ll explain how to remove the imperfections in your wheel. However careful you may be, it’s easy to buckle your wheel.

Contents

1. Necessary tools
2. Different kinds of buckles
3. Method

1. Tools

• Wheel truing stand
• Spoke key
• Flat spoke nipple key
• Centring Gauge

2. Different kinds of buckles

Lateral

If one spoke breaks, or isn’t tense, so it wobbles from side to side, it is not laterally true. If a spoke breaks on the left, the buckle will point to the right, because the spokes on the right are still tight and warp the rim.

Concentrical

The distance between the rim and the hub should be the same for every spoke, if not there will be a bump or lump on the rim. The wheel is not concentrically true. This can also be caused if a group of spokes loses its spoke tension, for example because of a pothole or a tree trunk

3. Method wheel truing

When you’re truing a wheel, the idea is to restore the proper distance between the hub and the rim. The rim should also be centred correctly above the hub.

Step 1 is removing the tyre. The tyre pressure reduces spoke tension. If you’re going to true the wheel with the tyre, there’s a chance the spoke tension will be too high.

Step 2 is checking if the rim is above the hub, right in the middle. If the rim is too far to the left and the spoke tension is low, then only tighten the spokes on the right. If the spoke tension is high, then first loosen all left spokes half a turn before you tighten the spokes on the right half a turn. Check if the rim is in the middle, repeat steps if necessary.Step 3 Place the wheel in the wheel truing stand, and look for all buckles. If there are more than one, start with the worst buckle. If they are equally bad, than repair them all at the same time.
To tighten the nipple turn left, to loosen it, turn right. So left is tight, right is loose. If the spoke also turns, then hold it in place with a pair of (flat) pliers, wrap some tape around the spoke to prevent damage to the spoke. There are special tools, by Park Tool for example.

Step 4 is repairing the concentric buckle. These kinds of buckles are easy to repair by tightening both the left and the right spokes.

Global Cycling Network made a video which clearly explains and demonstrates how to repair your wheels.