loose spokes, truing

sterolos
sterolos Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in The workshop
Hi, I noticed my front rim was making a funny twang noise, spoke to local bike shops, they said with it being new bike the spokes will be loose. So I thought id give it a go.. I used techniques I found online with out using a true stand. To begin with the rim all over the place but I figured it out now I think its straight and true BUT closer inspection I noticed a few spokes have thread showing around the nipple & some have non showing, yet my rear rim theres no thread showing on any.. Does this mean ive done it wrong or the whole rim is out/not true? Worried a bit about breaking spokes as I commute to work.

Thanks for reading

Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    sterolos wrote:
    they said with it being new bike the spokes will be loose.
    You what?! That sounds coblers .... when a wheel is built then it should be ready to ride.
  • dgunthor
    dgunthor Posts: 644
    normally when you ride a new wheel it will make a few pinging noises the first time as the spokes have lot of weight on them for the first time. this is normal.

    only needs truing if it is out of true
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    dgunthor wrote:
    normally when you ride a new wheel it will make a few pinging noises the first time as the spokes have lot of weight on them for the first time. this is normal.

    It's only normal if the builder/factory has not relieved any spoke wind-up by loading the wheel during the build.

    An ideal wheel has even spoke tensions (spokes on each side at the same tension as each other - rear wheels have different L/R tensions) that are in the correct range. The only way to check this is either with a tension gauge or by experience.

    Most cheaper factory wheels are far from 'ideal', but are good enough to work. I would leave your wheel alone unless your wheel is actually out of true, you are breaking spokes, or you are suffering from spokes going slack.

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