Bike wheels are subject to constant wear and tear on the road, which can lead to them going out of true or buckleing over time.
Reversing this situation should be straightforward with some patience and time. First, locate the area in which your wheel rubs against brake blocks by spinning it around and noting any visible buckled areas on its circumference.
1. Tighten the Spokes
The spokes of a wheel connect the hub to the rim, transferring power from drivetrain to rim while also providing strength and structure. They’re typically thin metal rods; more spokes in a wheel mean stronger and more rigid construction; each spoke has an end cap known as a nipple which can be tightened or loosened to adjust tension to keep wheel spinning straighter (‘true).
Nipples on bicycle wheels are threaded for use with a special tool known as a spoke key, which can tighten and loosen spokes with one simple turn clockwise or anticlockwise on its threads. Movement should be minimal – 1/4 to 1/2 turn maximum over the area of adjustment as tightening too far may shorten rather than lengthen the spokes.
- Secure the Bike: First, ensure your bike is stable by placing it on a stand and releasing its brakes if necessary.
- Spin the Wheel: To identify areas of deviance on either the lateral (side-to-side) or radial plane (up and down)
- Adjust Spokes: Use a spoke wrench to tighten or loosen spokes at misalignments where needed – tightening on one side will pull the rim toward that side while loosening them will correct them and restore alignments recheck and repeat until your wheel runs true.
- Recheck and Repeat: Continue adjusting and rechecking until its true running true!
2. Tighten the Rim
Bike wheels can suffer extensive damage from turning, breaking and the constant friction from road surfaces, leading to them going out of true and even buckleing over time. However, with proper tools and some patience you should be able to repair buckled wheels yourself without professional intervention.
Start by spinning your bike’s wheel to identify any areas where buckling occurs. If possible, mount it on a wheel truing stand so it is easier to spot where the issue lies; otherwise suspend the wheel upside-down from cable ties or cables on the frame in order to gain easy view of both spokes and rim.
With your spoke wrench in hand, loosen and tighten each spoke to bring them closer to the rim, repeating this step on both sides to realign and true out the wheel. Be patient as you work; check on it periodically to gauge progress; taking care not to over-tighten as doing so could cause more damage or cracking of the rim.
To assess your final results, spin your wheel again to identify any areas where buckling still persists, then wiggle its spokes in these spots to feel for any that appear significantly looser than their neighbors. Tighten any loose spokes on the low side while loosening those on the high side in order to restore balance to your rim and straighten your rim rim.
3. Tighten the Hub
Bike wheels can be vulnerable to various damaging forces that can cause them to go out of true or buckle, making riding frustrating and potentially hazardous. With patience and the appropriate tools, however, buckled wheels can usually be repaired in just a few steps.
Start by unplugging the cassette or freewheel, followed by unbuckling and disassembling the quick-release skewer, before inspecting the axle end – which should ideally sit flush against or recessed into the frame or fork dropout – but if its end protrudes even slightly it could compromise secure holding of your skewer and may result in loss of hold on it.
Next, inspect the hub cups and cones for any signs of pitting or damage using a ballpoint pen to trace their bearing path and feel for any rough spots as the small tip passes over cones. If they’re severely damaged it may not be possible to replace them; an entirely new hub would usually be necessary instead.
With a cone wrench, loosen the locknut on the nondrive side cone (i.e. the one located near where you will place the wheel). Check to make sure all cones and washers are still oriented as planned – being careful not to lose any pieces. If your wheel was buckling with only slight play when mounted outside your bike frame or fork and none at all when clamped onto either it or its fork/frame clamped inside its wheel then this adjustment may be sufficient.
4. Tighten the Brake Blocks
If your wheel has buckled and you have not taken steps already to adjust its brake blocks to an acceptable distance from the rim, squeeze your brake to check. If one or both brake pads is pressing against it and touching another pad on either side of it, loosen its bolt at the back of the arm, realign and retighten to secure.
At first, this may take several attempts before everything falls into place properly. Aim to leave a small gap between your brake pads and the rim, while also not making them touch; otherwise you run the risk of annoying squeaking noises or faster wear on your pads.
To secure the brake caliper to its mounting bolt is typically done using an Allen key (or Torx screwdriver). Once loosen, use your fingers to move it so it sits within its grooves on the rim and follows its curvature.
Tighten the caliper mounting bolts – not all the way, just enough so the caliper can be moved left and right by hand when you jiggle it – until it fits securely in its correct place, check for an acceptable gap between rim and brake pad, and then retighten its bolts.
