# Riding on Untrue Wheels?



## threesportsinone (Mar 27, 2007)

So, after a record setting winter, the roads here a horrible, especially downtown, where I commute. It is pretty much impossible to avoid huge separation cracks in the concrete (a couple inches long, the whole rode wide, and ~10inches deep) and potholes on asphalt.

Now, the wheels. I built these wheels a while ago: vintage campy english threaded hubs (not sure what model, not record), laced 36h 3x with straight 14g spokes and brass nipples to open pros. I trued them last in November (after a run in with an SUV) and now they are out of true so that I can see that they are out of true, but they aren't rubbing the break pads.

The wheels support a fair amount of weight between a 10+pound frameset, a couple pounds of brooks saddle, me (160lbs), and books+other school materials. And I regularly haul a trailer of groceries with these wheels, if that matters.

So, how bad is it to ride on wheels that are slightly out of true?


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## SleeveleSS (Jun 3, 2007)

I don't think its that bad, except if they are out of true, they are more likely to get worse with riding. That sounds like a pretty strong build, but if you are really beating them up that much after having them professionally trued, maybe you should think about lacing up some strong (read heavier) rims. Deep V's seem to be a popular choice for a cheapish strong rim. With the 36 hole hubs you have, some heavy gauge spokes, and a heavier rim, you shouldn't be knocking them out of true if they are properly built up. 

I just don't think you should be having problems with your current set. I weight 195, and have ridden around on a 20 spoke front, 24 spoke rear 1450 gram wheelset daily for over 2 years now and they have never been trued. I don't intentionally hit the bad stuff, but I've bunny hopped on them and hit some nasty stuff unintentionally. I've had to retighten the hubs several times, but they really haven't given any problems. At your weight, and with 28 more spokes than me, I have to think there is something else going on.


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## threesportsinone (Mar 27, 2007)

> I don't think its that bad, except if they are out of true, they are more likely to get worse with riding. That sounds like a pretty strong build, but if you are really beating them up that much after having them professionally trued, maybe you should think about lacing up some strong (read heavier) rims. Deep V's seem to be a popular choice for a cheapish strong rim. With the 36 hole hubs you have, some heavy gauge spokes, and a heavier rim, you shouldn't be knocking them out of true if they are properly built up.


Properly built, yes. Professionally trued, well I'm no pro, but thanks.



> I just don't think you should be having problems with your current set. I weight 195, and have ridden around on a 20 spoke front, 24 spoke rear 1450 gram wheelset daily for over 2 years now and they have never been trued. I don't intentionally hit the bad stuff, but I've bunny hopped on them and hit some nasty stuff unintentionally. I've had to retighten the hubs several times, but they really haven't given any problems. At your weight, and with 28 more spokes than me, I have to think there is something else going on.


When you ride on those wheels, you have a nice light bike, a saddle bag maybe and a jersey, right? I may weigh 160, but the bike is 25, and the books are usually around 15-20 depending on the day. 

And I don't try to hit stuff either, but I do hit one of these expansion cracks every 20 feet for a mile or two. But if the wheels should hold up to that, then I'll check to see if that crash bent the rims, but I don't think so, cause I didn't have too much trouble truing them up afterwards.

I'll be home this weekend so I should have some time with the TS-2 to get them all trued up, I just don't want to have to true them every weekend.


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## SleeveleSS (Jun 3, 2007)

threesportsinone said:


> When you ride on those wheels, you have a nice light bike, a saddle bag maybe and a jersey, right? I may weigh 160, but the bike is 25, and the books are usually around 15-20 depending on the day.


Even with those numbers, you are still almost ten pounds lighter than me overall. Also, this is my only road bike at the moment (hope to get a Cross Check soon as a utility bike) so I carry a backpack on it all the time. I'm not saying that you aren't experiencing problems, or that you have any way of avoiding the crappy road surface. I'm just saying that you have a pretty bomber road wheelset currently, and in my experience you shouldn't be having the problems you are. Have you checked for even spoke tension? Are you open to relacing those hubs with a new rim? Are you just wanted to know if you can continue to ride the wheels out of true, or are you looking for a solution that will stop them from going out of true in the first place? Messing with wheels every weekend is no fun for anyone; hopefully you can find a solution.


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## threesportsinone (Mar 27, 2007)

> Have you checked for even spoke tension? Are you open to relacing those hubs with a new rim? Are you just wanted to know if you can continue to ride the wheels out of true, or are you looking for a solution that will stop them from going out of true in the first place? Messing with wheels every weekend is no fun for anyone; hopefully you can find a solution.


Not with a special tool, I was going to attempt to make a tension meter, but calibrating the thing sucked, I'll bring it by the shop later and check tension, thanks.

No, I have a couple unbuilt wheels and rebuilds that are higher on the list than these (I want to mess around with a front disc hub and a 700c rim and see if I can't make a fixed wheel, the path of least resistance has been taken over by the path of least expenses)

Just want to know if I'm going to die because of untrue wheels.

The solutions I've come up with aren't good ones, the bus and driving being the top two.


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## SleeveleSS (Jun 3, 2007)

threesportsinone said:


> Not with a special tool, I was going to attempt to make a tension meter, but calibrating the thing sucked, I'll bring it by the shop later and check tension, thanks.
> 
> No, I have a couple unbuilt wheels and rebuilds that are higher on the list than these (I want to mess around with a front disc hub and a 700c rim and see if I can't make a fixed wheel, the path of least resistance has been taken over by the path of least expenses)
> 
> ...


Gotcha. Well, it seems like the most likely culprit is uneven tension then. Might just have to start over with the same materials and rebuild to a nice even tension all around, and have your problem solved, for nothing but the cost of labor. Since your going to do it yourself, that would be the path of least expenses.


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