Mountain Biking - Oh no... why is my rim doing this?

I got my truing stand today and I was messing around with it a little bit. I came across something that made me cringe...

Imagine you are standing next to the rim, looking at the sidewalls of the rim as well as all of the spokes. Well, there's one point in my rim there it buldges outward quite a bit. I at first thought those particular spokes were just entirely too loose, and the rest of the rim was too tight... making this buldge out since the loose spokes would essentially mean longer spokes.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Roasted/DSCN4519.jpg
*This picture shows the buldge in the rim hitting the gauge.*
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Roasted/DSCN4518.jpg
*This picture shows the space between the gauge and the rim. This is how it should be.*
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Roasted/DSCN4517.jpg
*This picture shows the rim hitting the gauge again.*
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Roasted/DSCN4516.jpg
*This picture if you notice, there's a line in the rim... which tells us this is where the two pieces came together to make the rim whole. Hmmm... could this mean something?*
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Roasted/DSCN4514.jpg
*Rim hitting, again.*

BTW, if anybody knows where you can get free hosting for videos around 4-5 megs I can show a 10-15 second video of exactly what it's doing...

With that being said, what can we do? I go to the beach in a week and believe it or not I was most excited about waking up in the morning to ride bike on the boardwalk.
:(

use manual focus, your camera is not focusing on the correct area.

use manual focus, your camera is not focusing on the correct area.

I did use manual focus. I can see very bluntly where the problem is...

You see the beige/silverish horseshoe thing? In the center of that, the black gauge? I have that set fairly close to the rim, and when I spin the rim there's a certain point where it hits. Picture 18 shows very bluntly that there is a space in between the gauge and the rim, like I set it to. Some of the other pictures show where it's hitting.

use manual focus, your camera is not focusing on the correct area.


His camera probably doesn't have a macro lens, in that case even manual focus won't help there.

Let's put it this way. Say you're looking at the side of the wheel, viewing the sidewalls of the rim as well as all of the spokes.

That figure is supposed to be a complete circle, correct?

Mine is not. At one point, it has a buldge outwards. What can I do to fix it? I'm dying for an answer... I have the perfect opportunity for a full day of riding tomorrow (no work, nothing else to do, and my girlfriend is working all day... :D ) and right now this rim is just sitting here cause I don't know what else to do...

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Roasted/paintrim.jpg
*Click once to enlarge the picture in your browser*

The wonders of MS paint. :D
Well you could try adjusting the spokes but I doubt that will help. Hammer the crap out of that bump. :)

The wonders of MS paint. :D
Well you could try adjusting the spokes but I doubt that will help. Hammer the crap out of that bump. :)

Can a bike shop fix this? Sadly, it's 7:05 and I think they close at 7. Sh*t...

If a bike shop can fix this, can anyone give me an estimated price?

edit - I thought it might be useful for me to tell you guys a little more detail about the rim. When the tire is on and I'm going down the street, I don't feel it. To be honest I think the rubber absorbs the small lump anyway. But, when the tire is on, and I hold down my front brake, the brake jumps. I thought it was a bend in the rim causing this, but here it's the small lump that's causing it (at least I'm pretty sure). I think the lump is a few small milimeters high.

Can a bike shop fix this? Sadly, it's 7:05 and I think they close at 7. Sh*t...

If a bike shop can fix this, can anyone give me an estimated price?

Why get your shop to do it...all they will do is beat it with a hammer.

Why get your shop to do it...all they will do is beat it with a hammer.

I just wasn't sure if there was some kind of straightening machine they might use that might be safer to the rim than a rubber hammer. I'm not sure about this because I'm paranoid of bending the spokes if I whale the rim a few times with a nice rubber hammer.

I'm heading out the door for the night, but I appreciate all responses I've gotten so far and look forward to more. Thanks fellas!

-Jayce.

your wheel is just out of radial true. No big deal, it just means that in the spot there there is the "bump", the spoke tension is to low. Have you read Sheldron browns article about Truing? Or park tools. i suggest taking it to a shop and pay the 10 or 15 to have them do it but ask them to show you what it is so you can watch them do it and maybe pick helpful info up

your wheel is just out of radial true. No big deal, it just means that in the spot there there is the "bump", the spoke tension is to low. Have you read Sheldron browns article about Truing? Or park tools. i suggest taking it to a shop and pay the 10 or 15 to have them do it but ask them to show you what it is so you can watch them do it and maybe pick helpful info up

That's what I was hoping it was, just something simple that an expert could fix with some spoke tweaking. Well, I didn't spend 40 bucks on an entry level truing stand for nothing, so I'm going to give it a whirl... plus I got a nice 12 tool set which has a spiffy spoke wrench on it I want to mess with.

I guess since it's only 10 pm (I normally work third shift, so this is insanely early to me) I guess I could just loosen all of the spokes and essentially start over. It'd be a fun learning experience, but if I end up getting confused or something, the bike shop will be my first stop tomorrow afternoon when I wake up.

I was just hoping my actual rim wasn't completely messed up. Given, I'm new yet so when I see something I'm unexperienced with I freak out thinking it's a bad thing, versus you folks who know world's more. :D

By the way, where is Sheldron Brown's article at?

That's what I was hoping it was, just something simple that an expert could fix with some spoke tweaking. Well, I didn't spend 40 bucks on an entry level truing stand for nothing, so I'm going to give it a whirl... plus I got a nice 12 tool set which has a spiffy spoke wrench on it I want to mess with.

I guess since it's only 10 pm (I normally work third shift, so this is insanely early to me) I guess I could just loosen all of the spokes and essentially start over. It'd be a fun learning experience, but if I end up getting confused or something, the bike shop will be my first stop tomorrow afternoon when I wake up.

I was just hoping my actual rim wasn't completely messed up. Given, I'm new yet so when I see something I'm unexperienced with I freak out thinking it's a bad thing, versus you folks who know world's more. :D

By the way, where is Sheldron Brown's article at?
bookmark sheldon browns site, its among hte best websites out there for cycling information. Lots about mechanics of it, techniques, good stuff.
http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Oh yea its also worth mentioning. I dont know what rim you have but often times you will find a little defect in Sun rims. My current rims have two little "bulges" on the rim itself, one on the weld and one somewhere else. You wont notice it, it makes the rim bulge out on both sides about .5mm which like i said, you will notice on the stand but on the ride. So dont get too picky about getting so true you can't see wobbles with the naked eye

Oh yea its also worth mentioning. I dont know what rim you have but often times you will find a little defect in Sun rims. My current rims have two little "bulges" on the rim itself, one on the weld and one somewhere else. You wont notice it, it makes the rim bulge out on both sides about .5mm which like i said, you will notice on the stand but on the ride. So dont get too picky about getting so true you can't see wobbles with the naked eye

That's the thing. I never noticed this little buldge in the rim. In fact you couldn't really see it on the bike, and you felt NOTHING when riding. The reason I knew something was wrong was the fact the front brakes jumped ever so often... so I knew there was something off somewhere, I just didn't know where to start, but I figured I'd come across the problem while truing the wheel.

Why get your shop to do it...all they will do is beat it with a hammer.
Yeah if your shop is run by a bunch of idiots. Seriously What the ****?

Yeah if your shop is run by a bunch of idiots. Seriously What the ****?

Raiyn, what do you suggest I do?

I read on Sheldon's site something about vertical truing, which from the sound of it was what I was looking for. Sheldon mentioned that I should look for the highest point of the rim, which I imagine was the buldge. Then, tighten those particular spokes in the group responsible for the buldge. Well, I did. Buldge is still there...

I go to the beach in the week and I'm so tied up with funds that going to the bike shop to get the wheel done by them is pretty much out of the question... Is there anything you can suggest to me?

Raiyn, what do you suggest I do?

I read on Sheldon's site something about vertical truing, which from the sound of it was what I was looking for. Sheldon mentioned that I should look for the highest point of the rim, which I imagine was the buldge. Then, tighten those particular spokes in the group responsible for the buldge. Well, I did. Buldge is still there...

I go to the beach in the week and I'm so tied up with funds that going to the bike shop to get the wheel done by them is pretty much out of the question... Is there anything you can suggest to me?
Did you tighten the spokes around hte bump too? you cant just make one spoke really tight and expect it to go. You have to even it out. On the bump, is the high spot on the section of the rim where a spoke is directly beneath it? Or is it on the section of the rim where it is between two spokes.

Did you tighten the spokes around hte bump too? you cant just make one spoke really tight and expect it to go. You have to even it out. On the bump, is the high spot on the section of the rim where a spoke is directly beneath it? Or is it on the section of the rim where it is between two spokes.

The bump appears to just be above two spokes. I tightened them, nothing. I tightened roughly 8 spokes in that group, nothing.

I don't know what else to do. I'm taking it to the bike shop this afternoon along with my truing stand (in case they want to see this exactly how I saw it first hand) to see what they think.

Also - I mentioned this once before, but not lately and wanted to remind you folks something. The particular bump in my rim, it's right where the rim comes together to make a circle. You know how I said there are 2 spokes that appear to be causing this bump? One spoke is on one side, one spoke is on the other... but both are next to each other, since these two spokes are the "end spokes" of the rim that come together to make the circle. Any relevance here?

The bump appears to just be above two spokes. I tightened them, nothing. I tightened roughly 8 spokes in that group, nothing.

I don't know what else to do. I'm taking it to the bike shop this afternoon along with my truing stand (in case they want to see this exactly how I saw it first hand) to see what they think.

Also - I mentioned this once before, but not lately and wanted to remind you folks something. The particular bump in my rim, it's right where the rim comes together to make a circle. You know how I said there are 2 spokes that appear to be causing this bump? One spoke is on one side, one spoke is on the other... but both are next to each other, since these two spokes are the "end spokes" of the rim that come together to make the circle. Any relevance here?
ooh! The bump is right where the rim seam is then, this makes sense. Can you estimate how much the bump sticks out? it is very common for rims to have a little bulge at the seam (i think i mentioned that before). These bulges should be ignored during truing

I second what phantom said, take it to the shop and ask when they might have the time to true your wheel while you watch.

Is there a weld where this "hump" occures?

Vertical truing is a bit trickier. Some times you will need to loosen opposing spokes directly accross (other side of hub) and then tighten the ones near the problem. If done wrong you could make more of a prblem for your self.

Suggestion, once you get your rim fixed, by a cheep wheel you can practice on.

:beer:

ooh! The bump is right where the rim seam is then, this makes sense. Can you estimate how much the bump sticks out? it is very common for rims to have a little bulge at the seam (i think i mentioned that before). These bulges should be ignored during truing

Well, on my truing stand I adjusted the gauge to be VERY close to the rim, and spun it rather quickly and just stared at the gauge while the rim spun. Obviously, when the rim spins every so often when that buldge passes the gauge (like .5 mm away) I can easily see where it is.

I estimate about 3 milimeters.

I don't notice this while riding. Again, I just don't want my front brakes to have that jump. That's the whole purpose of this, because before if I hold down the front brake it jumps pretty much everytime it hits the buldge. But when I'm doing 35 mph down a hill and I'm NOT braking, I feel nothing... so it's obvious this buldge effects nothing, but the braking.

If you need a hammer to fix ANYTHING on your bike, you are doing it WRONG!

I've been a bike mechanic for going on 20 years. The hammers are reserved for stuff that's come out of the junk pile and a high level of frustration that needs to be worked out.

O.k., maybe for tapping out a bearing or headset or other "correct" uses.

You've got a "HOP" in your rim. Instead of your wheel being pefectly round, it's egg shaped.

As you read in Sheldon Brown's How-to, "verticle truing" is difficult to do.

What I do is to loosen all the spokes all the way around in 1/4 turn increments four times, so I've loosened each spoke one full turn.

Start with the worst spot. (where the hump is) and tighten the two spokes on either side of the hop, in 1/4 turn increments. Then work to the next spoke on either side of the first pair. Then the next pair of spokes. effectively tightening 3 pairs of spokes. After you tightened the 3rd pair the first 1/4 turn, go back to the first pair and tighten them another 1/4 turn. Repeat this until the hop diminishes.

Hops are hard to eliminate. Why? well, the rim is a fixed length. When you pull the rim towards the hub in one location, it wants to bulge in another.

You may have to loosen the other spokes another 1/2 turn total if the hop doesn't go away.

Let me try to explain. You are pulling the rim inwards in one location and allowing the rim to move outwards equally over the remainder of the wheel.

The hard part is to pull in just enough and allow the rest to move outward enough, so that the rim is pefectly round again!

If you need a hammer to fix ANYTHING on your bike, you are doing it WRONG!

I've been a bike mechanic for going on 20 years. The hammers are reserved for stuff that's come out of the junk pile and a high level of frustration that needs to be worked out.

O.k., maybe for tapping out a bearing or headset or other "correct" uses.

You've got a "HOP" in your rim. Instead of your wheel being pefectly round, it's egg shaped.

As you read in Sheldon Brown's How-to, "verticle truing" is difficult to do.

What I do is to loosen all the spokes all the way around in 1/4 turn increments four times, so I've loosened each spoke one full turn.

Start with the worst spot. (where the hump is) and tighten the two spokes on either side of the hop, in 1/4 turn increments. Then work to the next spoke on either side of the first pair. Then the next pair of spokes. effectively tightening 3 pairs of spokes. After you tightened the 3rd pair the first 1/4 turn, go back to the first pair and tighten them another 1/4 turn. Repeat this until the hop diminishes.

Hops are hard to eliminate. Why? well, the rim is a fixed length. When you pull the rim towards the hub in one location, it wants to bulge in another.

You may have to loosen the other spokes another 1/2 turn total if the hop doesn't go away.

Let me try to explain. You are pulling the rim inwards in one location and allowing the rim to move outwards equally over the remainder of the wheel.

The hard part is to pull in just enough and allow the rest to move outward enough, so that the rim is pefectly round again!

Just to clarify, you want me to loosen all of the spokes and begin tightening in 1/4 turn increments at the hop location. After focusing on the hop location, is it more sensible to go to the opposite side of the rim and begin to tighten those? Or should I just go down the rim one at a time and lightly tighten them in groups, over and over until it's all done?

Aight, I'm done screwing around with this wheel.

I got it straight, minus one little kink I'll get out in a minute. From bending over cautiously looking this over my back started to hurt so I'm taking a break before I take out the last small bend in it.

Anyway, vertically it's still wobbling a bit. And now it's not so much where the seam is in the rim, so I fixed that but then I had a HOP at one other point in the rim, but a very small one. I just tweaked and compromised a little bit. Now, there's about a quarter's width of play.

Example: Remember how I said I adjusted my gauge on my truing stand so at the hop it was virtually RIGHT against the hop? Well, doing that same thing, I turned the wheel until I found the WIDEST gap inbetween the rim and the gauge. At the widest point, I can stick a quarter in between, but nothing else... it's a snug fit for the quarter itself.

I'm thinking that's close enough for a rookie. I'm gonna lay down for an hour, fix this last small bend, and go ride. :)

Thanks for everyone's help. :) :) :) :)

Yeah if your shop is run by a bunch of idiots. Seriously What the ****?


Well my LBS is run by a bunch of idiots...seriously.

Do you folks thing that quarters width between the gauge and the rim (at the farthest point) is bad, taking into consideration the opposite side of the rim just nearly hits the rim?

aka - The rim is egg shaped by the width of a quarter.

Bad? Good? Okay?

Well my LBS is run by a bunch of idiots...seriously.Get a new shop and start learning how to do things the right way.

Do you folks thing that quarters width between the gauge and the rim (at the farthest point) is bad, taking into consideration the opposite side of the rim just nearly hits the rim?

aka - The rim is egg shaped by the width of a quarter.

Bad? Good? Okay?If that's the best you can do then it's the best you can do. I'd fiddle with it some more, but then again for some strange reason truing wheels relaxes me

A quarter, thats 1.75mm's worth of non trueness. You wont notice that. Im lazy with my own wheels and get it true within 2mm, never a problem. With a wheel that dofes not belong to me though, i would get it within 1mm

Just something I want to get straight, is it a big no-no to continuously tighten and loosen the spokes on the rim? What I mean is, I haven't done this but just for sake of conversation on the topic, say I loosened all of the spokes as if I was restarting the truing process say, 10 times.

Is that bad? Or is it like any other nut and bolt, as long as they're not stripped, they're fine forever.

No its not bad, my only concern would be the lubrication coming off. You are using lubrication for the spoke threads....right??

No its not bad, my only concern would be the lubrication coming off. You are using lubrication for the spoke threads....right??

hahahhahaaaaaaaaaahahaha.

No...

I have the vibe I just did a boo-boo. :(

Would some 3 in 1 household oil do the trick? Also, what exactly do I lubricate... do I have to loosen the spoke to such a degree where the threads are exposed, and lubricate that? Or can I just smother some in the nipple area and call it a day.

Edit: I was reading Sheldon's article, and I'm a little confused now. Do I lubricate the actual hole in the rim that the spoke nipple sets in? Or do I lubricate the threads of the actual spoke?

Also mentioned was the rear wheel. Something was said regarding the gear set. They said that you should not bother lubricating the left side because they will spin freely enough when dry. I assume the left side is referring to the side of the rim with the gears? I'm not messing with the rear tire, just trying to clear up confusion.

Would some 3 in 1 household oil do the trick? Also, what exactly do I lubricate... do I have to loosen the spoke to such a degree where the threads are exposed, and lubricate that? Or can I just smother some in the nipple area and call it a day.

Edit: I was reading Sheldon's article, and I'm a little confused now. Do I lubricate the actual hole in the rim that the spoke nipple sets in? Or do I lubricate the threads of the actual spoke?

Also mentioned was the rear wheel. Something was said regarding the gear set. They said that you should not bother lubricating the left side because they will spin freely enough when dry. I assume the left side is referring to the side of the rim with the gears? I'm not messing with the rear tire, just trying to clear up confusion.

I hate to bump this thread up but here goes anyway. :(

:lol: its okay, i didnt lube my first wheels either. you learn, thats all. Well, for spoke lubrication there are a few options...

Wheelsmith spoke prep an expensive but highly effective lubricant especially made for spokes. THis is what i use, but its 20 bucks for a 15ml bottle so its not economical for people who might build once a year. Also this requires you apply it to the spoke threads directly so you would have to take out all the nipples and start over. I do not recommend this.

You can use grease, lots of people do this and i think Sheldonbrown uses grease as well. Grease also requires you remove all the nipples and apply to the spoke threads directly.

And heres what i recommend.....*drum roll a few times over*........oil. Typically when truing a wheel that does not have spoke prep its good practice to put a drop of oil on each nipple (and always when using alloy nipples). Oil works just as well for the initial build too. So 3 in 1 would work, i have used tri flow too and got good results. Starting at the spoke adjacent to the valve hole, work your way around and drop oil on each spoke nipple.

You also want to lubricate the eyelets (this is where the nipple actually contacts the rim, look at a nipple and you will see it has a longer more slender part and then at opens up at the end where you have a slot for a screwdriver, on that opened up part is where it contacts the rim). A drop of oil works well for this. If your doing an initial build you also can use grease and i use pedros ice wax.

You want to lubricate to prevend corrosion and it makes life easier on yourself because at higher tensions the spoke wont wind up as much and its easier on yourself.


I hope this helps

Phantom, just for the fun of it I decided I'm going to restart the rim and relube everything. You never know, maybe that hop will magically disappear then! :)

I was thinking of doing something like this... Now, you said to use 3 in 1 oil, what you'd have to do is lubricate the actual hole for the spoke nipple... if I am not mistaken... So, my theory is this. Instead of dripping oil on the rim and whatnot, I'd rather go the safest route, which to me would be this. Getting a Q-tip, lubricate that in oil (1-2 drops or whatever it takes) and just rub that within each nipple hole for the spoke.

On an older bike I had, I tried putting oil onto a rusty spoke (yard sale bike, and I was 10 or so, ya ya :P) and I ended up somehow getting it on the rim. We all know very good things happen when you put oil on a bike rim!! :(

I think I'll just go that route. I'm not trying to doubt you or anything... but you said you could just apply the oil directly on top of the nipple. I'm just not seeing how this can be effective? If it is indeed effective, how "crucial" is it I do this before loosening all of the spokes?

Lastly, with a 2004 Giant Boulder SE, I'd assume I wouldn't have alloy spokes, would I? (in relation to what you said about ALWAYS lubricating alloy spokes).

Thanks again for your time. It's always appreciated.

btw - Is it safe to say that I perhaps messed up my rim? Or for the most part should it be okay?

Phantom, just for the fun of it I decided I'm going to restart the rim and relube everything. You never know, maybe that hop will magically disappear then! :)

I was thinking of doing something like this... Now, you said to use 3 in 1 oil, what you'd have to do is lubricate the actual hole for the spoke nipple... if I am not mistaken... So, my theory is this. Instead of dripping oil on the rim and whatnot, I'd rather go the safest route, which to me would be this. Getting a Q-tip, lubricate that in oil (1-2 drops or whatever it takes) and just rub that within each nipple hole for the spoke.

On an older bike I had, I tried putting oil onto a rusty spoke (yard sale bike, and I was 10 or so, ya ya :P) and I ended up somehow getting it on the rim. We all know very good things happen when you put oil on a bike rim!! :(

I think I'll just go that route. I'm not trying to doubt you or anything... but you said you could just apply the oil directly on top of the nipple. I'm just not seeing how this can be effective? If it is indeed effective, how "crucial" is it I do this before loosening all of the spokes?

Lastly, with a 2004 Giant Boulder SE, I'd assume I wouldn't have alloy spokes, would I? (in relation to what you said about ALWAYS lubricating alloy spokes).

Thanks again for your time. It's always appreciated.

btw - Is it safe to say that I perhaps messed up my rim? Or for the most part should it be okay?
There is nothing wrong with getting oil on rims, as long as you wipe off the rims after. These are not disc rotors here. You put the oil where you see the spoke and nipple meet so that the oil can sink into the threads and lubricate. If your redoing everything i would use grease to lubricate the spoke threads and pedros icewax or grease to lubricate the eyelets.

And it isnt the spokes that are alloy, its the nipple (on some bikess). Spokes are a nice stainless steel and nipples are brass. I like the brass nipples much more than alloy, alloy are weak and crack.

There is nothing wrong with getting oil on rims, as long as you wipe off the rims after. These are not disc rotors here. You put the oil where you see the spoke and nipple meet so that the oil can sink into the threads and lubricate. If your redoing everything i would use grease to lubricate the spoke threads and pedros icewax or grease to lubricate the eyelets.

And it isnt the spokes that are alloy, its the nipple (on some bikess). Spokes are a nice stainless steel and nipples are brass. I like the brass nipples much more than alloy, alloy are weak and crack.

Isn't brass a goldish color? Mine are silver, so I assume I have alloy spoke nipples. I'd also assume that to get a pack of these they wouldn't be TOO expensive, would they?

Bottom line is you're saying I can fully lubricate the necessary parts of this rim without having to restart? That sounds like a plan, because I had just one slight bend to get straightened out since the last time I worked on my rim.

My main concern is, is there any possibility that I "did" something to my rim, or is it pretty much set in stone that since nothing broke, it's safe to say I'm squared away with nothing to worry about?

Also, going back on truing and hops, I came across something else the other night. I have one long hop in my rim. Check out this awesome paint drawing.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/Roasted/untitled.jpg

Assume the red area is the area of this rather long hop. To get that hop out, would I have to tighten the red area of the spokes, and loosen the green area a bit? In my little head, if what I'm thinking is correct, then I'd assume that by doing this, it will pull the hub closer to the red area (hop) so there's not a "raise" in the rim (or hop, if you will). Am I right on this?

edit - probably a stupid question but why is it that if I get oil on a bike rim, it's okay... but if I get oil on the discs of a disc-brake bike, it's bad? I just always assumed if I got oil on the brake system PERIOD (whether it's disc or pad) that it's dead. But you mentioned that "we're not dealing with disc brakes here." I always figured it was bad regardless of the brake style.

okay well yes brass is a gold color but these have color applied to them. They probably are not alloy, alloy nipples are a much more whitish color. Its okay to get oil on rim brake surfaces, i mean its not great obviously but you can wipe it off and there is no issue. With disc brakes first of all they will squeal and the oil gets and contaminates the pads which are not rubber like rim brakes, so you have to do semi elaborate cleaning rituals (search the forum for more info here)

Buy a set of these & your trouble's will be gone.... I did !

Buy a set of these & your trouble's will be gone.... I did !
for the measly fee of 500 dollars

I paid $399 (new) @ WheelWorld.com a few months ago.

They will outlast my RhinoLite's & others I have used by twice the lifespan, I guarantee it.... Looking at it that way, it'll be like buying a couple of the far less handling & quality wheelsets. Plus I'll have been riding these great rims the whole time!

It seems like a "No Brainer" to me....

I paid $399 (new) @ WheelWorld.com a few months ago.

They will outlast my RhinoLite's & others I have used by twice the lifespan, I guarantee it.... Looking at it that way, it'll be like buying a couple of the far less handling & quality wheelsets. Plus I'll have been riding these great rims the whole time!

It seems like a "No Brainer" to me....

If this were a "no brainer", then you'd understand that rims in this case do not matter. Whether it's a 12 inch kids kmart bike rim, or a 5,000 dollar mountain bike rim, it doesn't matter. Point is I'd still have the same questions either way. So what's with the suggestion of a higher quality rim then?

Just something I want to get straight, is it a big no-no to continuously tighten and loosen the spokes on the rim? What I mean is, I haven't done this but just for sake of conversation on the topic, say I loosened all of the spokes as if I was restarting the truing process say, 10 times.

Is that bad? Or is it like any other nut and bolt, as long as they're not stripped, they're fine forever.
So long as there's some lube or spoke prep in there (even a light oil) you're good to go

So long as there's some lube or spoke prep in there (even a light oil) you're good to go

I was just thinking, are lubed spokes more prone to loosen themselves over time? Or is the design of the spoke really make it incapable of that?

I was just thinking, are lubed spokes more prone to loosen themselves over time? Or is the design of the spoke really make it incapable of that?
It's better to use spoke prep as it acts as a lubricant so it's easy to bring the spokes to proper tension at first. It then acts as kind of a a mild thread locker as it settles this keeps spokes from unwinding should the rim deform
Failing spoke prep I've also used Phil's Tenacious Oil in the past and those wheels are still A-OK

It's better to use spoke prep as it acts as a lubricant so it's easy to bring the spokes to proper tension at first. It then acts as kind of a a mild thread locker as it settles this keeps spokes from unwinding should the rim deform
Failing spoke prep I've also used Phil's Tenacious Oil in the past and those wheels are still A-OK

I just oiled up the nipples and let them set for a while as I played some counterstrike. I loosened all of them a good 2 turns and sort of restarted, but not to the full degree...

Well, the rim is DAMN straight now. However, the vertical truness is still a little off. I managed to get it within a penny's width. It just bugs me because the rim continuously spins back and forth until the "hop" in the wheel settles at the bottom. It's as if it carries that SLIGHT amount of extra weight to cause that side to sink. Of course, this takes an eternity until it settles, but regardless I'm just in the state of mind that my rim should spin forever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and eveeeeeeeer.

Is a penny's width considered average? Good? Or what? I wanna get this byatch up and running tomorrow... My girlfriend has a new bike now and she wants to test it out, so it's like we're both trying out new things tomorrow.

Is a penny's width considered average? Good? Or what? I wanna get this byatch up and running tomorrow... My girlfriend has a new bike now and she wants to test it out, so it's like we're both trying out new things tomorrow.
Good enough. Go mount the rim strip and tire and go to bed

Good enough. Go mount the rim strip and tire and go to bed

I'm a third shifter man. Bedtime isn't for 5 hours.

I'm a third shifter man. Bedtime isn't for 5 hours.
At least I'm off tomorrow:D

At least I'm off tomorrow:D

Technically, I am too. I work 2nd shift on weekends, and third during the week. If I would of worked third today, I would of worked 2nd and 3rd back to back, 16 hours straight. Call me crazy, but I'm not really up for that. So I techncially have monday's off so I can adjust my sleeping pattern to get ready for the graveyard shift for the week.

My girlfriend works a 9-5 shift every day, and luckily her job closes at 5. While she sleeps, I work. While I sleep, she works. Since we don't live together, it works out. Hence the reason we have the ability to test our bikes tomorrow.

I have a few more hours and the oil is still wet, I'm gonna tweak this and see if I can get the vertical true skimmed down a bit more. :D Now I know what you mean Raiyn, about truing wheels relaxing you. I'm looking forward to taking apart my old school wally-mart bike apart and truing the rims just for the fun of it.

That brings me to a question, in Sheldon's article it was said that the rear tire is done kind of differently. Something about the side the gears are on you don't lubricate. Um, why?