Bicycle Mechanics - Handbuilt wheel problem

I have a couple of sets of low spoke race wheels that I keep for racing only. I like to train on my Handbuilt Open Pros/Ultegra/DT Double butted spokes. Recently I cannot keep the rear from going out of lateral true slightly. (the front is always fine) I need to re-true it after every ride ! It doesnt go massively out of lateral true but every ride its 3-5mm out, I like it to run really true so its annoying to have to get my spoke key out after every ride. Amazingly my so called fragile race wheels with 16 spokes never go out of true even on the same roads.

So I am confused as to what I am doing wrong. I am usually pretty good at looking after my wheels. All the spokes seem to be of comparable tensions, with what I perceive to be the right "note" coming from drive side and "non drive" side and the dishing seems ok, I always de stress the spokes after trueing them as well. Anyone got any suggestions ? Like I say it cant be any thing hugely wrong because they only go out of true by a few mm never any worse. I put a quater turn on all the spokes recently in case they were all a bit low on tension, but the same thing happened. Should I have them rebuilt ?

my guess would be low or inconsistant tension which is causing some detentioning while you are riding. This is just a guess because the internet tensiometer has yet to be invented.

having it rebuilt would eliminate that possibility.

If your tensions are good, it sounds like a stone cold "who-done-it" on your hands.

I would retension and stress relieve it and see where you are. If it's way out of true, you'll have to sacrifice even tension, but you'll eventually start to break spokes w/out even tension. Not the end of the world -- I usually just ride my wheels until three spokes break.

You could also try a product like Spoke Freeze to keep the nipples from unwinding.

Spoke torsion?

Possibly insufficient and/or uneven tension. The Park Tension Meter is a great buy at about $55.
Blue Locktite works well on spoke threads.
Also check rims near the spoke holes for small cracks or buldges indicating that the spokes are trying to pull through the rim. This would be a fatal rim condition.

Al

I wish people would fill out their profiles. If you lived in Tampa I'd look at for you but since you live in 'parts unknown'......

Not to hijack this thread but I also have a set of Open Pros that will not stay true in the rear wheel. They came from Nashbar so I'm pretty sure they were machine built. I do not have a tensionometer (and my wife will kill me if I buy another bike tool) so I'm going to pay someone to retension the rear wheel.

Miamijim, I'm in Palm Harbor, can you recommend a good wheelbuilder? I'll never again do business with Chainwheel Drive due to a very bad experience.