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Old 12-03-14 | 12:51 PM
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FBinNY
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: New Rochelle, NY

Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter

First confirm that it is the wheel, and not something else. Off center front wheels are fairly rare, but it does happen. There are two easy ways to confirm whether the wheel is built on center (rim centered between the axle faces).

1-loosen the brakes so they're out of the way. Stand bike on level ground, open the QR, jiggle the fork a bit to make sure it's settled fully on the axle and close the QR. Note the side and distance of any off center in the fork. Remove and flip the wheel and repeat. If the side reversed and the distance is about the same, then the wheel is off center. If it stayed to the same side and distance than the wheel is fine, and the error is in the fork. (it could also be other things, but the wheel is likely OK).

2- build a tabletop dishing gauge. Arrange 3 identical glasses or soup cans in a triangle on your table. Place rim on these (tire off for accuracy), and stack coins up to the acle face. Flip wheel and note whether axle rose, fell or stayed at the same height (same height is a pass, moved is a fail).

Then, to answer your original question. If the wheel is off center but otherise OK, you can move the rim to center by alternately tightening and loosening spokes. I prefer not to alternate because dyslexia might kick in, so I loosen all the spokes on one side 1/2 turn, then tighten the opposite side the same amount. You can also combine this with a general tightening if you wish by only tightening one side, or loosening less than you tighten or some variant of the loosen/tighten amounts.
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