Consequences of not truing wheels tensioning spokes?
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 244
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 206 Post(s)
Liked 38 Times
in
27 Posts
Consequences of not truing wheels tensioning spokes?
What are potential negative consequences of *not* staying on top of truing of wheels and tensioning of spokes for a lighter rider, say under 150 lbs?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,073
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4201 Post(s)
Liked 3,857 Times
in
2,305 Posts
more easily bent wheels, greater chance for out of true conditions to become a bother (brake rub as one example), more chance of broken spokes.
The rider's weight has nearly nothing to do with possible consequences, but a lot to do with the pace those consequences will grow to become problems.
I take issue with the black and white view so many riders seem to have when looking at how well bikes work and wear down. Weight limits are about liability more than actual pending failures. So, when a company places a limit of, say for this discussion, of 185 lbs a ride that weighs 5 lbs more isn't a guaranty of problems. Just a s a 180 lbs rider is now free from consequences (because the company published a number)
I work for a big guy, over 240 lbs on some days. But he has had zero wheel issues in the 10 years I have helped maintain his stable of bikes. And I've seen way too many light weight riders get dented rims and broken spokes because they haven't learned to ride with respect to their bike and/or let small issues grow in to major ones through miles and/or neglect (be that intentional or ignorance).
Don't believe because you are a lighter weight rider that you are off the hook of what can happen. Andy
The rider's weight has nearly nothing to do with possible consequences, but a lot to do with the pace those consequences will grow to become problems.
I take issue with the black and white view so many riders seem to have when looking at how well bikes work and wear down. Weight limits are about liability more than actual pending failures. So, when a company places a limit of, say for this discussion, of 185 lbs a ride that weighs 5 lbs more isn't a guaranty of problems. Just a s a 180 lbs rider is now free from consequences (because the company published a number)
I work for a big guy, over 240 lbs on some days. But he has had zero wheel issues in the 10 years I have helped maintain his stable of bikes. And I've seen way too many light weight riders get dented rims and broken spokes because they haven't learned to ride with respect to their bike and/or let small issues grow in to major ones through miles and/or neglect (be that intentional or ignorance).
Don't believe because you are a lighter weight rider that you are off the hook of what can happen. Andy
__________________
AndrewRStewart
AndrewRStewart
Likes For Andrew R Stewart:
#3
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,985
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6193 Post(s)
Liked 4,808 Times
in
3,316 Posts
Quite a few years ago my son bought a new bike. He'd been riding it a while and had not taken it back for the free tune up and inspection that they told him to do. So 300 miles and a month or two later his front wheel tacoed on him while going down a twisty trail at probably 20 mph or better. Luckily no head injury or concussion as his helmet showed no signs of impact. However his body was sore for a week or more. He is a little squeamish now to go real fast down hill on twisty trails too.
I feel quite bad about it because a week before I'd felt his spokes with my fingers and knew they needed attention. I'd told him, but I didn't emphasize it enough to get him to take it to the shop before something happened. Maybe because the wheels themselves were still pretty true he felt it a non-issue.
So yeah, I'd say spoke tension is fairly important. And don't put anything to the wheels being true as an indicator of having adequate spoke tension.
I feel quite bad about it because a week before I'd felt his spokes with my fingers and knew they needed attention. I'd told him, but I didn't emphasize it enough to get him to take it to the shop before something happened. Maybe because the wheels themselves were still pretty true he felt it a non-issue.
So yeah, I'd say spoke tension is fairly important. And don't put anything to the wheels being true as an indicator of having adequate spoke tension.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: South shore, L.I., NY
Posts: 6,882
Bikes: Flyxii FR322, Cannondale Topstone, Miyata City Liner, Specialized Chisel, Specialized Epic Evo
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3238 Post(s)
Liked 2,084 Times
in
1,180 Posts
Broken spokes, more stress on remainder of spokes, stress on rim. Eventually expensive as all the wheel components start to fail (except maybe the hub) and you end up with a new wheel.
#5
Senior Member
Yes, quite important. Especially for the rear since the L/R tension usually has a large imbalance.
Other factors, spoke count, spoke pattern, rim size & strength, disc brakes, etc..., and of course the amount of stress subjected to (potholes, curb-jumping, rough rattly roads).
Other factors, spoke count, spoke pattern, rim size & strength, disc brakes, etc..., and of course the amount of stress subjected to (potholes, curb-jumping, rough rattly roads).
#6
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,270 Times
in
1,439 Posts
Agree with the previous posts, but the good news is that it's not something that requires constant attention. Once trued and tensioned, they should be good to go for awhile, barring mishap or abuse.
#7
Friendship is Magic
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,984
Bikes: old ones
Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26413 Post(s)
Liked 10,379 Times
in
7,207 Posts
.
...on the bikes we had as kids, with middleweight tyres and coaster brakes, I can't recall anyone ever truing a wheel. And none of us had the slightest idea about what tension our spokes held. The beach cruiser crowd is happily unaware of this field of knowledge, for the most part. So the answer to your question varies with wheel type, usage, and maybe some other stuff like tyre size.
...on the bikes we had as kids, with middleweight tyres and coaster brakes, I can't recall anyone ever truing a wheel. And none of us had the slightest idea about what tension our spokes held. The beach cruiser crowd is happily unaware of this field of knowledge, for the most part. So the answer to your question varies with wheel type, usage, and maybe some other stuff like tyre size.
__________________
Likes For 3alarmer: