I have a 2005 3-speed steel Brompton with a slight wobble in its rear wheel. This rear wheel has 5 missing spokes, spread over the wheel.

Can I true this wheel, by tensioning the spokes, while I have no additional spokes already? I want to true this wheel provisionally, before I buy the five replacing spokes, to know if I can fix this myself.

If I cannot learn to true the wheel myself, I will ask the repair shop to do this, when I buy my five missing rear spokes. This will save me an extra trip to the Brompton shop. (First to buy spokes and second for the repair). I could also have the missing spokes sent to me, ordering via the internet.

BTW, buying a full set of 28 spokes is probably cheaper per spoke, than just buying five spokes.

Many thanks in advance for all your thoughts and questions!

More information about my Brompton:
https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bi...ear-wheel.html

Instruction how to true a wheel:
Wheel and Rim Truing | Park Tool

New wheel cheaper?

Thanks for your suggestion. A Brompton rear wheel with 3-speed hub is pretty expensive.

Hi George3,

since several years I'm lacing and trueing small wheels - as a hobby.
I do not think that it makes sense to try trueing a wheel if there is even ONE spoke missing.
You should wait for your spokes, you need a complete wheel to learn trueing

Thanks. Your answer is very helpful. How many hours will it take me to learn truing a Brompton wheel?

If I ask the shop to true my 3-speed Brompton rear wheel, will it be cheaper to bring the bike with the wheel in it? Or to bring just the wheel, after taking it out of the bike by myself with a wrench?

And is it safer to not ride the bike with the five missing rear spokes, to prevent further damage?

New Brompton 3 speed wheels can be found for £130 with careful searching.
You can usually sell Brompton parts.
You can possibly sell your hub for 35 pounds. And the rim for 10. Spokes 5.
Buy a good used wheel you might be in profit over spending time and effort and a possible wheel rebuild cost. Truing a wheel with 5 missing spokes is a waste of time. You could space out the missing spokes and then true it. Then replace later. But this seems a labourous task for little point. Cant you buy on line and just true it once?

But then what do I know about buying expensive folding bikes on a shoestring on ebay...

How far away is the bicycle repair shop ?

What is the bus fare, consider you might have to make two, three or four journeys ?

I doubt the shop will charge you extra to remove and replace the wheel, but they might.

Are you able to remove and replace a Brompton rear wheel yourself, it's not an easy job for a novice.

On balance I would say take the complete bike in and get them to do the entire job, then it's just bike shop bill plus two bus fares, job done.

That's presuming that you have been riding the bike around with the spokes broken already and no disaster has occurred and you are ok to ride the bike to the shop.

Oh George3, what a question...most likely meant as a note to yourself?

Ask yourself the following:
- Are you patient?
- Do you have good visual thinking?
- Basic technical skills are existing?
(Three times "No" means bikestore...)

From my practice:
Nowadays I'm able to lace a pair of wheels within an hour without problem, BUT for trueing I need several hours for each single wheel!
Never I true more than a pair per day - this work is for me some kind of deep meditation, loneliness and silence a must

Maybe a simplified workflow description can tell you whether you want to experience that, too - or not.

1. Find the biggest radial run-out and decrease it
2. Find the biggest lateral run-out and decrease it
3. Check dishing and correct it if necessary
4. Destress the spokes
5. Check spoke tension (and adjust) Check Spoke Tension by Ear
6. Go back to 1. and repeat ~ 50 times

Please note; that's how a small wheel fiddling weirdo does - professionals are of course much faster

And No; you should not use that wheel I believe

Truing a wheel is fun, especially for the first time. Overall, I don't think time is a factor since it is very enjoyable.

Thanks,
Yan

Buy new spokes from your Brompton dealer yet? Do that.

Don't waste your time truing the wheel without putting in the new spokes. Riding it like that risks breaking more spokes.

This ^^ !

I've been building folder wheels for several years now to replace rims that have worn out from brake application. I think I've done this 4 times. It is a lot of fun, and not as difficult as it might seem. But it's not something you should undertake with expectations that it will be fast.

You should probably get a book on wheelbuilding and read through the process. The one I have used and been very happy with is Roger Musson's book: Wheelbuilding book for cycle wheels.

Once you've had some experience, you may find yourself looking for opportunities to build more wheels!
Steve

Thanks all for your qualified judgement. Has been very helpful! I'll get back to you.

I started out with Sheldon Brown's guide.

Cool.

Can't go wrong with Sheldon Brown!
Steve

(Say, Jur, were you on the Dahon Forum several years ago? "Steveroot")

Yes, we did some light sparring there a few times

Do not forget YouTube. Looking at somebody doing the work can explain much more about what to do and how to do it than reading about it, especially for a beginner.

What I do when I learn something new from YouTube is I look at several films on the topic and then pick the one that explain it in a way that I like and then look at that one again- sometimes several times.

I suggest that you start with all new spokes for the wheel and keep the old ones as spares for the future.

I also think that unless you are one of thos peopel who are a "born tinkerer" I suggest that the first wheel you build or repair is not a whheel that you need to rely on but a spare wheel or a wheel from a bike that you do not use dayly.

I second that.

I will give it a try. I'll see from there.

That makes sense. But now I have bought the new rear spokes, and will struggle first with them, and see how that works out. Is it a problem if I bend the new spokes a bit, to get them in place?

I have now replaced the five mssing rear spokes of my 2005 Brompton. But I find it hard to true my rear Brompton wheel. It is a struggle.

How much wobble (in inches or mm's) is acceptable, without too much risk of breaking spokes with heavy luggage? I want to load my Brompton with 340 pounds maximum, including my body weight and luggage. How much wobble is acceptable in the direction of the spoke length, and in the direction of the axle?

If memory serves, the tolerances for wheel true are < 1mm radial, < 2mm lateral. So no more than 1mm "hop" (radial) and 2mm "wobble" (lateral).

Another test is that on a loaded bike the top spokes should still be under tension. Pluck with your hands to test.
Strength also depends on spoke number guage and wheel build quality.
I have 36 on my Mezzo rear wheel, but you load a Mezzo on the back rack and it's a fast bike with narrow tyres on.
Over engineered has proved reliable.