Ai_Hia

I bought my bike just a few months back and they gave me a couple of coupons for tune ups. Today I noticed one of the rear spokes was loose and the wheel seems a little wobbly when I spin it. I finger tightened the nipple back, but not knowing what I'm doing, I didn't do anything else and stopped riding for the day. After reading about it, it seems like something I shouldn't mess with myself. So is this something a LBS would normally include in a tune up or should I expect to pay extra for that?

fietsbob

If its a more thorough one.

Fargo Wolf

That should be done (wheel truing) during a tune up. I'm the mechanic didn't think it was serious enough to worry about that the time. Take the bike in and get them to look at the wheel. It should be just a quick fix.

And you are right. Truing a wheel does take some skill. Get a junk rim and practice.

Rollfast

My LBS only charges $10 per wheel for truing and to me that is worth it until I have learned to use my truing stand well.


By the time you get to that point, some spokes may be compromised or if ignored they can snap in multiples and become a truly bad problem. Check the spokes regularly, especially if the ride or wheel play seems off. Don't forget other aspects such as a loose axle.

KraneXL

No, but as a loyal customer with years of patronage, I have never once been charged for the procedure. Chalk on up for your favorite mechanic and the LBS.

Sadly, after nearly 30 years, this gentleman finally did retire leaving only young whippersnappers that offer nothing much beyond than their own self-aggrandizement rather than any quality or pride in their work. Anyway, it was a good run while it lasted.

Kontact 

If you aren't paying for service, what are your patronizing?


On a new bike, having a spoke loose is not just service item, it a real problem that needs to be addressed immediately. That shouldn't have happened and your shop should take care of it right away without a coupon or charge. It is just wrong.

jj1091

I'd expect them to adjust the derailleurs, adjust the brakes, true the wheels, and visually inspect the bike for any other issues needing attention. I wouldn't expect any disassembly to repack bearings, or cleaning/relubing of the chain for that amount.

indyfabz

If I bought a bike or new set of wheels from a LBS and the wheels soon came out of true through normal use I would never patronize the shop again if it did not true them as part of any the free tune up I was offered.

exmechanic89

I would expect them to do at least a basic truing of the wheel during a tune-up. I'd take the wheel back and show them the loose spoke, I'm sure they'll be happy to tighten it up and do a basic wheel truing.

rydabent

As quick, simple, and easy truing a wheel is, yes it should be included. Any good shop would do it.

HerrKaLeun

The LBS should have lists of what is included in the different levels of tune-up they offer. How would we know which tune-up you want to buy and what your LBS includes?

It will be only a lateral truing, not radial, unless they take the tire off. I don't think taking tire off is part of the regular tune-up unless you also mean them to change a tire.
How good of a truing they will do is anyone's guess. Chances are they just look at the the rim brake pads and do some casual truing to allow brake operation. If you are lucky they go over the whole wheel and verify tension, lateral and radial trueness..... but for that to be done you likely have to do it yourself.

mihlbach

Never ask an LBS to true your wheel more than once. Most LBS mechanics are not adept at wheel building/truing. I have met shop owners who have no idea how to properly adjust wheel trueness and tension and have admitted to me that none of their mechanics do either.

If the wheel keeps coming out of true the spokes are not properly tensioned. If they don't correct this the first time, it is unlikely they will properly correct the tension in subsequent attempts.

Learning to correct you own wheels is extremely liberating.

pdlamb

+1


As noted above, it shouldn't happen and therefore it should be fixed free. If they balk, give 'em heck.

indyfabz

Agreed. I have never had a problem with a new, modern wheel. Last time I can recall was in the late 80s, when I bought a P.O.S. Schwinnn 754 from a not-so-great shop.

_ForceD_

That's a pretty good deal. In my area, I've heard of LBSs charging more than twice that amount per wheel. I have a Park truing stand and have always done my own (and friends). With several bikes of my own...I'd guess that it's paid for itself over the years.

Dan

northtexasbiker

Outside of crashing what causes a wheel to come out of true? I haven't had any issues, so I wasn't sure if a truing stand is something worth investing in, or just one of the things that's feasible to take it to a shop.

RoscoeP

My LBS goes over every new bike and puts more grease in the wheel hubs, checks the trueness of the wheels and adjusts if necessary, and gives the bike a full check over. They ask you to bring it back in about a month to recheck everything, sooner if needed. They do free maintenance for the first year you have the bike, probably longer if you are a long time customer. Great vibe at this shop, I stop in quite often to say hi, sometimes with a 6 pack. They always have dog treats for my dog, great bike shop.

Kontact 

Just riding your bike causes the spoke tension to vary as the wheel spins. If the wheel was not totally stress relieved (which isn't always easy), those little changes can cause spokes to seat and nipples to back off. It shouldn't happen, but isn't uncommon on brand new wheels. Once everything settles down they generally stay.

The other thing that causes wheels to go out of true are impacts that are actually bending the rim a tiny amount. It isn't something that means the rim needs to be unbent, but the small bends can be minimized by adjusting the spokes.


You don't need a truing stand to true a wheel. The brake pads and the frame or fork will provide the same guidance as a stand.

GuessWhoCycling

You need to have the wheel adjusted to proper tension.

Most shop mechanics don't know much about wheels other than truing which is just making the wheel straight rather than adjusting tension so the spokes do not come loose again.

I hate free tuneups! Shops have done more damage to my bikes rather than good. They true the wheels binding the spokes in the process then a week or two late, BAM! Broken spoke!

I would take it to a well respected mechanic who is known for building wheels and pay the guy $20 to adjust tension and true the wheel so it doesn't happen again, well worth it.

I started building my own wheel, have been now for 13 years and have not had a problem at all. Doing so, I found out not many shop mechanics know about what really makes a wheel strong and durable.

Kontact 

You need to find better shops to buy bikes from.

GuessWhoCycling

The shops I buy from are top of the line shops with race teams. We have a hundred out here to choose from in California. I could name them but if they read this, they'll cry to the mods. But all are well known best of the best out here.

But their wheel guys suck!

Kontact 

Then I would respectfully suggest that they are not actually "top of the line". I've worked at a lot of shops, and more than half of them taught the assembly mechanics how to stress relieve and true a new wheel properly.

GuessWhoCycling

Well that is part of the problem. Truing and stress relieving don't necessarily make a good wheel. One has to adjust the tension of the spokes, not just stress relieve.

Do they go around and check the tension of each spoke and adjust the tension with a meter?

I honestly think it's an individual thing. I had several at the high end shops do lousy truing and wheel maintenance. But once at a Performance Bike shop, I bought a set of $100 Deore rims for an MTB. The dude who sold them asked me to wait a few minutes. I didn't mind. He loosened and readjusted the tension of the spokes on each wheel at no charge.

Some people don't like Performance for services, but this one guy did a great job and went out of his way for some reason. Worth a non requested tip imo! More about the individual I think.

GuessWhoCycling

What part of stress relieving do you find difficult?

Kontact 

Correct truing technique with stress relieving is "adjusting the tension". You don't need a tensiometer to build or adjust a wheel to last.

We are living in an age of specialization where we talk about bicycles like you can't possibly ride a bike without a $300 fit or true a wheel without instrumentation. But a brand new, quality wheel has a perfectly straight rim as a starting point. If the mechanic makes that rim run true laterally and vertically while stress relieving with her hands to feel for even tension, the wheel will be very sound. It just isn't possible to make a rim perfectly straight with wild variations in tension that you wouldn't be able to feel with your hands.