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 ?
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 ?
Two possibilities come quickly to mind: (1) the tension is not as even as the "note" suggests or (2) the spoke tension is overall a bit loose and the nipples are loosening a bit when riding.
Try retensioning with a bit of loctite applied to each nipple when everything is all true. Green loctite 290 will penetrate the existing nipple/spoke connection and can be applied after assembly.
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 ?
Are there any cracks in the rim around the eyelets? Does it always go out of true in the same direction and at the same portion of the rim? Along with other posters, I suggest you use a tension guage that is calibrated for your spokes.
How many miles are on the wheels? If the rear stayed true for many miles, but now requires constant re-truing, could be time for a rebuild with new rim and spokes.
In my limited experience, well built wheels stay true for a long time. When they start going out of true and needing frequent retuning, the "useful life" of the wheel is up.
I agree with those who have suggested that the spokes may in an overall sense be loose, and that you should check tension with a spoke tension gauge. I wouldn't use Green Locktite as it gives a very strong bond, and if you ever needed to correct in the future you might strip something. A drop of Blue Loctite on the inside (large end) of the spoke nipple should hold, and will still allow future adjustments without trouble. I have done this with sucess. But what I learned after doing this is that a drop of Boiled (Not Raw) Linseed oil (applied by dipping a piece of old spoke in the oil and the touching it to the hole in the large nipple end), will penetrate, lube the thread reducing friction so that you can get good tightness, and within a few days harden like varnish and prevent spokes from comming loose. I've used this with sucess in building a set of wheels, which are holding true very well.
