Why has my wheel suddenly gone wobbly

"Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just noticed my MTB rear wheel has a slight buckle in it, causing the
brake shoes to touch.

I have not hit anyone or anything, so why all of a sudden its buckled ?
Is this a normal thing ? and how much would a local BS charge to have it
trued again , just a rough estimate, so I know if I am getting ripped off.

Thanks,
Tim

I paid $18.00 last week to have three spokes replaced and the wheel trued.

Ball park figure for your repairs, maybe $10.00 to $15.00?

Yeah But some aint as good as others. 3 ways to go here Tim.. come
around and I will loan u a spoke key and show you how to get it close.
Pay money to Lawrencia and have them get it not as close, Pay money
to Bike life and have em get it a little closer and take forever.. you
will feel guilty.

Yeah But some aint as good as others. 3 ways to go here Tim.. come
around and I will loan u a spoke key and show you how to get it close.
Pay money to Lawrencia and have them get it not as close, Pay money
to Bike life and have em get it a little closer and take forever.. you
will feel guilty.

Tim said:

I just noticed my MTB rear wheel has a slight buckle in it, causing the
brake shoes to touch.

I have not hit anyone or anything, so why all of a sudden its buckled ?
Is this a normal thing ? and how much would a local BS charge to have it
trued again , just a rough estimate, so I know if I am getting ripped off.

It is fairly normal for this to happen with many factory wheels. It
_shouldn't_ happen, but the reality is that factory built wheels
often aren't tensioned correctly or stress relieved.

I have three bicycles. Only one of them (a Trek 2200) didn't require
some sort of truing after the first 100km or so. The Trek is my most
expensive bicycle, but I've heard people complain about build issues on
very high end wheels too.

The best thing you can do is find a wheel builder and have them sort the
wheel out once and for all. This will cost more than $10. Depending on
the LBS you go to, they'll just re-true the wheel, but it may go out of
true again soon after.

--
..dt

retrograded said:

"Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just noticed my MTB rear wheel has a slight buckle in it, causing the
brake shoes to touch.

I have not hit anyone or anything, so why all of a sudden its buckled ?
Is this a normal thing ? and how much would a local BS charge to have it
trued again , just a rough estimate, so I know if I am getting ripped off.

Thanks,
Tim

I paid $18.00 last week to have three spokes replaced and the wheel trued.

Ball park figure for your repairs, maybe $10.00 to $15.00?

Where did you go to get that work done at that price?
Ivanhoe Cycles charged me $10 for a spoke and $25 for labour. It was a racing bike wheel not MTB, but I wouldn't think their should be that must difference.
I almost fell over with shock, the bloke said they had just put their prices up!!!
I think I need to learn how to true my own wheels

jake10-1 said:

Where did you go to get that work done at that price?
Ivanhoe Cycles charged me $10 for a spoke and $25 for labour. It was a racing bike wheel not MTB, but I wouldn't think their should be that must difference.
I almost fell over with shock, the bloke said they had just put their prices up!!!
I think I need to learn how to true my own wheels

Fortunately, it isn't hard to figure out - the first turn is the most difficult. Go to www.sheldonbrown.com/wheels, get a spoke wrench and get busy!

Ritch

"jake10-1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

retrograded said:

"Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just noticed my MTB rear wheel has a slight buckle in it, causing

the

Quoted message said:

brake shoes to touch.

I have not hit anyone or anything, so why all of a sudden its buckled

?

Quoted message said:

Is this a normal thing ? and how much would a local BS charge to have

it

Quoted message said:

trued again , just a rough estimate, so I know if I am getting ripped

off.

Quoted message said:

Thanks,
Tim

I paid $18.00 last week to have three spokes replaced and the wheel
trued.

Ball park figure for your repairs, maybe $10.00 to $15.00?

Where did you go to get that work done at that price?
Ivanhoe Cycles charged me $10 for a spoke and $25 for labour. It was a
racing bike wheel not MTB, but I wouldn't think their should be that
must difference.
I almost fell over with shock, the bloke said they had just put their
prices up!!!
I think I need to learn how to true my own wheels

--
jake10-1

John Beasley Cycles in Footscray charge about $15-18.

dtmeister said:

It is fairly normal for this to happen with many factory wheels. It
_shouldn't_ happen, but the reality is that factory built wheels
often aren't tensioned correctly or stress relieved.

..dt

I concur. Also, slightly differing advice, check your rear axle. I am a expert in fcuking up rear wheels & breaking pannier racks due to carrying too much payload. Carried a slab home recently? 😄

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"jake10-1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

retrograded said:

"Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just noticed my MTB rear wheel has a slight buckle in it, causing

the

Quoted message said:

brake shoes to touch.

I have not hit anyone or anything, so why all of a sudden its buckled

?

Quoted message said:

Is this a normal thing ? and how much would a local BS charge to have

it

Quoted message said:

trued again , just a rough estimate, so I know if I am getting ripped

off.

Quoted message said:

Thanks,
Tim

I paid $18.00 last week to have three spokes replaced and the wheel
trued.

Ball park figure for your repairs, maybe $10.00 to $15.00?

Where did you go to get that work done at that price?
Ivanhoe Cycles charged me $10 for a spoke and $25 for labour. It was a
racing bike wheel not MTB, but I wouldn't think their should be that
must difference.
I almost fell over with shock, the bloke said they had just put their
prices up!!!
I think I need to learn how to true my own wheels

--
jake10-1

I wonder why it's so dear to get a wheel trued. A few months back I was
touring in Germany and crashed into the side of a bus in Heidelberg. All
looked OK so I carried on. Front making some funny noises though, and it was
pretty buckled - must have loosened some spokes that didn't show
immediately. I stopped off at a bike shop in a small town and asked the guy
to true the wheel for me. I've typically paid about $25-$30 here for a true
and had to wait a day or three. I popped across the road for a coffee to
work out what to do and where to stay for a couple of days while things were
fixed.

I hadn't even finished my cuppa when the chap came over and joined me,
carrying my wheel - all finished, tyre reinstalled, new tube (coz he thought
it was a good idea - the old one was on the way out, he reckoned). All up
cost? 5 Euro (about $8).

This wasn't a little quiet village - it was quite a big shop, with about ten
customers inside when I went in.

Similar in Lucca in Italy. Back wheel out of true. Comparitively expensive
and slow shop (according to the hostel). It cost me 6 Euro and took about 45
mins.

Both wheels (Mavic 318s) still fine - a good 2000 km since the truing.

I reckon we're being diddled here...

Frank

Plodder (remove DAKS to reply) said:

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"jake10-1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

retrograded said:

"Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
>I just noticed my MTB rear wheel has a slight buckle in it, causing
the
>brake shoes to touch.
>
> I have not hit anyone or anything, so why all of a sudden its buckled
?
> Is this a normal thing ? and how much would a local BS charge to have
it
> trued again , just a rough estimate, so I know if I am getting ripped
off.
>
> Thanks,
> Tim
>
I paid $18.00 last week to have three spokes replaced and the wheel
trued.

Ball park figure for your repairs, maybe $10.00 to $15.00?

Where did you go to get that work done at that price?
Ivanhoe Cycles charged me $10 for a spoke and $25 for labour. It was a
racing bike wheel not MTB, but I wouldn't think their should be that
must difference.
I almost fell over with shock, the bloke said they had just put their
prices up!!!
I think I need to learn how to true my own wheels

--
jake10-1

I wonder why it's so dear to get a wheel trued. A few months back I was
touring in Germany and crashed into the side of a bus in Heidelberg. All
looked OK so I carried on. Front making some funny noises though, and it was
pretty buckled - must have loosened some spokes that didn't show
immediately. I stopped off at a bike shop in a small town and asked the guy
to true the wheel for me. I've typically paid about $25-$30 here for a true
and had to wait a day or three. I popped across the road for a coffee to
work out what to do and where to stay for a couple of days while things were
fixed.

I hadn't even finished my cuppa when the chap came over and joined me,
carrying my wheel - all finished, tyre reinstalled, new tube (coz he thought
it was a good idea - the old one was on the way out, he reckoned). All up
cost? 5 Euro (about $8).

This wasn't a little quiet village - it was quite a big shop, with about ten
customers inside when I went in.

Similar in Lucca in Italy. Back wheel out of true. Comparitively expensive
and slow shop (according to the hostel). It cost me 6 Euro and took about 45
mins.

Both wheels (Mavic 318s) still fine - a good 2000 km since the truing.

I reckon we're being diddled here...

Frank

Interesting, perhaps in Europe a lot more people know how to fix their
own bikes so shops don't charge much or everyone would just fix their
own stuff. Here in Australia it is remarkable how many cyclist don't
have any mechanical knowledge of bikes whatsoever because they didn't
grow up fixing their own bikes. Bikes are seen as scary complex pieces
of machinery so you pay a professional mechanic lots of money to fix it
for you. Bike shops just charge what people will pay. Personally I fix
my own stuff because it's easy and I was taught to do it as a kid,
Thanks Dad!

Bruce.

Bruce Dickson said:

Plodder (remove DAKS to reply) said:

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply
"jake10-1" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

retrograded Wrote:
> "Tim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> news:[email hidden]...
>> I just noticed my MTB rear wheel has a slight buckle in it,
>> causing the brake shoes to touch.
>>
>> I have not hit anyone or anything, so why all of a sudden its
>> buckled ? Is this a normal thing ? and how much would a local BS
>> charge to have it trued again , just a rough estimate, so I know
>> if I am getting ripped off.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Tim
>>
> I paid $18.00 last week to have three spokes replaced and the wheel
> trued.
>
> Ball park figure for your repairs, maybe $10.00 to $15.00?

Where did you go to get that work done at that price?
Ivanhoe Cycles charged me $10 for a spoke and $25 for labour. It
was a racing bike wheel not MTB, but I wouldn't think their should
be that must difference.
I almost fell over with shock, the bloke said they had just put
their prices up!!!
I think I need to learn how to true my own wheels

--
jake10-1

I wonder why it's so dear to get a wheel trued. A few months back I
was touring in Germany and crashed into the side of a bus in
Heidelberg. All looked OK so I carried on. Front making some funny
noises though, and it was pretty buckled - must have loosened some
spokes that didn't show immediately. I stopped off at a bike shop in
a small town and asked the guy to true the wheel for me. I've
typically paid about $25-$30 here for a true and had to wait a day
or three. I popped across the road for a coffee to work out what to
do and where to stay for a couple of days while things were fixed.

I hadn't even finished my cuppa when the chap came over and joined
me, carrying my wheel - all finished, tyre reinstalled, new tube
(coz he thought it was a good idea - the old one was on the way out,
he reckoned). All up cost? 5 Euro (about $8).

This wasn't a little quiet village - it was quite a big shop, with
about ten customers inside when I went in.

Similar in Lucca in Italy. Back wheel out of true. Comparitively
expensive and slow shop (according to the hostel). It cost me 6 Euro
and took about 45 mins.

Both wheels (Mavic 318s) still fine - a good 2000 km since the
truing.

I reckon we're being diddled here...

Frank

Interesting, perhaps in Europe a lot more people know how to fix their
own bikes so shops don't charge much or everyone would just fix their
own stuff. Here in Australia it is remarkable how many cyclist don't
have any mechanical knowledge of bikes whatsoever because they didn't
grow up fixing their own bikes. Bikes are seen as scary complex pieces
of machinery so you pay a professional mechanic lots of money to fix
it for you. Bike shops just charge what people will pay. Personally I
fix my own stuff because it's easy and I was taught to do it as a kid,
Thanks Dad!

Bruce.

I've just bought a new bike, first time in 20 years (retired roadie, track,
& triathlete)
I was amazed to be offered a free first service - had never heard of a bike
shop servicing bikes. And when I asked how long they'd need the bike for,
they said one, maybe two days. My Honda gets serviced while I wait ....

Now all I have to do is get used to this great heavy machine (fairly
ordinary hybrid) compared to the nice lightweights I was used to. I never
thought I'd use granny gears, but find myself using them more than I care to
admit!

And also work out how the new style mechanics work of course - I've never
closely examined disc brakes before, plus cassette rear cluster, plus
apparently sealed unit bottom bracket. Can anyone point me at a resource
where I can learn about these before I need to know in a hurry?

Karen

--
"I'd far rather be happy than right any day."
- Slartibartfast

Plodder (remove DAKS to reply) said:

--

Quoted message said:

I wonder why it's so dear to get a wheel trued.

Because it takes a skilled mechanic time to do it?

Quoted message said:

A few months back I was
touring in Germany and crashed into the side of a bus in Heidelberg. All
looked OK so I carried on. Front making some funny noises though, and it was
pretty buckled - must have loosened some spokes that didn't show
immediately. I stopped off at a bike shop in a small town and asked the guy
to true the wheel for me. I've typically paid about $25-$30 here for a true
and had to wait a day or three. I popped across the road for a coffee to
work out what to do and where to stay for a couple of days while things were
fixed.

Depending on the shop, they may have a whole pile of work to do, and a
wheel true may not be a high priority. It's going to depend on a
number of things : how much damage is done to the wheel, how long it
takes to true (properly) and how many other jobs are on at the same
time. Sometimes you get lucky, and it's a 5 minute job (eg one loose
nipple), other times, if the wheel's badly out, it can take a long time
to true - I've spent almost an hour truing a wheel on more than one
occasion, when cheap [censored] spokes break, nipples are rounded etc ...
If we're flat out and have a queue of work on, unless the job's urgent
it'll get shelved until we have time to do it. As long as this is
communicated to the customer that's not an issue, I think.

Quoted message said:

I hadn't even finished my cuppa when the chap came over and joined me,
carrying my wheel - all finished, tyre reinstalled, new tube (coz he thought
it was a good idea - the old one was on the way out, he reckoned). All up
cost? 5 Euro (about $8).

This wasn't a little quiet village - it was quite a big shop, with about ten
customers inside when I went in.

Similar in Lucca in Italy. Back wheel out of true. Comparitively expensive
and slow shop (according to the hostel). It cost me 6 Euro and took about 45
mins.

Maybe they charge more for bikes and less for working on them? Who
knows?
Who pays a mechanic 9 Euro an hour? Would you work for that?

Quoted message said:

Both wheels (Mavic 318s) still fine - a good 2000 km since the truing.

I reckon we're being diddled here...

I reckon you're expecting something for nothing. You can buy your own
tools & truing stand and do it yourself if it's that big a ripoff.

Karen Gallagher said:

I've just bought a new bike, first time in 20 years (retired roadie, track,
& triathlete)
I was amazed to be offered a free first service - had never heard of a bike
shop servicing bikes. And when I asked how long they'd need the bike for,
they said one, maybe two days. My Honda gets serviced while I wait ....

We offer 2 free services with every bike we sell. A service is
generally a check of everything that gets loose, and check & adjust
brakes & gears. Takes around 30 mins - 1 hr to do.

Quoted message said:

Now all I have to do is get used to this great heavy machine (fairly
ordinary hybrid) compared to the nice lightweights I was used to. I never
thought I'd use granny gears, but find myself using them more than I care to
admit!

And also work out how the new style mechanics work of course - I've never
closely examined disc brakes before, plus cassette rear cluster, plus
apparently sealed unit bottom bracket. Can anyone point me at a resource
where I can learn about these before I need to know in a hurry?

Sheldon Brown. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
Or buy a book, Zinn& the art of <type> mechanics is a good one.

jake10-1 said:

Ivanhoe Cycles charged me $10 for a spoke and $25 for labour. It was a

That may be about right. What sort of spoke was it? A Shimano one? A
high-end DT? A Ksyrium?

Quoted message said:

racing bike wheel not MTB, but I wouldn't think their should be that
must difference.

Exotic spokes are not cheap.

Quoted message said:

I almost fell over with shock, the bloke said they had just put their
prices up!!!
I think I need to learn how to true my own wheels

That's always an option 🙂

"Bleve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sheldon Brown. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
Or buy a book, Zinn& the art of <type> mechanics is a good one.

Park Tool website's quite good to -
http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp

--
www.ozcableguy.com
www.oztechnologies.com

OzCableguy said:

"Bleve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sheldon Brown. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
Or buy a book, Zinn& the art of <type> mechanics is a good one.

Park Tool website's quite good to -
http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp

Also, all the tech manuals are on the Shimano website, if you're running
Shimano components.

Tam

Tamyka Bell said:

OzCableguy said:

"Bleve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sheldon Brown. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
Or buy a book, Zinn& the art of <type> mechanics is a good one.

Park Tool website's quite good to -
http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp

Also, all the tech manuals are on the Shimano website, if you're
running Shimano components.

Tam

Thanks to everyone for those quick tips 🙂

Karen

--
"I'd far rather be happy than right any day."
- Slartibartfast

Bleve said:

Maybe they charge more for bikes and less for working on them? Who
knows? Who pays a mechanic 9 Euro an hour? Would you work for that?

Nope, if it's the bike shop I think it is the prices looked pretty good.
Certainly decent prices on the clothes. They make a reasonable amount of
money hiring out bikes to tourists who ride them around the walls.

If you work really hard it's possible to bunnyhop their tandems if you're
riding one on your own.

--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
"There are some benefits to high blood pressure", Bob mused as another
mosquito exploded. -- unknown, Bulwer-Lytton entry

Quoted message said:

Frank

Quoted message said:

I reckon we're being diddled here...

Maybe because no none buys stuff from them 'cos they can get it cheaper
over the net, so they have to overcharge on the workshop to pay the
rent!???

Donga