Figure eight on a bicycle wheel is the most common deformity. Today, when creating bicycles, the latest technologies are used, but even in an ultramodern bicycle, the wheel remains very conservative, spoked. The design is nothing complicated: a sleeve, but a circle and the spokes that join them. During operation, every cyclist has to face the deformation of the wheel. And the appearance of the “eight” on the wheel is far from rare. This is due to the violation of the integrity of the rim and the loosening of the spokes.
Why does this distortion occur?
During operation, the wheel is inevitably subjected to stress as soon as the cyclist takes his place in the saddle. We add bumps in the road: potholes, bumps, poor coverage, or lack of it, and the question of the causes of the “eight” disappears by itself. In addition, inexperienced cyclists often distribute their weight on the bike incorrectly, and this also increases the load. Hard braking, jumping, and other extreme sports, in addition to long-term operation, also require wheel adjustment. Go through the schwinn mountain bikes.
How to tell if a wheel is bent?
When there is a suspicion that the wheel has lost its original shape, you should flip the bike over and begin a thorough check.
First, you need to inspect the wheel in place of the alleged curvature. To do this, it is unraveled, while in the case of the rear, you can do it with the help of the pedals. It is visually evident that the curved sections are shifted to the side during rotation. Now it remains to grab it with your hand at that point and stop it, which is quite difficult.
Another more effective way is to use a crayon or marker. By spinning the wheel, it must be brought to the rim. First, the stroke will remain on the bulge of the “eight”. By rotating more and bringing the plaster closer to the edge, you can also determine the limits of the curvature. Keep reading Pro BMX Bike Hacks that will Change Your LIFE.
Fix the “eight”
And here is the warp. Every cyclist can fix it with his own strength and, since deformation is not a rare phenomenon, invaluable experience comes with time. There are two ways to get rid of the “noise”:
- Power straightening.
- Tighten and loosen the spokes of the wheel.
Set of tools needed to eliminate deformation:
1) Chalk to mark the area with a defect;
2) Spoken key;
3) Wheel straightener (desirable but not required).
The small eight can be removed without removing the wheel. To diagnose the problem, turn the bike over to verify that the wheel is in the correct position relative to the brake pads. This process can be divided into several operations. First, you need to identify the deformation. As the wheel turns, press a piece of chalk against it. Where figure eight is formed, you will see a corresponding trace. This simple method will help determine the exact location of the rim deformation.
After that, the spokes will be tightened and loosened, but only on a certain side, which will be discussed in detail below. If such manipulations are carried out with inaccuracy, you can give the wheel even more deformation. There are several ways it can be removed.
Power Grinding
Considering this possible scenario, you should remove the wheel from the frame. But the tire and the camera don’t need to be removed. We turn the wheel with a bulge towards us and take the rim and get tired with our hands. In this case, the average deformation requires the localization of the hands, equal to 10 and 2 hours on the dial. We use the knee, attaching it to the convex area and forcefully moving away from ourselves.
If there is enough strength, it is done on weight. And you can place the wheel vertically, with the deformed section up. In this case, the help of a partner is needed, who will press the wheel to the floor. After such an extreme straightening, the wheel is returned to the frame and tested.
But this method is not always effective. It is not accurate. Small deformations are not corrected. Incidentally, inept actions can result in new curves. And not all rims will succumb to the impact of the foot: modern high-strength wheels will remain “in their own way.” Even if in the event that the wheel drops you somewhere along the road and the “eight” suddenly occurs due to, for example, a collision with a large stone, “electric straightening” is the only way possible.
Adjusting the spokes on the wheels
The ride quality of a bicycle often depends on the correct tension of the spokes. The tension of the spokes adds strength and elasticity to the wheel. The tires are disassembled, the tension of each spoke is carefully checked. It happens that the edge is bent due to their general weakening. In a situation where the spokes dangle like a guitar string, they should be tightened by 1 turn of the key. In the area of ​​curvature found, a radius is searched for, located in the center, that is, right in the bulge. The rotation of the spoke must be performed in the opposite direction to that of the bulge. In this case, the spokes placed on the sides of the central one are weakened.
Changing the spokes
Not all craftsmen know how to assemble high-quality wheels, so it’s best to learn how to do it yourself. The assembly is carried out according to a certain algorithm.
1. Working on a set of knitting needles:
It is necessary to lubricate the threads of the spokes and of the rim in the points where there is contact with the nipples. Otherwise, the spoke will not be tightened with sufficient rigidity.
In a situation where the flanges of the sleeves have a countersink on one side, the heads of the spokes are on the unlinked one. It is necessary to bend the spoke;
Nine spokes are inserted into the flange so that there is a free hole between them and the heads are on the outside. In a rear-wheel situation, start on the right side of the hub;
On edge, between the holes shifted to the right, you should find the one closest to the hole for the camera nipple;
The first spoke is fixed in this hole. It is considered the key;
Four holes should be counted from the key knitting needle, moving clockwise, put the next knitting needle and wrap the nipple;
There should be three unoccupied holes between the spokes, the spoke closest to the valve hole is to the right of it, and the threaded part of the sleeve faces the master;
Then the remaining seven spokes are fixed, while every fourth hole of the rim is used;
After turning the wheel upside down, another nine spokes are connected to the rim, inserted into the left flange from the outside;
The tenth needle should be to the right of that of the key, adjacent to it, but not crossed;
After having mounted the tenth knitting needle, the next eight knitting needles are typed in the sequence defined above;
Now, the transmission spokes are already in place and their heads are outside the flange. In this case, the nipples are wrapped only by a certain number of turns;
The tension spokes with the heads are installed inside the flange. A spoke is threaded into the hole in the flange and the sleeve is rotated so that all spokes that are in place receive a certain direction that is closer to the tangent than the flange. The first beam of tension must cross three standing guide spokes, while each tension must pass outward from the first two which cross under the third, also intersected;
2. Tension
Before tightening the spokes, wrap all nipples equally. Then you need to start the process, wrapping each nipple one turn. Suppose there is a “shiver” in the knitting needles, the tension increases. We install the wheel for verification and remove all defects like “the eight.”
Runout The oval “egg” shaped rim looks like this: one part of the rim is closer to the center than the rest. Such a defect in the wheel appears after unsuccessful landings. Repairing such a breakdown is much more difficult than the usual figure eight:
1) Dismantle the tire and inspect the rim;
2) Turn the bike body upside downturn the wheel while holding an object on top. Mark the part of the edge that will lift this object with chalk;
3) Draw three directions at the same time:
– Loosen the tension from the central beam;
– Pull the adjacent needles by the same number of turns so that there is no figure eight;
– The spokes at the opposite end of the wheel must be tightened to avoid the appearance of an “egg” elsewhere.
To eliminate this figure eight, considerable experience is required. The process is characterized by its own difficulties. After correcting the “eggs,” you need to press on the knitting needles with all your weight, as in the diagram above, to tighten them.
In summary,
The eight appear on the wheels of even the most experienced and savvy cyclists. To straighten the wheel, you need to remember a few simple rules. Always tighten the spokes of the wheel carefully. There is a risk of damaging the rim. If during straightening one or more spokes are tightened too much, loosen them and the closest spokes. Only then make the adjustment again.
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