How to fix figure eights on bicycle wheels - this question is relevant for many. The figure eight on a bicycle wheel is the most common problem of its deformation. Its main cause is loose knitting needles. Consider the issues of the correct tension of the spokes, the types of eights and how to fix them.
It should be said right away: for preventive purposes, in order not to wonder too often how to fix eights on bicycle wheels, you need to tighten the spokes at least once a season.
Correct spoke tension
The driving performance of this vehicle often depends on the correct tension of the spokes. The spokes are tensioned in the direction of the tangent circle of the hub with three crossings along the way from the hub flange to the rim. Thus, the strength and elasticity of the wheel is achieved. The spokes are inserted in different ways, one from the inside, the other from the outside of the sleeve - and so on around the entire perimeter of the circle. Then the spoke is threaded into the rim socket, from abovea nipple is put on it, and with the help of a nipple key, the knitting needle is pulled up.
Causes of deformation
During operation, the bike experiences loads, and they are the least dependent on how you ride. Over time, there is a process of changing the geometry of the wheel rim, that is, its deformation. How quickly it happens depends mainly on the quality of the rim.
Three defects can form on the wheel rim. This is the figure eight, "umbrella" and "egg". Let's dwell on each of them.
Fixing the eight
How to fix the figure eight on the wheel? The figure eight in this case is when some part of the rim does not coincide with the plane of rotation.
Tools needed for repair:
1) chalk, with its help we will mark the area with a defect;
2) spoke wrench;
3) a wheel straightener is desirable, but not required. The small figure eight can be removed without removing the wheels. We turn the bike upside down - in this position, you can check the correctness of the wheel relative to the brake pads.
How to fix figure eights on bicycle wheels? This process can be divided into several stages. The first step is to find the deformation. During the rotation of the wheel, it is necessary to bring the chalk closer to it. In the place where there is a figure eight, a trace will remain. Using this simple method, you can easily determine where the deformation of the rim has occurred. At the second stage, we perform tightening and looseningspokes, but only on a certain side. If these manipulations are performed incorrectly, you can ruin the wheel even more by getting a new deformation.
How to fix the figure eight on a bicycle wheel? There are several ways in which it can be removed. If it is between two knitting needles located next to each other, then with the help of a spoke wrench we tighten the first knitting needle by 1/3 of a turn, and twist the adjacent knitting needle in the opposite direction, while also loosening the clamp by 1/3.
Quite common is the case when the eight is located opposite one of the spokes of the wheel. Then pulling up this knitting needle should be done ¼ turn, and 1/8 turn, you need to relax the two knitting needles located next to it. It happens that on a deformed wheel, the figure eight changes the position of several spokes located nearby. This case is complex, and you need to be very careful and adhere to the following rule: the knitting needles that are closer to the center need to be tightened or loosened with more force, and the knitting needles located on the edge need to be tightened or loosened with less force.
In order to determine the correctness of the repair, it is necessary to spin the corrected wheel, and the changes should be immediately noticeable. The actions you performed were correct if the wheel became even, otherwise you need to repeat all the steps again.
Many are wondering howfix the figure eight on the rear wheel of the bike. There is no fundamental difference between the correction on the rear and front wheels.
Radial runout
"Egg" is when the wheel rim becomes oval, that is, when one part of the rim is closer to the center than the rest. The "egg" appears, as a rule, after unsuccessful landings and is much rarer than the eight.
How to fix the figure eight on a bicycle, which is commonly called an “egg”? This is much more difficult to do than in the previous case.
1. The very first thing to do is remove the tire and make sure it's the rim that's deformed, not the tire.
2. Having turned the bicycle over, spin the wheel, while attaching some object from above. It is necessary to mark with chalk the part of the rim that will lift this item.
3. At the third stage, you need to simultaneously trace three directions: starting from the central knitting needle, loosen the tension; pull the knitting needles that are nearby by the same number of turns so that there is no figure eight; and the spokes located at the opposite end of the wheel should be tightened to prevent the appearance of an "egg" in another place. In order to fix the figure eight, experience is needed, since this process is quite complicated. It can be started again if something did not work out, first loosening and then tightening all the knitting needles at the same time.
4. After correcting the “egg”, just as in the example with the figure eight, you need to press on the knitting needles with all your weight - to shrink them.
Editing the "Umbrella"
There is such a thing as an "umbrella". This iswhen the wheel rim has shifted to one side and is not perfectly aligned with the center of the hub. The value of this offset will depend on the design of the frame itself and on the type of brakes. This malfunction often occurs when the wheel is assembled incorrectly.
The umbrella is straightened in the same way as the figure eight. On the one hand, you need to tighten the knitting needles, and on the other hand, loosen by the same effort. Unlike how to straighten a figure eight, when editing an umbrella, the force should not fade, but should be uniform around the entire circumference.
Basic rules
So, in order to know exactly how to fix figure eights on bicycle wheels, you need to remember a few rules.
Firstly, over-tightening the wheel spokes can damage the rim. If during the straightening process one or more of the spokes turn out to be overtightened, it is necessary to loosen them and adjacent knitting needles, after which the adjustment should be repeated again.
Secondly, during the ride, the spokes can break if they are too loose. If during the straightening process one or more spokes of the wheel are loosened, it is necessary to tighten them, then repeat the adjustment again.
