Cycling UK Forum

Hello everyone,

I'm facing an issue with my rear tire where there seems to be a persistent '8' shape formed by the spokes. Despite using a specialized tool to tighten them in an attempt to straighten the tire, it hasn't smoothed out the overall surface. I'm struggling to remove this '8' shape and could really use some guidance on how to fix this. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi, Iam a Data Analyst, and Freelancer
Thank you in advance for your help!

I'm sorry, but I can't make head nor tail of that. A photo might help?

Welcome

Is the problem with the wheel or rim rather than the tyre?

As above, photos, please.

Jonathan

it sounds like you might have a buckled wheel on your hands but it is not 100% clear from what you have said.

Google translate involved here?

I think the magic word here is "pretzelling" one's rim? Or possibly just an impact that has bent the rim to make the wheel untrueable.

I think you mean taco. If the wheel is pretzel shape there is something seriously wrong. Maybe pringle would be better.

bluespeeder wrote: ↑17 Feb 2024, 4:26pm I think you mean taco. If the wheel is pretzel shape there is something seriously wrong. Maybe pringle would be better.

Before Pringles were invented, and before most people in England knew what a taco was, can you guess what we called it when a wheel adopted that shape?

there's a 'steely dan' album called 'pretzel logic'. I wonder if that has anything to do with it ?

I've just won a Pretzel in Lidls promotion. It was grim. not much difference to chewing a rubber tyre.

In general, if a wheel is pringled, it's best to get it as straight as possible by brute force before you get the spole key out.
https://www.instructables.com/Stomp-Str ... cle-Wheel/

Unless it's simply caused by overtensioning during building, in which case it's an elastic deformation (Euler buckling) and every spoke should be slackened by half a turn. Not many modern rims do this, but the old Mavic Open 4CD did.

If the wheel rim is now taco-shaped then I'd suggest that regardless of cause the next step is to back the spokes off. If the wheel has sustained damage,you don't want full tension whilst manhandling it, and if it is Euler buckling the tension ought to be backed off, much as Roger says. However, I'd suggest backing each spoke off exactly two full turns, then taking stock. It should be readily apparent what the origin of the problem really is, and the wheel will then be susceptible to whichever treatment is deemed necessary.

Brucey wrote: ↑17 Feb 2024, 7:44pm there's a 'steely dan' album called 'pretzel logic'. I wonder if that has anything to do with it ?

Given that the OP / AI bot hasn't returned to clarify anything about the problem at hand, your suggestion is actually at least as likely as anything else!