Spoked wheels: care and tightening the spokes

Spokes carry constant load and slowly loosen over time. A slack spoke overloads its neighbours and the rim starts to wobble. November is a good moment to inspect the wheels after the season and wash them without rushing.

• Wash the wheels, especially around the nipples, and dry them. Dirt hides cracks and corrosion.
• Check every spoke for bends, rust, and cracks near the nipple and the hub. A damaged spoke is replaced, never just tightened.
• Tap each spoke lightly with a metal tool such as a spanner. The note should be roughly the same on all of them; a dull or very different sound stands out.
• Lift the wheel, spin it and watch the rim against a fixed point, for example a screwdriver tip on a stand. Visible runout means the wheel needs truing.
• Tighten only with a proper spoke wrench that fits the nipple, never pliers. Work in quarter turns, alternating around the wheel and comparing the feel to neighbouring spokes. Check the torque in the owner's manual.
• If the wheel is bent, tension varies a lot or you are unsure of the result, go to a workshop. Truing a wheel takes experience and a proper stand.