I had my wheel trued by The Path a couple weeks ago because I thought my wheel was way out of alignment. After I brought it home and put the tire back on I found out that the tire was still wobbly. Is this a problem with the wheel, tube or tire? I could place a new tire on it to see if it still wobbles but I am too lazy.
the bead is probably not sitting on the rim correctly...make sure the little line around the tire and rim is even all around on both sides
You don't have to take the wheel off, but you should check for rim trueness and roundness. Spin the wheel while holding an object around the side of the rim (i.e. - pencil, eraser end). You should be able to get within 2mm and not have any part of the rim touch. That said, it is very likely that your tire itself is not seated properly, or if it's a steel bead, the bead might be twisted and jammed up.
I had problems getting my tire beads to be even till some people helped me in this forum. Their hint: put soapy water on the tire beads when mounting them. That way the air pressure can pop them up onto the rim where they should be. I hope this helps, cuz I rode around on wobbly tires for 4 weeks!. Cheers:beer:
Are your tires Italian? Perhaps they are wop-sided? Buh dump bump!:lol: Ok, ok..., check for true by just spinning the wheel and place your finger (or as Stevers mentioned, pencil, etc) in a fixed position resting on your frame and on the rim (Poor man's truing rig) If it's your rim, you will feel it with this method. If you feel an obvious wobble there, it's your rim. If it feels somewhat smooth enough to the touch, then it is your tire. I have never been to the Path shop but it seems very reputable judging by what I have read here in the forums. That said, if your rim is jacked, I would hope they would have said something along the lines of "This was as good as we could get your rim." IF it is your tire..well then buy Gary IFF a beer and walk with him to.... http://www.socaltrailriders.org/for...e-onto-bead-cant-get-straight.html#post642865
Take a zip tie and attach it to your chainstay about where the rim is. Cut it slightly longer than the distance from the chainstay to the rim. Rotate the ziptie until the cut end is about 1mm away from the rim. Spin the rim. This will give you a fixed reference point to judge whether the rim is bent or not. Next check the bead seating on your tire on both sides. Typically there is a portion of the bead that sticks out from where the bead engages the rim. This is where the manufacturer folds the casing over to cover either the wire or kevlar cable. This portion where the fold stops should be even all the way around the tire. If it isn't you can either pump the tire up to 65psi and wait for the "pop" where the bead seats on the rim or remove the tire and put a thin coating of soap on the bead and re-install. Finally, all tires are a little off, that is just the nature of the molding process so a little wobble is to be expected.
