Wheel & Frame Maintenance

Your wheels and frame form the foundation of your road bike. They affect speed, comfort, handling, and, most importantly, safety. Keeping them clean, true, and free from damage not only improves performance but also helps you catch early signs of wear or failure.

In this chapter, we’ll walk through essential inspection and maintenance tasks for your wheels, tyres, hubs, and frame. Each task includes tools and step-by-step guidance to keep your ride smooth, efficient, and worry-free.

a. Why Wheel & Frame Maintenance Matters

• Safety:
  • Cracked frames or loose spokes can lead to dangerous failures.
• Efficiency:
  • True wheels and clean bearings roll faster and smoother.
• Durability:
  • Regular checks extend the life of rims, hubs, tyres, and your frame.

Pro-Tip: Perform a quick wheel spin and frame check before every ride, and a full inspection every few weeks or after crashes or hard weather rides.

b. What to Look Out For

• Wheels spin straight without wobbles or hops
• No loose or broken spokes
• Rims not overly worn (rim brake models)
• Tyres free from cuts, embedded glass or worn tread
• Tyres inflated to appropriate pressure
• No play or grinding in hub bearings
• Frame free from cracks, bubbling paint, or visible damage
• No movement in bottom bracket or headset
  

1. Wheel Trueness & Spoke Tension

Keeping your wheels true ensures smooth handling, efficient power transfer, and even braking. This section helps you identify and correct small issues before they become big ones.

a. What You’ll Need

• Bike stand (optional but recommended)
• Truing stand (for radial truing)
• Spoke wrench (matching nipple size)
• Clean rag

b. Step-by-Step

1. Spin the wheel to check for trueness:
   1. Lift the bike and spin each wheel.
   2. Look at the rim relative to the brake pad or frame.
      1. Wobbles side-to-side = lateral untrue.
      2. Hops up-and-down = radial issue.
2. Check spoke tension:
   1. Squeeze paired spokes lightly with your fingers.
   2. They should feel evenly tensioned with no loose or overly tight spokes.
   3. Plucked spokes should emit similar pitch.
3. Adjustments (advanced):
   1. Use a spoke wrench to tighten or loosen nipples (1/4 turns only).
   2. Always balance adjustments on opposite sides to keep the wheel centred.
   3. Lateral Truing (side-to-side wobble):
      1. Identify where the rim moves sideways.
         
      2. Locate the nearest spokes at that point.
         
      3. If rim veers left → tighten the spoke(s) on the right side
         
      4. If rim veers right → tighten the spoke(s) on the left side
   4. Radial Truing (up-and-down hop):
      1. Radial issues are harder to fix precisely and atruing stand is recommended.
      2. Identify the high spot (where rim bulges outward).
      3. Tighten the spokes on both sides at that spot.
      4. Spokes may need to be slightly loosened around low spots.

Note: Wheel truing is delicate (particularly radial truing), as over-tightening spokes can damage the rim or reduce wheel strength. If the wobble/hop is severe, or if you are unsure, it's best to take to a bike shop. Over-tightening can damage the rim.

2. Rim Wear Check (Rim Brake Wheels Only)

Rim brake users should regularly inspect rim sidewalls for wear. Worn rims can reduce braking power or even fail under pressure.

a. What You’ll Need

• Ruler or wear indicator tool
• Good lighting

b. Check Rim Wear: Step-by-Step

1. Inspect Rim Sidewalls
   1. Look for concave sidewalls or a visible wear groove.
   2. Many rims have wear indicators (small dot or groove that disappears when worn).
2. Check for Cracks or Sharp Edges
   1. Inspect brake track for hairline cracks or burrs.
   2. If rim wall is worn past indicator or heavily concave, replace the rim or wheel immediately.

3. Replacing a Worn or Damaged Rim

Replacing a rim is an advanced repair typically performed when the rim is cracked, worn past its indicator, or severely out of true. It requires patience, precision, and the right tools.

a. What You'll Need

• Replacement rim (same ERD and spoke count)
• Truing stand (recommended)
• Spoke wrench
• Spoke tension meter (optional but helpful)
• Nipple driver or small screwdriver
• Cable ties or masking tape (to mark spoke positions)

b. Replacing a Wheel Rim: Step-by-Step

1. Prepare the wheel:
   1. Leave the tyre, tube, and rim tape removed.
   2. Place the old and new rim side by side.
2. Label or tie spokes:
   1. Use zip ties or tape to pair each spoke with its position.
   2. This helps you transfer spokes without mixing up the lacing pattern.
3. Transfer spokes one by one:
   1. Remove a spoke from the old rim and install it in the same location on the new rim.
   2. Work slowly around the wheel, transferring each spoke in turn.
   3. Keep the hub and rim orientation consistent.
4. Tension and true the wheel:
   1. Once all spokes are laced into the new rim, begin gradually tightening all nipples.
   2. Alternate sides evenly to maintain symmetry.
   3. Bring the wheel up to tension while checking trueness and roundness in a truing stand.
5. Final check:
   1. Use a spoke tension meter to verify even tension.
   2. Recheck for lateral trueness and dish (rim centered between hub ends).
   3. Install rim tape and reassemble wheel.

Note: Matching the exact ERD (effective rim diameter), spoke count, and spoke hole drilling angle is essential when selecting a replacement rim.

4. Hub Bearings

Hub bearings are essential to smooth wheel rotation. Over time, they can loosen or wear, especially in wet or high-mileage conditions.

a. What You’ll Need

• 5mm hex keys (or appropriate cone wrench)
• Grease (for serviceable bearings)
• Replacement cartridge bearings (if needed)

b. Check Hub Bearings: Step-by-Step

1. Check for Play
   1. Rock the wheel side-to-side while holding the frame.
   2. Any clunk or looseness means bearing wear or loose cones.
2. Spin the Wheel
   1. It should spin smoothly and quietly.
   2. Gritty feel = contaminated/worn bearings.
3. Service or Replace
   1. For cup & cone: clean and regrease.
   2. For sealed cartridges: replace if worn or rough.

c. Replace Sealed Cartridge Bearings: Step-by-Step

1. Remove the wheel from the bike.
2. Remove axle end caps using hex keys or manufacturer-specific tools.
3. Slide out the axle carefully.
4. Use a bearing press tool or punch and mallet to push out the old bearings from the hub shell.
5. Clean the bearing seats thoroughly.
6. Press in new bearings using a bearing press or gently tap into place with a drift and mallet.
7. Reinstall the axle and end caps.
8. Spin and test for smoothness — ensure there’s no play.

Note: Always match replacement bearings by size and type (e.g. 6902-2RS). Check hub manufacturer specs.

5. Tyre Condition & Pressure

Tyres are your contact with the road. Worn, under-inflated or damaged tyres can cause flats or reduce grip and comfort.

a. What You’ll Need

• Tyre pressure gauge or pump with gauge
• Tyre levers (for tyre removal)
• Clean cloth

b. Tyre Check: Step-by-Step

1. Inspect tyre tread and sidewalls:
   1. Check for embedded debris, cuts, cracks, or worn tread.
   2. Exposed casing or frequent flats = replace the tyre.
2. Check air pressure:
   1. Inflate tyres to recommended PSI (stated on sidewall).
      1. Rear tyre normally 5-10 PSI more than front (to compensate weight distribution)
      2. If running tubeless, tyre pressures can be lower.
   2. Check pressure before every ride.
   3. Adjust for rider weight and conditions.
      1. More pressure for heavier cyclists or smooth roads.
      2. Lower pressure for bad weather or added comfort.
3. Replace tyres when needed
   1. Remove the wheel.
   2. Use tyre levers to remove the old tyre.
   3. Inspect the rim tape and replace if worn.
   4. Mount new tyre, inflate evenly, and re-check for seated bead.

6. Tubeless Tyre Maintenance (Tubeless only)

Tubeless tyres offer lower rolling resistance, improved puncture protection, and the ability to run lower pressures for more comfort and grip. However, they do require regular maintenance to stay reliable.

A supply of effective sealant is always required to avoid leaks from small intrusions.

a. What You’ll Need

• Tubeless sealant
• Valve core remover tool
• Spare tubeless valve cores (optional)
• Floor pump or tubeless inflator
• Paper towel (for removing old sealant)
• Soapy water or sealant-compatible lubricant
  

b. Check Tubeless Tyres: Step-by-Step

1. Inspect for damage:
   1. Check sidewalls for punctures, cuts, or signs of weeping sealant.
   2. Replace tyre if holes are too large for sealant to seal.
2. Check sealant levels:
   1. Every 2–3 months, remove the valve core.
   2. Insert a sealant dipstick or use a syringe to check remaining fluid.
   3. Top up with 20–40ml of sealant as needed.
3. Re-seat and re-inflate (if tyre loses pressure or breaks seal):
   1. Deflate completely.
   2. Re-seat bead by applying sealant and using a floor pump or booster.
   3. Listen for popping sounds as tyre bead locks onto rim.
4. Clean valves:
   1. Remove and clean valve cores every few months.
   2. Clear any dried sealant that may block airflow.
5. Replace or refresh sealant (every 3–6 months depending on conditions):
   1. Remove tyre and wipe off all sealant with paper-towel.
   2. Use soapy water or sealant-compatible lubricate to clean inner tyre surface.
   3. Re-fit tyre and replace sealant.

Note: In hot or dry climates sealant can dry out faster and need replacing sooner.

Pro Tip: Always carry a tubeless plug kit and high-pressure pump on rides in case of major punctures when you need to re-inflate tyre (and re-lock the bead in place).

7. Frame Inspection & Care

Your frame is the heart of your bike. Regular cleaning and inspection prevent long-term damage and help identify potential safety issues early.

a. What You’ll Need

• Bright light or torch
• Soft brush and microfibre cloth
• Frame polish or wax (optional)
• Clear protection tape (for frame protection)
  • Polyurethane frame protection tape
  • Self-healing vinyl wrap
  • Frame-specific kits from brands like 3M, Dyedbro, or RideWrap

b. Frame Inspection: Step-by-Step

1. Inspect frame surface:
   1. Check for cracks, chips, or bubbling paint (which can indicate corrosion).
   2. Focus on high-stress areas: bottom bracket, chainstays, seat cluster, and headset.
2. If you find damage:
   1. For minor chips or scratches: clean and seal with touch-up paint or clear nail varnish.
   2. For suspected cracks, corrosion, or carbon damage:
   3. Stop riding immediately.
   4. Take your bike to a professional for inspection.
   5. Do not attempt to repair carbon fibre yourself (specialised equipment is required).
3. Check bottom bracket and headset:
   1. Grab crank arms and push side-to-side: movement = loose bottom bracket.
   2. Turn handlebars: resistance or knocking = headset may need adjustment.
4. Clean and protect:
   1. Wash frame gently with bike-friendly soap and soft brush.
   2. Dry thoroughly.
   3. Apply frame wax or polish for protection and shine.

Note: Perform a detailed frame check every few months or after crashes.

c. Apply Frame Protection Tape: Step-by-Step

1. Always clean and dry the frame thoroughly before applying tape for proper adhesion.
2. Apply clear protective tape or film to high-wear and vulnerable areas:
   1. Underside of down tube (to protect from road spray or stone chips)
   2. Chainstays (to prevent chain slap or grease marks)
   3. Around bottle cages or cable rub points
   4. Top tube (especially near handlebars where sweat can drip)

Pro tip: Protection tape is especially useful for indoor setups and wet-weather riding, where sweat or moisture exposure increases corrosion risk.

8. Top Tips Round-Up

• Spin your wheels regularly to check for trueness and bearing issues.
• Always check tyre pressure before riding; it affects speed and puncture resistance.
• Replace worn tyres before they cause flats or blowouts.
• Inspect frame and fork after any crash or heavy impact.
• Keep your frame clean and dry to avoid corrosion and hidden damage.
• Listen for clicks or creaks, they often start at the wheels or frame junctions.
• If in doubt, consult a mechanic before riding with possible frame damage.

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