Cycle Repairing and Adjusting
With a Chapter on building a Bicycle from a Set of Parts

12 CYCLE REPAIRING The ideal to be aimed at is to get perfectly equal tension on every spoke in the wheel, then they all do their share, and the wheel will last much longer without further repairs. Should a wheel be out of truth in the round, fasten a piece of wire across the forks just above the rim as close to it as possible. Then turn the wheel slowly, and observe the low places ; these should be chalk-marked, and the spokes let out on both sides at these places. Then find the high places, and tighten up the spokes on both sides at these parts. The exact amount to slacken out and take up in the spokes can only be found out by experience, and will be governed by the tension already on the spokes and the amount the wheel is out of truth ; but it is best to be on the safe side, and underdo it rather than overdo it, as a wheel can soon be pulled out of shape and be spoilt by unskilful handling. All the time the truing in the round is going on, a sharp eye must be kept on the condition of the wheel sidewise, and this kept within limits. Frequent trials by spinning the wheel should be made, and want of truth corrected. When the wheel is true in both directions, and all spokes brought to an equal tension, the inside of the rim should be examined, and any spoke ends projecting beyond the surface of the nipple heads filed off so that they cannot penetrate the tube. One of the secrets of successful wheel building or re- building is getting the nipples a good fit on the spokes. Generally the stock nipples and spokes purchased are too slack to fit, and the vibration gradually loosens the nipples, and thus lets the wheel out of truth. The worker should screw the spokes himself, and get dies that will screw a