JochenRindt

I'm running new old stock Saturae rims laced to Campy hubs with new spokes. I went out for my first ride on it today on the local trail. There are a few rough spots on the trail and I tried to be as careful as I could, but I noticed halfway through the ride that the rear wheel went out of true. I'm running 700x23 tires. My questions are as follows. Are these wheels just not strong enough for my weight (225lbs) and the type of road conditions? Should I go to 25mm tires and run 100 or even 95 psi?

Andrew R Stewart 

Which version? IIRC Saturae offered a few models. One much like a Mavic Open Pro and another an aero shaped thing. All were pretty narrow in their internal widths.

At your weight I would suggest running wider than 23mm tires. At least 25s and if 28s fit all the better. The only thing skinny tires do better, then wide ones, is to feel quicker. But perceptions are not reality often. Andy

JochenRindt

This is the rim.

himespau 

Did you build them up yourself? Stress relieve them properly?

JochenRindt

I did not build them myself. They came on the bike I bought a few days ago.

himespau 

OK, it's just that, when I hear of new rims laced to hubs and then they go out of true on the first ride, I always come back to the thought that maybe they weren't stress relieved properly and a proper stress-relieving and retruing might make them hold true for thousands more miles. Not that you personally wouldn't skip the stress relieving step, just that I know that I might not do it as thoroughly as a professional wheelbuilder might. Trying to find something other than the rims to say is the problem (and give hope for an easy solution).

shelbyfv

Another vote for an improperly built wheel. At least try correcting it before giving up. Agree a wider tire would be more appropriate if you have clearance.

JochenRindt

Any guesses on the likelihood that having them trued by a master wheelbuilder will correct the problem?

Bill Kapaun

I'm 230+ and ride 26mm tires on my Hybrid. I have to avoid "stuff" on smooth pavement and wouldn't think of riding anything but.

I too think the wheels were built with uneven tension.

Assuming the front wheel is also built by the same "builder", it'd also be suspect.
IF it's a "standard, non disc" front, all spokes should have identical tension, since there is no dish like a rear.
PLUCK individual spokes and compare the tone to other spokes. If you can tell a noticeable diff..........

mpetry912 

you might not need a master wheel builder but someone with experience in wheel building will be able to improve the situation

I don't think the situation is terminal. By riding them you are doing the strain relieving on the bike haha

just take them to a shop that you trust with a good service dept.

/markp

Bill Kapaun

I can't tell from the pic, but the dark recess "bead" looks a little wonky next to the lowest spoke/nipple.
Possibly it's just a photo "aberration"?

Since the wheel is "out of use", back off all the nipples to the 1st thread showing.
That will also give your "repairman" a consistent place to start. (you might want to take a few pics from different angles & distances in case they want to know "what it looked like before")
If there aren't any noticeable "kinks", you're probably good.
IF it's hit hard enough to "stretch" the metal......

FBinNY 

Weight alone isn't an issue. I toured on light wheels with 25mm tubulars for years and never had problems. Note, that I've never babied my bike or wheels, rode on all sorts of roads the same way I'd ride on the track. Also note that if/when weight is a factor it doesn't happen right away. So, look to a build issue. That list is too long, so I suggest reading everything you can find on building durable wheels.

veganbikes

A good wheel builder or a good mechanic can true them back up and get them ready to roll. That is probably all they need and if you explain the situation they can do their best to correct for that. If it was really done poorly then have a wheel builder rebuild the wheel.

FBinNY 

FWIW a common cause of new wheels going out of true on the first ride is spoke twist. Friction causes spokes to twist with the nipple as they're tightened. This is worst on final true when tension is highest.

As you ride, the cyclical easing of tension allows the spoke to untwist while the rim holds the nipple. This is most common with lighter spokes and rims, but is not serious and easily resolved.

Iride01 

You shouldn't have to be scared of rough spots or be careful of road hazards just for the sake of your rims. Just make certain that any wheel you ride has been checked out by a wheel person soon after you get that wheel. It's usually pretty inexpensive. Less than a few beers in the tavern.

Once they've been checked out, they should probably be good for a long time. But you should always check your spokes every once in a while, to make sure they all seem about the same tension. And are not too loose.

I haven't had a wheel go out of true in a very long time. Probably since I started letting a wheel person go over every one of my new wheels instead of trying to DIY them on my own.

Camilo

I guess yes, but any experienced wheel builder. But I'd also go with as wide a tire you can fit on your frame, at your weight.

GamblerGORD53

OLD rim with corroding eyelet holes. There's the problem. I hate eyelets on new rims even worse.

SurferRosa

Why not learn how to true a wheel?

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Kontact 

What are you talking about? The image doesn't show corroding eyelets.


OP, no one knows why your wheels aren't true. Don't futz with them yourself if you don't know what's going on. A decent mechanic can tell you if the wheel is wrong or just needed truing and tension.

JochenRindt

First thing yesterday morning I tool them to my LBS. The owner is an older guy who is master wheel builder. He had a good look at the wheel and said he thought the wheel just wasnt tensioned properly. He didnt seem to think correcting it was a huge deal.