Place the bike securely on a stand so the wheel being inspected is completely off the ground and can rotate freely.

Before beginning, inspect the wheel for:

• Bent or broken spokes

• Cracked or damaged nipples

• Rim damage or excessive wheel wobble

• Missing spokes or loose wheel bearings

Do not continue with basic spoke tightening if the rim or spokes are visibly damaged.

Use the valve stem or rim lock as your reference point.

Place a small piece of tape beside the starting spoke if needed. This makes it easier to know when you have completed a full rotation around the wheel.

Lightly tap the center section of the first spoke using the spoke wrench. Use approximately the same tapping force and location on every spoke.

Listen to the sound:

• Clear ringing or “ping” sound: Spoke has tension.

• Low or dull “thud” sound: Spoke may be loose.

Compare spokes with others around it. Spokes on opposite sides of the wheel may naturally produce slightly different tones.

Rotate the wheel slowly and tap each spoke.

Mark any spoke that produces a noticeably lower or duller sound than the surrounding comparable spokes.

A spoke that is physically loose or produces almost no ringing sound requires attention.

Place the correct-size spoke wrench completely over the spoke nipple.

Make sure the wrench fits tightly. An incorrect or loose-fitting wrench can round off the nipple.

When viewed directly from the nipple end at the rim, turning the nipple clockwise tightens the spoke.

The nipple is essentially just a nut that is tightened onto the spoke to create tension.

Tighten a loose spoke in small increments.

For routine spoke maintenance:

• Begin with approximately 1/4 turn.

• Tap the spoke again.

• Compare its tone with the surrounding spokes.

• Make another small adjustment only if necessary.

Avoid making more than approximately 1/4 turn at one time during routine adjustment.

After checking or adjusting the first spoke:

• Skip the next two spokes.

• After skipping two, check the next spoke.

• Continue around the wheel using the same pattern.

• Stop when you return to the starting area.

In other words: check one spoke, skip two spokes, then check the next spoke. This distributes adjustments around the wheel instead of concentrating tension in one area.

After completing the first sequence, move to the next spoke that has not been checked.

Repeat the every-third-spoke pattern until every spoke has been inspected.

A typical process will require several separate rotations around the wheel before all spokes have been covered.

Continue tapping each spoke after adjustment. Stop tightening when its tone becomes reasonably consistent with the surrounding comparable spokes.

Slowly spin the wheel and watch the edge of the rim.

Check for:

• Side-to-side movement: lateral runout

• Up-and-down movement: radial runout

• Sudden changes near one section of the rim

• Binding or rough wheel bearings

A zip tie secured to the fork or swingarm can be used as a stationary visual reference. Position it close to the rim without allowing it to touch.

Basic tone adjustment should not create or worsen visible rim wobble.

Tap every spoke one final time. The spokes should produce reasonably consistent tones when compared with other spokes of the same type and position.

Verify that:

• No spoke produces a very low or dead sound.

• No spoke is visibly loose.

• No nipple is damaged or rounded.

• The rim rotates without excessive wobble.

• The wheel bearings have no excessive movement.

• The wheel rotates freely.

Both insufficient and excessive spoke tension can damage spokes, distort the wheel and negatively affect handling.