Spoked wheels - looks "out-of-round"?

[andysdad]

Had my GS dyno'ed recently (another story) and as it slowed down, I got the fright of my life.

Definite "ding" in the back wheel-rim......looked like it had hit a pothole hard.

Aaaaaaaaaanyway - after much measuring and checking (including the discovery that the front wheel is the same, GULP!), I now realise that it's the way the wheels are built.

The ding is marked by a red dot on the rim - it's exactly opposite the tyre valve too. Clearly the dot marks where the rim is welded after bending into the circle it needs to be - I the dot is to stop them machining the weld by steering the machinist away.

Although the rim edge has 3mm of run-out (the ding), the actual radius at the tyre/rim interface is correct.

So don't be alarmed! They all look like this - it's just you never see your own wheels turning (I hope).

Of course, I could be wrong - any other theories, team?

 

[Gunboat Willy]

Hmmm...that's interesting. When I had the tyres replaced recently the chap said that they both looked like they were a bit 'out of shape' - but they balanced without any problems. I assumed that this wasn't normal because he must have changed a lot of 'em....as he specialises in bikes and I know that he's recently done at least one other GS.