Can wheels ‘undish’ themselves?

[AndyTheBikeGuy]

As my newly invented verb title says really? I’ve had my signal about 8 months now and I’ve noted that it’s started rubbing the seat stay on the drive side, I don’t think it used to do this, it would occasionally rub on both sides when out of the saddle on uneven terrain but very rarely. It’s still true but seems to need dishing.

Could there be another issue?

In regards to resisting, how do you know whether to tighten one side or loosen the other? Or do I need a spoke tensioner?

[Lazarus]

I cannot see how it can re dish itself because the only way to do this is to loosen or tighten all the spokes* on ONE side only of a wheel and it still end up true

Much more likely the tyre is out of "true" /has a bulge or the bearing has play or some other cause other than its been re dished- if it used to rub on both sides you obviously have limited clearance

I dont think its worth explaining how to redish a wheel as i dont think its the cause. If you had a dishing tool you could check , the internet explains how to make home made ones.


* techncially to re dish you would do a bit of both

[AndyTheBikeGuy]

So did a DIY dishing check and turns out there’s virtually no difference in the dish (less than half the depth of a 1p coin).

Could it be that the dropouts aren’t central compared to the stays? It’s still only rubbing occasionally when out of the saddle. Perhaps it didn’t used to rub on both sides and I’d just assumed it did.

[Lazarus]

I would just assume that wheel is actually dished properly

is the rear end flexing and bringing the tyre into contact with the frame?
given it only happens when standing i assume you are giving it some ?

[Bearlegged]

Could it be that the dropouts aren’t central compared to the stays?

It's possible. I've had wheels perfectly dished in a truing jig that have been closer to one stay than the other when put in a frame. It's worth checking. Have you tried putting the wheel in the frame the wrong way round? (I.e. cogs on the NDS).

As Lazarus has mentioned, if you've been getting rub both sides in the past, it sounds like you're running it very close on clearance anyway. Also worth checking the tyre is seated properly/isn't damaged etc.

If you do end up redishing, I'd suggest adding a quarter turn to one side first. If this doesn't do the trick, try taking off a quarter turn from the other side next.

(Apologies if any of this comes across as instructions in egg sucking!)

[Lazarus]

I've had wheels perfectly dished in a truing jig that have been closer to one stay than the other when put in a frame.

then the truing stand has a fault or possibly the frame or fork
I always use a a proper dishing tool when i build mine and then stare for ages trying to work out which way it needs to move if out !!.

That said i cannot see how a perfect wheel can move out of dish and stay true so I still go for lack of clearance ,play in the wheel or too much flex in the frame so too big a wheel

[Chew]

Also worth checking the tyre is seated properly/isn't damaged etc

This is what I was going to suggest.
The rim may be fine, it could be the tyre (or just flex in the frame if you’re running it close)

[Bearbonesnorm]

I've had a few bikes that'll rub when spirited climbing out of the saddle. There's a surprising amount of flex in a tyre, especially a biggish tyre at a lowish pressure. Ooh and a surprising amount in some stays too

[fatbikephil]

Dishing tool is your friend and its fairly easy to contrive one

[Bearlegged]

I've had wheels perfectly dished in a truing jig that have been closer to one stay than the other when put in a frame.

then the truing stand has a fault or possibly the frame or fork

I fully blame the frame. The jig is a very heavy duty Park tools one at the LBS, and I've also checked with a dishing tool. Once I'd established this though, I knew to dish the wheel relative to the frame, and I got it running fine.