Step Eight: Balancing the Tire

For some reason, I never get the tire to balance with the old weights, so its quicker just to pry them off now. Clean the tape residue with WD-40 or adhesive remover, then clean the rim with the soapy water spray. Replace the valve stem cap, remove the stickers from the tire, and mount it on your balance stand.

This balance stand is sold by Spec II, but I've seen it marketted lately under the Metzeler name in major catalogs. The nicest feature of this type of stand is the single axle and cones to fit just about any bearings you'll ever come across. I've even used it on single-sided wheels, by fitting appropriate washers (from seal drivers) into the wheels. The openings on each side of the wheel need not even be the same size. An alternative and popular design uses different sized axles for each wheel, at a cost of $20 an axle. Whichever setup you use, try to get something that rides on bearings on the stand, not relying on the grease-packed bearings in the wheel.

The balancing procedure is simple. The difference is experience (which makes a half hour job only take a few minutes).

With no weights, give the wheel a little spin and when it stops, mark the top of the wheel with chalk. Give it another spin. If it comes up to the same point, you are not balanced. Duct tape a piece of weight to the top of the wheel, then give it another little spin. If the same spot comes up again, it wasn't enough weight. Tape a little more and give it another spin. If the weight comes up on the bottom now, you added too much. Eventually, you'll get the wheel balanced when it stops in pretty much random positions each time it is spinned.

This is a very time consuming process. The pros don't spin the wheel, they nudge it. If it accelerates quickly, you know you need to add a lot of weight and you can stop the wheel right away and tape more on. When you nudge the wheel and it slows instead of accelerates, you know you are close and you can wait to see it stop.

Don't be surprised if it comes up in one of two or three positions all the time, but more weight or less weight makes it clearly unbalanced. This is as close as you are going to get to perfect balance and the tire will feel fine on the bike.

After figuring out how much weight is needed, mark where the weights are with chalk, then remove them. Clean the rim with contact cleaner, and apply the permanent weights of the same amount. Give it one last nudge to make sure the balance is correct, then tape the weights in place.

30-Aug-2001  K.L.