Self-tensioning of spokes, adjustment of a bicycle wheel. Complete wheel assembly with your own hands. Assembling bicycle wheels How to replace the spokes on the rear wheel of a bicycle

Wheel alignment requires high qualifications and extensive experience. Many professional riders do almost all of their bike tuning themselves, but leave wheel tuning to the professionals. Therefore, it makes sense to focus on the fact that it is unlikely that you will be able to do the adjustment well the first time.

To work, you will need a special key for spokes (more precisely, for spoke nipples). Nipples come in different sizes: 3.22 mm, 3.3 mm, 3.45 mm, 3.96 mm. It is important that the key fits exactly, otherwise it will slip.

This is what spoke keys look like

It is advisable, but not necessary, to have a special wheel truing machine and a tool for measuring spoke tension. And it’s really great if you have a special tool for centering the rim relative to the hub.

Wheel straightening machine

If you don't have a special machine, you can align the wheel directly on the bike, using the rim brake pads to assess the deformation. In this case, you need to especially carefully check how level the wheel is and how the brakes work.

I usually write actions in steps: first step, second step, etc. But I couldn’t come up with such an algorithm here. It is quite possible that after correcting the ovoidity (radial displacement), the lateral displacement will have to be corrected again, or vice versa.

There are several criteria for assessing alignment:

• Lateral displacement
• Radial offset
• Spoke tension force
• Centering relative to the bushing

Correction of all these displacements occurs by tightening the spoke (turning the nipple clockwise) or loosening the spoke (counterclockwise). In this case, only the nipple rotates, the spoke itself does not rotate.

The spokes on the right pull the rim to the right. Those on the left are to the left. If the spokes are tighter on one side, then the rim will be “skewed” in this place. It is worth paying attention to the following important point: the spoke affects not only the section of the rim to which it is attached, but also the neighboring ones (but to a lesser extent).

The tension of one spoke affects adjacent areas of the rim

Since few people have a wheel straightening machine, the following description is focused on the option of installing a wheel on a bicycle. Naturally, before adjusting the rim, you need to remove the tire and tube. (There should also be a flipper - a strip that protects the camera from the spokes; it can be immediately removed).

Spoke tension force

You can start inspecting the wheel with the tension of the spokes. If there are knitting needles that are not tensioned at all, you need to tighten them.

You can measure the tension of the spokes using a special tool. Each wheel has its own recommended values. The spokes of the rear wheel are always pulled tighter than the spokes of the front wheel.

Analog and digital meters spoke tension forces

Perhaps experienced mechanics can determine the tension by sound or touch. But I think this is not the most reliable option.

If you want to tighten the wheel, you can turn the nipple of each spoke by touch. But I think this is not the most reliable option.

Many specialist bicycle mechanics do not even know how to properly assemble wheels that can be ridden for a long time without adjustment. But even qualified mechanics do not have enough time to do thorough work and skip some operations, resulting in reduced quality and reliability. Therefore, it is best to figure it out and assemble the wheels yourself. This is done as follows:

A. Set

1. Lubricate the spoke threads and rim where they contact the nipples with oil. Without this, it is impossible to tighten the spokes tightly enough.

2. If the holes on the hub flanges are countersunk on only one side, then the spoke heads should be on the non-countersunk side, because The countersink is designed to bend the spoke.

3. Insert nine spokes into one flange so that there is a free hole between them and so that the heads are on the outside. If it's a rear wheel, start with the right (threaded) part of the hub.

4. Take the rim, find among the holes offset to the right the one closest to the right of the valve hole.

5. Insert the first spoke into this hole and screw the nipple two turns. This knitting needle is called a key one.

6. Count four holes clockwise from the key spoke, insert the next spoke and screw in the nipple.

7. Check what you have done to ensure that the following conditions are met:

A. The threaded part of the bushing faces the operator;

b. The spoke closest to the valve hole is to the right of it;

With. Both spokes connect the right side of the rim to the right hub flange:

d. There are three free holes between the spokes.

8. If all these conditions are met, secure the remaining seven spokes using every fourth hole in the rim.

9. Turn the wheel over. Now it is facing you with its left side. Next, you need to connect nine spokes to the rim, inserted from the outside into the left flange.

10. Find the key spoke. It is located to the left of the valve hole or through one nipple hole.

The tenth spoke should be next to the key one to the right (to the left in the original) of the valve hole. In this case, the tenth spoke should not intersect the key spoke.

11. After installing the tenth spoke, the remaining eight spokes of the left flange are assembled in the above sequence.

12. Now half of the knitting needles have already been cast on. In the case of a rear wheel, these spokes are called drive spokes. Their heads should be on the outside of flange 2. If you look at the rim, pairs of free holes and pairs of holes with nipples should alternate along the entire circumference. The nipples should only be turned a few turns.

13. We move on to the tensioning spokes, the heads of which should be on the inside of the flange. We thread one tensioning spoke into the hole in the flange and tighten the sleeve so that the already assembled spokes receive a direction as close as possible to the tangent relative to the flanges. For the rear wheel, grab the hub by the threaded part and turn it clockwise. The first tensioning spoke crosses the three already assembled drive spokes (counting only those that belong to the same flange). Each tensioning spoke should run outside the first two spokes it intersects and inward under the third one it intersects.

When installing the first nine tension spokes, be sure to insert them into the appropriate holes on the rim, i.e. into those that are offset towards their flange.

14. The remaining tension knitting needles are cast in the same way. In this case, it may turn out that the ends of some spokes do not reach the nipple holes. This is usually caused by one or more of the nipples getting caught with their noses on the rim and not going through the holes. If this is not the reason, then you have turned the nipples too far, which, until all the spokes are assembled, should be turned no more than two turns.

B. Pre-tension

15. Before tightening the spokes, you need to wrap all the nipples to the same depth. For example, with long knitting needles so that their ends are flush with the splines of the nipples. If the spokes are short for this purpose, it is enough that the same number of threaded turns is visible on all spokes. Even screwing of the nipples is very important because... significantly simplifies the entire further process. In this case, the spokes should not yet be tensioned.

16. In the case of the rear wheel, now it's time to work on the umbrella. The right spokes should have more tension than the left ones. For most bushings, as a first approximation, it is sufficient to tighten all right-hand nipples an additional 3.5 turns.

17. We proceed to uniform tension of the spokes. Starting from the valve hole, screw each nipple one turn. If there is a lot of slack left in the knitting needles, add one turn at a time. In this case, after passing three quarters of the rim, it may turn out that it becomes difficult to turn the nipples. This means that the second turn is excessive and all nipples tightened in the second turn should be returned to starting position, i.e. unscrew one turn. After this, we start again from the valve hole and screw in all the nipples half a turn.

18. We install the wheel on the machine and see which unevenness of the rim is greater - vertical (ellipse) or horizontal (figure eight). You always need to edit the larger one.

C. Editing the figure eight

19. Let's say we're starting with a figure eight, and the worst part of the rim is offset to the right at the four-spoke section. Two of them go to the right flange and two to the left. Turn the left nipples a quarter of a turn, and release the right ones the same amount, this section of the rim will move to the left. However, the tension of the spokes does not change, since the same number of spokes were loosened as they were tightened, and by the same amount. If the rim section is shorter, for example, of three spokes - one left and two right, you can tighten the left spoke half a turn, and release each of the right spokes a quarter turn. This is the principle of wheel balancing, thanks to which it is possible to eliminate horizontal runout without worsening the vertical one.

20. What has been done may not be enough to completely correct this unevenness, but if there is an improvement, you should not try to immediately achieve the final result. Now we find the worst deviation of the rim to the left and tighten it. Thus, moving from one side to the other, we maintain the predefined umbrella. Do not try to straighten the figure eight better than 3mm at this stage. This is done during final adjustment after editing the umbrella and ellipse.

D. Editing an ellipse

21. Find the section of the rim furthest from the hub. By tensioning the spokes in this place they bring him closer to her. This increases the rigidity of the entire wheel. The principle of balance described above applies here too. Let's assume that the found area has three nipples - two left and one right. If you tighten the two left spokes by half a turn each, and the right one by one turn, the rim lip will retract without disturbing the tension uniformity. In this way, you can straighten the ellipse without noticeably worsening the figure eight.

22. Find the next section of the rim that is furthest away from concentricity and pull it out in the manner described. Then the next section, and so on. Each time the wheel becomes closer to the circle, the spoke becomes tighter.

23. To what extent should the knitting needles be tightened? The best thing is to be as rigid as possible until the edges of the nipples begin to be eaten away - the tension of the spokes gives the wheel strength. While driving in every at the moment the various forces applied to some spokes are added, those applied to others are subtracted. The spokes must have sufficient tension so that if the applied forces are released, the spoke will never lose tension. Successive cycles of tension and sagging lead to fracture.

24. If the wheel is already round and the spoke tension is insufficient, tighten all nipples the same amount (for example, half a turn) and check the wheel again for concentricity.

25. Straightening an ellipse requires more tightening than a figure eight, and in this case you can tighten the spokes by half a turn or even a whole turn at a time. For preliminary editing of the figure eight - a quarter and half a turn, for precise editing - 1/8 and 1/4 turns.

E. Umbrella

26. The rear wheel umbrella should be located in a plane passing through the middle of the distance between the tips of the rear hub. Otherwise, the bike will tend to turn to the side.

27. The easiest way to check the correctness of the umbrella is by the distance from the rim to brake pads. This distance is measured with the wheel in normal position and with the right end of the axle inserted into the left end (i.e., the wheel is inverted). In both cases the distance should be the same. However, this method is only suitable if the axle is not bent.

28. To set up the umbrella, you need to fully taut knitting needles loosen the nipple on one side and tighten the nipple on the other side by the same amount (usually 1/4 turn). If the spokes are not very tight, you can only tighten the nipple on the side where you want to move the rim. At the same time, the rigidity of the entire wheel will increase.

F. Final Setup

29. The final adjustment consists of sequentially repeating all three processes, straightening the ellipse, figure eight and umbrella. Adjusting one can affect the others, so at any given moment you need to work on what is most different from the norm.

G. Final tension

30. Now you should have a wheel that is no different from the serial factory one: all three parameters are within normal limits, the spokes are sufficiently tensioned. Many mechanics would consider the job complete. However, when driving, such a wheel will quickly go out of whack. The fact is that the heads of the spokes have not yet completely entered the holes in the flanges, and the nipples have not yet fully entered the holes in the rim. When driving, they begin to “settle” more tightly and upset the balance of the wheel.

31. There are several ways to shrink knitting needles. For example: take the wheel in both hands, press hard on the spokes where they intersect, turn the wheel and do the same with the next four spokes, and so on around the entire circumference of the wheel. In this case, creaks and crackles will be heard, that is, the sound of the spokes shrinking. After this procedure, the wheel may become slightly abnormal. Adjust it again and repeat squeezing the spokes. Continue the entire process until it no longer affects the rim and the sound stops.

32. There is another reason why the wheel quickly goes out of whack. This is knitting needles. When pulling tight, turning the nipple may initially twist, i.e. turn the spoke instead of pulling it up the thread. For example, you want to tighten a spoke a quarter turn. In this case, the following happens not so rarely: first, at one-eighth of a turn, the spoke itself rotates along with the nipple, then the thread feeds and pulls the spoke the remaining 1/8 of a turn. After some time, the twisted knitting needle gives back and unwinds the tightening in the nipple. The easiest way to get rid of this is to tighten the nipple 3/8 of a turn and then loosen 1/8, so you get a clean 1/4 turn of tightening without twisting. With some experience, you will be able to feel when the knitting needle begins to twist. Before tightening, a beginner can put marks on all the knitting needles with a felt-tip pen, which will rotate when twisted.

33. Once the wheel is fully balanced, make sure that the ends of the spokes do not protrude above the rim. Otherwise, they need to be cut down.

34. Remove any remaining grease that will damage the monotubes or chambers!

35. When adjusting the wheel, never rush. If you are tired, put aside work and return to it only with a fresh mind.

A figure eight on a bicycle wheel is the most common deformation. Today, when creating bicycles, they use latest technologies, but even on an ultra-modern bike the wheel remains very conservative, spoked. The design in this case is not anything complicated: a hub, a rim and the spokes that unite them. During operation, every cyclist experiences wheel deformation. And the appearance of a figure eight on a wheel is far from uncommon. This is due to a violation of the integrity of the rim and loose spokes.

And yet, why does this deformation occur? During operation, the wheel is inevitably subject to load as soon as the cyclist takes his place on the saddle. Let's add some road unevenness - potholes, bumps, poor or no coverage, and the question of the reasons for the occurrence of "eights" disappears by itself. In addition, inexperienced cyclists often incorrectly distribute their weight on the bike, which also increases the load. Sharp braking, jumping and other extreme conditions, as well as long-term operation also make it necessary to adjust the wheels.

As you can see, during operation the bicycle experiences loads that are least dependent on your riding style. Over time, the geometry of the wheel rim changes - it becomes deformed. The speed of its manifestation depends on the presence of rim defects (figure eight, “umbrella” and “egg” displacement). It is worth noting that the service life of wheels often also depends on the materials from which they are made and their quality. Sometimes inexpensive models may require repairs much earlier than those made from expensive components (for example, a high-strength rim).

How can you tell if a wheel is bent?
When there is a suspicion that the wheel has lost its original shape, you should turn the bike over and begin a thorough check.

First, you need to inspect the wheel at the place of suspected curvature. To do this, it is untwisted, and in the case of the rear one, this can be done using pedals. It is visually obvious that the curved areas are shifted to the side during rotation. Now all that remains is to grab it with your hand in that place and stop it, which is quite difficult.

One more, more in an effective way is to use a chalk or marker. While spinning the wheel, you need to bring it to the rim. First of all, the stroke will remain on the convex figure of the “eight”. By twisting the chalk more strongly and bringing it closer to the rim, you can determine the boundaries of the curvature.

How to fix the "eight"
And now the curvature is found. Every cyclist can correct it with his own efforts, and given that deformation is not a rare phenomenon, valuable experience comes with time. There are two ways to get rid of the “disease”:
power straightening;
tightening and loosening wheel spokes.

Required set tools to eliminate deformation:
1) chalk to mark the area with a defect;
2) spoke wrench;
3) a wheel straightening machine (preferably, but not required).

The figure eight, which is small in size, can be eliminated without removing the wheel. To diagnose the problem, turn the bike upside down to check that the wheel is positioned correctly in relation to the brake pads. This process can be divided into several operations. First you need to identify the deformation. As the wheel rotates, press a piece of chalk onto it. In places where the figure eight is formed you will see a corresponding trace. This simple method will help determine the exact location of the rim deformation.

Next comes tightening and loosening the spokes, but only from a certain side, which will be discussed in detail below. If such manipulations are performed with inaccuracies, the wheel can become even more deformed. There are several ways in which it can be removed.

Power straightening
If you consider this scenario possible, you should remove the wheel from the frame. But the tire and tube should not be removed. We turn the wheel with its bulge towards us and grasp the rim and tire with our hands. In this case, the average deformation requires the position of the hands equal to 10 and 2 o'clock on the dial. We use our knee, placing it against the convex area, and press strongly from ourselves.

If there is enough strength, this is done by weight. Or you can place the wheel vertically, with the deformed section up. In this case, the help of a partner is required to press the wheel to the floor. After this extreme straightening, the wheel is returned to the frame and tested.

But this method is not always effective. It is not accurate and minor deformations are not corrected. Among other things, inept actions can provoke new bends. And not every rim can be impacted by foot - high-strength modern wheels will remain “to their own.” Although, if the wheel let you down somewhere along the way and the “figure eight” happened suddenly due to, for example, hitting a large stone, “forceful straightening” is the only possible way.

Adjusting the wheel spokes
The correct tension of the spokes often determines the ride quality bicycle. Spoke tension adds strength and elasticity to the wheel. In this case, the tires are removed, and the tension of each spoke is carefully checked. It happens that the rim becomes bent as a result of their general weakening. In a situation where the spokes are dangling like guitar strings, you should tighten them by 1 turn of the key. In the found area of ​​curvature, a spoke is searched for, located in its center, that is, at the convexity itself. The knitting needle must be turned in the direction opposite to the direction of the convexity. In this case, the spokes located on the sides of the central one are weakened.

If the figure eight is between two nearby knitting needles, then using a special key, tighten the first knitting needle by a third of a turn, and twist the knitting needle next to it in the opposite direction, loosening the clamp by a third as well. If the “eight” has a size of three knitting needles, the following actions are taken:
tightening the central spoke a quarter turn with a wrench;
slight loosening of the outer spokes (half the tension in the center).

If the figure eight has a size of seven spokes, the algorithm of actions is as follows:
the central spoke is tightened half a turn;
the second and third spokes should be loosened by a quarter turn;
the fourth and fifth are tightened by one eighth;
the sixth and seventh (that is, the extreme ones) are weakened by one eighth.

That is, alternating tension and stretching of the spokes should be carried out so that the outermost spokes of the “eight” are weakened. After the procedure, the wheel is installed in its place and tested for possible distortions. If the figure eight is curved in reverse side, all tension is eliminated and the tightening on the loosening knitting needles is increased. After which everything repeats itself, but to a lesser extent. The result of a long operation is the alignment of the wheel to a perfectly smooth circle. At first work will go not so fast, but with experience, the speed of adjusting the spokes also increases.

Changing the knitting needles
Not all craftsmen know how to assemble wheels efficiently, and therefore it is best to learn how to do it yourself. The assembly is carried out according to a certain algorithm.

1. Work on a set of knitting needles:
it is necessary to lubricate the threads of the spoke and the rim in places where there is contact with the nipples, otherwise the spoke will not be tensioned with sufficient rigidity;
in a situation where the hub flanges have a countersink on a single side, the spoke heads are on the non-countersinked side, it is needed to bend the spokes;
nine spokes are inserted into the flange so that there is an unoccupied hole between them, and so that the heads are located on the outside. In a rear wheel situation, you should start on the right side of the hub;
on the rim, among the holes shifted to the right, you should find the one closest to the hole for the camera nipple;
the first knitting needle is attached to this hole, it is considered the key one;
Count four holes from the key knitting needle, moving clockwise, place the next knitting needle and screw in the nipple;
as a result, there should be three unoccupied holes between the spokes, the spoke closest to the valve hole is located to the right of it, and the threaded part of the sleeve faces the master;
then the remaining seven spokes are secured, using every fourth hole in the rim;
after turning the wheel over, nine more spokes are connected to the rim, inserted into the left flange from the outside;
the tenth knitting needle should be located to the right of the key one, adjacent to it, but not intersecting it;
after installing the tenth knitting needle, the next eight are assembled in the sequence defined above;
and now the drive spokes are already placed in their places and their heads are on the outside of the flange. In this case, the nipples are turned only a certain number of turns;
Tension spokes with heads are installed on the inside of the flange. A spoke is threaded into the flange hole and the sleeve is rotated so that all the spokes in place receive a certain direction, closest to the tangent relative to the flange. The first tension spoke must intersect three drive spokes standing in place, while each tension spoke must pass outside the first two it intersects under the third, also intersected;
the rest of the knitting needles are obtained according to the same principle.

2. Tension
Before tensioning the spokes, all nipples should be tightened equally. Then you need to start the process by turning each nipple one turn. If there is still “quivering” in the knitting needles, the tension increases. We install the wheel to check and remove all figure-of-eight defects.

Eliminating radial runout
The wheel rim in the form of an oval “egg” looks like this: one part of the rim is located closer to the center than the rest. This type of wheel defect appears after unsuccessful landings. Fixing such a breakdown is much more difficult than a regular figure eight:
1) remove the tire and inspect the rim;
2) turn the bike body over and spin the wheel while holding an object on top. Mark with chalk the part of the rim that will lift this object;
3) simultaneously trace three directions:
- release the tension from the central spoke;
- tighten the adjacent spokes by the same number of turns so that there is no figure eight;
- the spokes at the opposite end of the wheel should be tightened to prevent the appearance of an “egg” in another place.

Eliminating such an eight requires considerable experience; the process is characterized by its own difficulties. After correcting the “eggs”, you need to press the entire weight on the knitting needles, as in the above diagram, to shrink them.

Editing "Umbrella"
Cyclists are familiar with the concept of an “umbrella”. The defect is as follows: the wheel rim is offset to one side and is not perfectly aligned with the center of the hub. How serious the situation from such a displacement is directly for the bicycle depends on the design of the frame and the configuration of the brakes. This type of malfunction often occurs when the wheel is not assembled correctly. The “umbrella” is eliminated by analogy, like a regular figure eight. On one side you need to tighten the knitting needles, and on the other, loosen them. Unlike eliminating the usual figure eight, in the process of straightening the umbrella, the force for each subsequent knitting needle should not be weaker, but should remain uniform throughout the entire circumference.

Let's sum it up
Eights appear on the wheels of even the most experienced and savvy cyclists. In order to straighten a wheel, you need to remember a few simple rules. Always retighten the wheel spokes carefully - there is a risk of damaging the rim. If during straightening one or more of the spokes become too tight, loosen them and the nearby spokes. Only then repeat the adjustment again.

When riding a bicycle, spokes often break in a weakened state. If during the pulling procedure one or more wheel spokes become loose, be sure to tighten them and then repeat the adjustment again.

Visual video:

Figure eight on a bicycle wheel is a very common problem faced by cyclists. In this case, it doesn’t matter at all what kind of bicycle you have - an ultra-modern mountain bike from a famous European brand or a well-worn, faithful two-wheeled horse that came off the assembly line of a domestic manufacturer of outdoor goods.

Causes and types of defects

Common types of bicycle wheel defects are figure eight and egg. The occurrence of deformations is facilitated by active use of the vehicle and intensive driving on uneven, bumpy roads.

You can identify and correct these types of deformities yourself, without the help of a qualified specialist. Diagnosing the presence of defects is quite simple. To do this, you need to turn the bike over with its wheels facing up, placing it vertically.

Next, you need to unscrew the problem wheel by rotating it around its axis. As a rule, the figure eight is visible to the naked eye. If we are talking about a slight deformation when the wheel rotates (if the figure eight is not visible upon first examination), a characteristic clicking sound will be heard.

Defect Troubleshooting Tools

To repair your vehicle You will need the following tools yourself:

• marker or chalk;
• plastic mounts for tire removal;
• spoke key.

Algorithm for eliminating deformation

First you need to determine as accurately as possible problem area, identifying the lesion. Next, you need to find the central spoke in the affected area.

Please note: if the figure eight falls to the right side, the first thing you need to do is tighten (or loosen) the spoke on the opposite side using a spoke wrench.

rice. 1.

After performing the manipulation (you need to tighten the knitting needle little by little, about 1/3 of a turn), you must immediately check the result. Next, you need to tighten the adjacent knitting needles on the opposite side in the same way. The number of turns of the wrench to tighten adjacent spokes should be approximately half that required for tightening the central spoke. As you move away from the source of deformation, the number of revolutions should gradually decrease proportionally.

rice. 2.
Another type of bicycle wheel deformation is the egg type. In this case, the wheel takes on an egg shape, flattening vertically. Very often this type of deformation is combined with a figure eight. The situation can be corrected by tightening the spokes on both sides. When performing manipulations, you need to ensure that the knitting needles are not too loose or overtightened.

rice. 3

Figure 8 of a bicycle wheel - determining the exact location

To determine the exact location of the deformation, you need to turn the bike over with its wheels facing up. Next, you need to rotate the problem wheel, gradually bringing a chalk or marker to the spinning rim. In places where there is a figure eight, the chalk or marker will touch the rim. These places need to be noted. This is how you can determine the problem area - the source of the figure eight.

There is another method for determining the source of the figure eight using ordinary ear sticks, tape and a marker. To identify the problem area of ​​the rim, you need to stick ear sticks using tape onto the front fork stays on both sides. The places where the ear sticks will come into contact with the rotating rim are problem areas. This is where it will be necessary to tighten or loosen the spokes in accordance with the algorithm described above.

Eliminating the figure eight defect is a simple but troublesome process; you can handle it yourself without the help of a specialized specialist. This method is universal and suitable for various types of bicycles.

Important: After eliminating the defect, it is imperative to check the degree of tightness of all spokes of the problematic rim. This will help you avoid unexpected accidents on the road.

The occurrence of a figure eight is a problem that every cyclist has encountered. Moreover, eights on wheels will appear regularly, and as often as you actively use your bike.

Small eights, as a rule, do not create serious problems when riding, and you can safely ride for quite a long time without adjustment. Significant deviations make cycling unsafe and should be corrected. Adjusting the wheel is a simple procedure, and you can do it yourself. We’ll look at how to fix a figure eight on a bicycle wheel and what tools you’ll need for this in this article.

Reasons for the appearance of the eight

Wheel deformation is a natural and inevitable result of using a bicycle. When riding a bicycle, the wheels experience various loads in the vertical plane. Even when the cyclist sits on the saddle, the wheels are immediately subject to load. Add to this the unevenness of the surface, bumps, holes, if you prefer driving on dirt roads - this will also negatively affect the condition of the wheels.

Beginner cyclists do not yet know how to properly distribute weight on a bicycle; this will also increase the load on the wheels. Taking turns at speed, sharp braking, all this contributes to the appearance of figure eights on a bicycle. The more often a bicycle is used, the sooner the need to adjust its wheels will arise. Even if you ride very carefully, this problem cannot be avoided.

Driving style is not the only factor that determines how long your wheels will last. The quality, material and manufacturing technology of the wheel rim can significantly reduce the likelihood of various defects occurring. Inexpensive models, on the other hand, may have such defects upon purchase and require repairs much earlier.

The tool needed to fix the figure eight

• It is imperative to have a spoke wrench, with the help of which the figure eight can be eliminated by changing the tension of the wheel spokes
• A marker or chalk that can be used to mark the location of the figure eight on the wheel rim
• A plastic tire mount for removing tires from a wheel will greatly simplify the procedure for correcting the figure eight, and in general it will be quite a useful tool for a cyclist.

How to straighten a bicycle wheel

Attention! Before you begin to correct wheel defects, you need to determine what type and location this defect is located.

To do this, use a chalk or marker. On an inverted bicycle, we spin the wheel and slowly bring the chalk to it, thus getting it in the place where the figure eight is located. The chalk will leave marks, which are used to determine the knitting needles, the tension of which we will change. If you can’t hold the chalk suspended, you can use additional devices. For example, on the front wheel fork, you can glue ear sticks using tape and do the same operation as with chalk.

After determining the place where the figure eight appears, you can begin to correct it:

• We start working with a knitting needle located in the center of the marked area. Depending on which direction the figure eight manifests itself, we take the knitting needle located on the opposite side from it. We tighten it with a spoke wrench to a distance of less than one turn.
  We loosen two adjacent knitting needles located on the side on which the figure eight was marked. The distance by which they need to be loosened should be less than the distance of tightening the first spoke, for example 2 times.
• We continue to do the same actions with the remaining spokes as with the previous ones, gradually reducing the distance of tightening and loosening with a spoke wrench. Thus, it turns out that the central part of the figure eight, which is its focus, is subject to the greatest correction.
  We rotate the wheel again and check the result. If it gets worse, we return the tension of the spokes to their original position and perform the same actions, only we make the tension and loosening weaker than the first time.
• Gradually, over several tightening-loosening cycles, the figure eight will appear less and less significantly. To achieve the ideal spoke tension, you will have to go through these steps more than once, however, as stated at the beginning of the article, small figure eights will not lead to noticeable problems while riding, so we recommend that people who do not suffer from perfectionism not get carried away with this activity.

Fixing a wheel defect known as egg

The egg defect appears due to strong point overloads, usually caused by an unsuccessful landing. A wheel with such a defect loses its circular shape, taking on an elliptical shape that looks like an egg, hence its name.

The process of eliminating an egg on the wheel begins with identifying the affected area. The determination method is similar to the process of determining the eight. The difference is that the chalk must be brought to the wheel rim from the side where the tire is located. The tire must, of course, be removed. The tool used here is the same as for aligning the figure eight on a bicycle wheel.

The egg defect is eliminated according to the same principle as the figure eight, with the only difference being that when correcting the egg, we will only tighten the knitting needles.

We start, as in the case of correcting the figure eight, with the central spokes in the identified egg zone, here we tighten it more strongly, gradually reducing the distance by which we turn the spoke key as we approach the edges of the egg zone.

Often two defects can be present at the same time, so after eliminating the egg, do not forget to eliminate the eight.

What to check after correcting defects on the wheel

Important! After adjusting the defective area, it is also worth checking the other spokes on the wheel. Spokes that are not tightened enough can break, while spokes that are too tight will stick out from the rim and can puncture the inner tube.

Loose knitting needles need to be tightened, and loosened knitting needles. After which it is necessary to re-check the wheel for defects. If you still have overtightened knitting needles, you are satisfied with the result, but are tired of adjusting, you can sharpen these knitting needles with a file.

When riding a bicycle, the bicycle wheel takes on various loads, and regardless of whether you ride carefully or not, over time, deformations of the rim occur on the wheel - the geometry of the wheel is disrupted. Much depends, of course, on the quality of the rim; on a poor-quality rim, a figure eight can form after the very first rides on a bicycle, so when choosing, you should pay special attention to the quality of the rim and its assembly.

If you want to eliminate a rim defect - a figure eight, and do not have experience in this matter, then you need to know that this is not a very simple operation, as it requires a lot of patience and time.

Before starting to correct the figure eight rim on a bicycle, if you have no experience, I would recommend practicing on an old wheel. And so, in principle, there is nothing complicated about this, you need to follow the instructions correctly.

• spoke wrench;
• marker or piece of chalk;

You can also have a machine (more convenient) for the wheel. But if it is not there, then simply turn the bike upside down.

Stages of fixing figure eight

First of all, we need to find places of deformation on the wheel on the rim (figure eight), for this we take a marker or a piece of chalk, on an inverted bicycle we spin the wheel and slowly bring the marker closer to the rim, the place where there is a figure eight will touch the marker and leave a mark on the rim, this is there will be a place where the eight is located.

To eliminate the figure eight of the rim, a coordinated tightening and loosening of the spokes on the right sides is required, since if this is done incorrectly, new deformations may appear on the rim, we will consider further.

Let's consider a couple of options for eliminating the figure eight wheel on a bicycle, in different places on the rim.

The first option is how to remove the figure eight on the wheel, if there is a slight deformation of the rim, which is located between two adjacent spokes. In this situation, we should tighten one spoke, for example, by 1/3 of a turn, and also loosen the adjacent spoke by the same 1/3 of a turn of the spoke wrench.

Let's also consider the option how to straighten a figure eight on a wheel, if the figure eight of the wheel touched several adjacent spokes. With such deformation, it is necessary to tighten or loosen those knitting needles that are closer to the center of the figure eight more than those that are located at the edges.

Correcting the figure eight on the wheel using video instructions

After each step taken, you need to spin the wheel and look at the wheel; if the wheel is level, then everything was done correctly, but if the figure eight has increased, then you need to bring everything back to its original position and figure out again what was done incorrectly. If the figure eight has become smaller, then you can continue to tighten and loosen the knitting needles in the same spirit, you are doing everything right.

Good luck to you, and less breakdowns.

One of the important components of a bicycle is the spoked wheel, which is installed on almost all models of this two-wheeled vehicle. But if during the ride you saw how it encircles the “eight”, then you should not be upset. Every cyclist faces this problem.

How to straighten the figure eight on a bicycle wheel in such a situation? You can fix this problem yourself without spending a lot of money. At the same time a slight curvature will not present serious problems when driving. Only a significant defect will make the trip dangerous and it must be eliminated immediately in order to avoid injury and avoid carrying out more complex ones in the future.

Repairing a bicycle wheel “eight” is a common problem that requires surgical intervention. The fact is that the front and vertical positions experience all sorts of loads, even when a person just sits down on the saddle. And driving on a road with potholes and potholes aggravates this impact.

A person without experience cannot correctly distribute body weight, does not know how to turn correctly, brake smoothly and not jump off. All these actions lead to the appearance of defects due to which the question arises: “how to remove the “eight” on a bicycle wheel?”

Important! Whatever the reason, if this defect appears, it must be eliminated urgently!

Repair tools

Removing the "eight" on the wheel will require the use of the following tools:

How to detect curvature?

Before you get to work and start fixing the “eight”, you need to determine the type of malfunction and its location. Algorithm for performing the work:

Troubleshooting

Here we come to the answer to the question: “how to fix the “eight” on a bicycle wheel?” But before you begin restoration work, please note that There are several ways to correct the “eight” on a bicycle.

Power

To align the figure eight using this method, you must remove the wheel from the frame.

Good to know! There is no need to remove the tire and tube.

Grab the wheel from both edges with the side with the defect facing you. Now we place our knee on the most convex part and press firmly away from ourselves. This work is done “on weight”.

You can also do all the above steps with the wheel when it is lying on the floor. To do this, place it with the defective side up and press on the central part of the curvature, while simultaneously pulling the sides of the wheel towards you. In this situation, it is better to use the help of another person to firmly fix the rim on the floor.

After correcting the curvature, the wheel is placed on the frame and the fault is found again by rotating the wheel. This method of eliminating a defect is not very effective, but it will help along the way., when a figure eight on a bicycle suddenly formed when hitting a large obstacle.

Spoke adjustment

First, check the overall tension of the spokes. Often, a “figure eight” on a bicycle wheel appears due to the fact that they are loose: the spokes, if you run your fingers over them, “walk” like the strings of a guitar. Then simply tighten them along the entire diameter of the wheel one turn. If everything is fine with the tension, you will need to find the defective area with a chalk and begin correcting the bulge.

You need to start straightening from the central knitting needle, which is located in the mark area. It turns in the direction opposite to the direction of the convexity. As a result of such actions, the spokes located on the sides of it are weakened.

Seven spokes

1. The central one is tightened 1/2 turn.
2. The spokes on the sides are loosened by 1/4 turn.
3. The next spokes are tightened 1/8 turn.
4. The outer spokes are loosened by 1/8 of a turn.

Please note that only painstaking and gradual work in several stages will help repair the “eight” on a bicycle and restore it for a convenient and comfortable ride.

Cost of work in the workshop

If you decide to go to a workshop where a specialist will repair the defect for you, you need to know how much it costs to remove the “eight” on a bicycle wheel. On average, the price of such work is 400-600 rubles depending on the degree of curvature.

At the same time, the service center cannot always immediately tell you how much it costs to straighten a figure eight on a bicycle wheel, unlike situations when they can immediately tell you what to do and when. And all because different situations differ in the complexity of the work. The final price will be known only at the end of diagnosing the problem.

Video

The video will show you how to remove the figure eight on a bicycle wheel.

Among all the components of a bicycle, the most conservative is the spoked wheel. This type of wheel is installed on most bikes and is represented by a simple design: a central hub, a rim and spokes that connect the rim to the axis of rotation. During the operation of a bicycle, the wheel is subject to static, dynamic and changes, as a result of which changes in its shape can often occur.

Figure 8 deformation - what is it?

Curvature of bicycle wheels is associated with a violation of the rim configuration. In other words, the wheel is no longer round. A common option is the so-called figure eight, when there is a deviation of part (or several parts) of the rim from the plane of rotation. When rotated, these areas describe figure-eight trajectories around the central axis of rotation. When riding a bicycle, this defect is expressed in beating or wobbling while moving.

You can drive with eights, but it’s unlikely to be enjoyable. In addition, deformed wheels are less resistant to loads, which will lead to further curvature and complete unsuitability of the rim. Is it possible to fix a figure eight on a bicycle wheel yourself? Yes, and it's not difficult at all. Read further in the article to learn how this is done.

Determination of curvature on wheels

So, there is a suspicion that wheel deformation has occurred, and it remains to determine exactly in which specific place it formed. We turn the bike upside down and firmly fix it.

The first method of determination is visual, which allows you to find the location of large and medium-sized defects. The wheels need to be spun strongly, since at low speeds the eights, even the roughest ones, appear poorly. The rear wheel can be pedaled at all.
Curved areas move away from the plane of rotation to the side. At maximum deflection, the wheels must be quickly grabbed in this place. It is not easy to do this at high speeds, and your hand may slip, so it is better to resort to the next method.

The second method, contact, involves marking the damaged area. As an indicator, you can take a marker, or better yet, a regular chalk. Spin the wheel and slowly bring the chalk to the rim. First of all, he will strike along the edge of the convex figure eight. Once the “top” is determined, the wheel must be spun even more and the chalk continues to move closer. This determines the entire area of ​​curvature. As soon as the chalk “runs” along the entire rim, the test can be considered complete. The figure eight lesion will clearly stand out as a thick line against the background of a pale stripe along the entire circumference.

This fixes the curvature of the rim

Eliminating bicycle wheel defects

Once the area where the wheel is bent is found, it’s time to start straightening it. Every owner of a two-wheeled vehicle can do this with his own hands, especially since such problems can arise with enviable regularity. There are two ways to eliminate the figure eight yourself:

1. Power straightening, or “kneeling” as cyclists say.
2. Method of tightening and loosening wheel spokes.

Power straightening

To remove the bend in this way, you will need to remove the wheel from the frame. In this case, you do not need to remove the tire with the tube. We turn the bulge towards us and grab the rim and tire on both sides. For moderate deformations, the optimal wheel grip is position “10” and “2”, that is, 60 degrees in both directions from the source of the figure eight. We place our knee on the most convex area and push with force away from ourselves.

What wheel position will best align the rim? If there is enough strength in the leg, then you can press on weight. Alternative option– place the wheel vertically with the defective area facing up. Here you will need the help of a partner. He should press the wheel firmly to the floor. After straightening, the wheel is put on the frame and checked again by rotation.

This method cannot be called effective for several reasons:

1. It is impossible to bend small bends.
2. The rim may bend in the other direction.
3. Inconvenient.
4. Low accuracy.
5. Not every rim can be subjected to simple force so easily.

Relatively good this method works somewhere on the road when the figure eight suddenly formed due to a collision with a large obstacle and it urgently needs to be straightened out in order to get to its destination.

Adjusting the wheel spokes

Let's move on to the second option for eliminating the curvature of the rim. Adjusting the spokes consists of alternately loosening and tightening them. To work with them we need a special tool -. This simple device is a round piece with square holes on the side for different sizes knitting needles You can buy a key without any problems at any bike shop.

Attention! You should only change the tension of the spokes with a spoke wrench, and in no case with pliers or adjustable wrenches!

Aligning the figure eight on a bicycle wheel will require patience, especially for those doing it for the first time. The tires must be completely removed.

First you should check the tension of all spokes. Often the rim becomes bent due to their general weakening. This is easy to check: when the spokes are clearly loose and “listen” to your fingers like strings on a guitar, then they need to be tightened by about 1 turn over the entire wheel. If such a problem is not observed, then there is no need to touch anything: this can only worsen the eight.

We mark the defective area and proceed to the “central” spoke – the one located at the convexity. The knitting needle is turned in the direction opposite to the direction of the convexity. The spokes on the sides of it are weakened. With a figure eight on three knitting needles, the straightening scheme is as follows:

• Tighten the central one a quarter turn of the key.
• Loosening the outer spokes by an eighth of a turn: the loosening force is half the tension force in the center.

Eliminating the Little Eight

With a figure eight on 7 spokes, wheel repair is done as follows:

• The center is tightened half a turn.
• Loosen two spokes (second and third) on the sides by ¼ turn of the key.
• The fourth and fifth knitting needles are tightened to 1/8.
• The sixth and seventh (outermost) knitting needles are loosened by 1/8 of a turn.

Big Eight Straightening

Alternating tension and stretching is carried out in such a way that the outer spokes on the figure eight are weakened. To check the result, the wheel is hung on a bicycle and tested for residual curvature. If the figure eight is bent in the opposite direction, you should remove all the tension and increase the tightening torque on the loosening knitting needles and repeat the procedure again, but with less tightening and loosening forces.

Even though you have to tinker a lot, you can achieve perfect result– straightening the wheel to an even circle. And if the first time the work may take too long, then the next time the figure eight occurs, the repair will go wherever faster. Now, if a defect appears on the wheel, you don’t have to put the bike aside, but quickly adjust the spokes yourself and resume your rides.

Wheel bending is a nasty thing

If your wheel is bent and you don't know how to fix it, you've come to the right place. I have already encountered this problem and I will tell you simply - repair is possible - everything is quite simple. Moreover, I will say that the problem you are facing will most likely arise with enviable frequency if you love your bike and ride it several times a week. Therefore, it is worth learning this once, so that in the future you can fix the breakdown yourself every time it occurs.

How to determine if everything is fine with your wheel. Simply place the bike upside down on the saddle and on the handlebars with the wheels facing up. Spin the wheel that you think is problematic (spin it in the sense of rotating it around its axis) and first check it by eye. If everything is in order with the wheel, then it will rotate around its axis absolutely evenly. If there is a figure eight, then it should be visible to the naked eye or, more often than not, something like the beating of a wheel in a certain place. You need to look at the wheel in profile and in front, since the bend of the wheel can occur in different directions.

Types of bends that are in principle possible:

How defects can form and why

There is a widespread belief that the wheel can change its shape if you do not drive carefully, when driving over bumps or during unsuccessful jumps. All this is true. That is, all this, of course, affects rapid wear. But this is not the only reason why a wheel can break. When a cyclist sits on a bicycle, the wheels are already subject to load in the vertical direction. Further, when braking at high speeds, the wheels can become deformed, forming figure eights. During maneuvering (on turns) in any direction and sudden braking. In general, what is careless driving I think there is no need to explain, you yourself understand everything perfectly well. So taking good care of your bike may delay the problem, but over time you will still get back to it. Even if you ride very carefully on a good road, that’s the nature of the bike.

Everything, of course, depends to a large extent on the wheel rim itself, on its physical characteristics. Therefore, when buying a bicycle, you need to pay the seller’s attention to such things, wondering how long the wheels can last, how they react to the deformations described above. So on cheap bicycles the rims are correspondingly less strong. And various bends (egg and figure eight) of wheels can form much earlier than on their more expensive and high-quality counterparts.

In general, I think you already understand how a problem can arise. So let's get straight to how to solve the problem and straighten your wheel.

What tools might we need to fix defects?

So, to fix your wheel you may need:

1. chalk or something that can draw on the rim of a wheel (water marker)
2. universal plastic mounts for removing bicycle tires.

We need a spoke key. I’ll say right away that you won’t have to tighten it much. You will gradually tighten the knitting needles and immediately check the results.

General algorithm for eliminating problems with a deformed wheel

The general algorithm is as follows: we determine in which specific place the figure eight begins and in which it ends (we highlight the lesion). Next step - find the central spoke in the eight and work with it. If our figure eight leans to the left, select a spoke on the opposite side and tighten it to a distance of less than one turn of the spoke wrench. Then we take two adjacent knitting needles - these will be the knitting needles already on the opposite side from the previous knitting needle - we loosen them by the number of turns a little less (for example, 2 times less) than we tightened the previous knitting needle. And so on until completely straightened. That is, we are already tightening the next two knitting needles (they will be placed on the opposite side) even weaker than the very first knitting needle. As you move away from the central spoke (the lesion), the number of revolutions will also decrease gradually.

If the figure eight is small with three knitting needles.

So again, how do you fix a figure eight on a bike? To fix the wheel, we select a section where there is a figure eight, and along the length of this entire section we loosen and tighten the spokes coming one after another. On one side of the wheel we loosen the spokes, on the other we tighten them. When the required operations have been completed with all the spokes, we rotate the wheel again and check the correct movement of the wheel around the axis. If it gets worse, we return the needles to their previous place and do less tightening and loosening. Thus tilted to one side leading to the figure eight will gradually level off. To perfectly align the figure eight, you will have to patiently and painstakingly carry out all the above steps slowly (i.e., twist it a little at a time).

A larger eight is treated in the same way as a small one.

The wheel is flattened by an egg, the straightening algorithm is slightly different. Just pull up the right side.

How to actually straighten a wheel and how to determine exactly where the figure eight of a bicycle wheel is

How to determine exactly where the figure eight passes. Craftsmen who have become skilled in this matter can fix the problem without improvised means (chalk, etc.). You will have to straighten the wheel first using a chalk. We spin (rotate) the wheel and gradually bring the chalk to the rim of the wheel spinning in the axis. In those places where there is a figure eight, the chalk will touch the rim and draw notches on it. This is how you determine the eight for yourself.

Another great option I saw how to straighten a figure eight on a bicycle wheel in one video. Let's take it ear sticks. On both sides of the wheel we have the front fork stays. We attach ear sticks to these feathers with tape on both sides and, just like with chalk, rotating the wheel, we gradually bring the ear sticks to the rim of the wheel and mark the places where they begin to clearly touch the rim with chalk. Quite a convenient option, since holding a chalk suspended can be quite problematic. If your wheel is flattened like an egg, that is, it has lost its perfectly round shape, we do everything the same as for the figure eight, only we bring the chalk to the outside of the rim - where the tire with the camera should be.

As you can see from the above, eliminating the figure eight on a bicycle is not a very complicated process, and what’s best is that it’s accessible to everyone. The only thing I would like to add is that when you have done all the work to align the figure eight on the bicycle, be sure to check all the other spokes. What shouldn't happen? The spokes should not dangle in place or be too tight. Loosely dangling spokes can break, so carefully tighten them and repeat the wheel adjustment again. If the spokes are too tight, they can pierce the nipple or wheel rim. Craftsmen advise that if you have adjusted the wheel and you are satisfied with everything, but some spokes stick out from the wheel rim, you can remove them sharpen with a file to avoid puncturing the camera.

As a result, I would like to say that it is better to learn how to do all this yourself once - than to go to the workshop every time. Personally, I remember the workshops as unfortunate masters who don’t have time to serve everyone so they do everything a quick fix. And you are the owner of the bicycle and can do everything leisurely, unhurriedly, competently and accurately. So go ahead and buy spoke wrenches and fix your bike wheels!

See more about fixing figure eight on a bicycle in video below, so that everything finally fits into your head with a clear picture.

Wheel spokes are a problem that any cyclist will sooner or later face, regardless of their experience and level of cycling skill. Assembling a wheel may seem like a difficult task at first glance. You should stock up on patience and time - everything will take at least an hour, or even two or three. By the way, self-assembly wheels is also good because you will never be lazy and, in order to save time and effort, skip some operations.

What types of knitting needles are there?

There are two most popular types of wheel spokes: radial and cross. Radial spokes are only used to assemble the front wheels that will be fitted with rim brakes. The radial pattern has a significant drawback - a wheel with such spokes experiences the highest load in the vertical direction. And perhaps the only advantage of this option is that it’s pleasing to the eye. appearance.

Cross knitting is much more versatile and functional. Cross spokes may look less impressive, but they allow you to achieve the most adequate response to braking and rotating forces from the bushing. With this option, even the most serious load from braking and pedaling is transferred to stretching the spokes.

Mixed knitting needles are used extremely rarely. This option is something between the radial and cross methods.

Having decided on the type of spokes, you can safely begin the process of assembling the wheel. It is divided into several stages.

Stage one. Determining the appropriate knitting needle length

It is very important to choose bicycle spokes of the appropriate length. In this regard, much fewer problems arise with the front wheel - here the spokes on both sides are the same length. With the rear everything is much more complicated. Multiple speeds set to rear wheel, complicate its alignment. The spokes will have different lengths and angles. To determine the appropriate length, special calculators have been created that allow you to calculate the necessary parameters online.

Stage two: Installation

To successfully fill the wheels you will need:

• Rim;
• Knitting needles;
• Sleeve;
• Screwdriver.

If you have to re-spoke a wheel for the first time, pay special attention to the fact that the holes on the rim are slightly offset (inclined) to the sides. The spokes from the right flange of the hub should be inserted into the holes, which are shifted to the right, and from the left flange - to the left. Half of the spokes of each flange are leading. The other half are the tail ones.

• Leading spokes are those that are directed in the direction of rotation of the rim. As a rule, they are indicated by shades of blue.
• Tail spokes are directed against the rotation of the wheel. Most often they are indicated by shades of red.

The tail spoke is installed first, which must pass inside the flange. It should be inserted from the outside of the right flange and directed into the rim hole shifted to the right, which is located next to the spool hole. The nipple must be closed several turns so that the spoke cannot fall out. The next spoke should be directed into the hole of the same flange, the next one - three holes after the first one installed.

The next step is to rotate the bicycle wheel so that it faces the left hub flange. The second group of spokes inserted will also be the tail spokes. You need to turn the rim so that the spool is at the top. We pay attention to the very first spoke installed - if it is in the first hole after the spool, then the first spoke of the left flange should be located to the left, if the first one installed in the second hole after the spool, then the first spoke of the left flange should be located to the left.

When all the tail spokes are in place, you can move on to the leading spokes. We turn the bicycle wheel towards you with the right flange. The leading spokes are installed from the inside of the flange. They can be inserted into any hole. After this, you should turn the hub clockwise so that the leading spoke intersects with the three tail spokes. It is important that she crosses the first two from the outside, and the third from the inside. It may need to be bent slightly to install. There's nothing wrong with that. The remaining leading spokes are installed in the same way.

Visual video:

Stage three. Tension adjustment

The first step is to make an initial adjustment, which involves tightening all nipples evenly. Be sure to ensure that all nipples are tightened the same number of turns - the spokes must have the same tension. Typically the leading spokes are curved close to the flange. Before starting the tensioning procedure, they must be bent by hand by pressing each knitting needle near the flange.

The final tension should be carried out after the initial adjustment has been completed. Correct tension will ensure that the wheel does not wobble when driving, which is very important for comfortable movement.

To sum up, we can safely say that spoketing a wheel is far from the most difficult procedure. If you are confident that you can handle knitting, have sufficient patience, skills, knowledge and abilities, then this procedure will not be a problem.