Wheel maintenance or not?

[squishware]

  I am headed out to ride the Coconino 250 route solo soon. I have some 2008 WTB Laserdisc Trail wheels. I have never touched them and they have been fine. Should I have them tensioned before the trip or am I inviting havoc? I don't have wheel skills or a mechanic I trust.

[AZTtripper]

At the very least grab each pair of spokes to make sure there isn't a loose one, hold the wheel by the axle and make sure it spins smooth and not all chunky. If your happy with the outcome then go for it. If not you'll have to make the judgement call.

[rick miller]

I just rebuilt my rear wheel in preparation for the AZTR.  Nothing apparently wrong with it, but it was bought a couple years ago, used, and only trued/tensioned since.   Spokes undergo a lot of stress and potential metal fatigue, particularly the rear and I have broken a few over the years (though only rear).  Most shops charge around $50 for a rebuild plus cost of spokes.  Replacing a spoke on the trail could be problematic, so I consider it a regular maintenance item for remote bikepacking and, depending on the potential consequences of a failure, cheap insurance.

[squishware]

Thanks for the replies. Is it advisable to just tighten the loose ones or should I take it into a shop and have them tensioned? Money is tight, I had to buy all the bags for the trip.

[rick miller]

The experts say they should all be tensioned within 10%.  Of course if you play with tension, you will also have to true.  You can get a rough idea of true by simply spinning on the bike and checking for wobble.  And you can pluck the spokes like a guitar and listen for pitch to get an idea of tension.  If either is way off and you don't have the tools/know how, I would suggest spending $20 at a shop.

[SkinnyTraffic]

Should I have them tensioned before the trip or am I inviting havoc? I don't have wheel skills or a mechanic I trust.

If you don't have personal experience or, worse, a mechanic you trust, you could be inviting more havoc from messing with them than leaving them alone. I agree with above posts: check for glaring issues like significantly loose spokes, check to make sure the wheels are decently true, and that the hubs spin smoothly w/o play. If there's no glaring problems, leave 'em alone and go ride. If you find a problem, you can find good instructions in books or reputable online sites. Or ask back here with specific questions and we'll point you in the right direction.

Spokes create a complex matrix of tensions working together; oftentimes adjusting one requires attention to several, many, or all of the others.

Finally, where are you located? Somebody here may know of someone nearby or en route to the Cococino who can help you out.

[squishware]

Thanks for all the replies. I took them into a local shop yesterday, I will have them back tomorrow.