important: Nuts and bolts on your bike should always be tightened to the manufacturer's specifications.

How to Replace a Wheel Rim

Learn how to replace a worn out wheel rim (rim transfer).

In this tutorial we will learn how to replace a worn out rim. This repair is often called a rim transfer.

What You’ll Need

For this job you will need an appropriately sized spoke wrench, a wheel truing stand, an optional nipple driver, waterproof grease and a toothpick, linseed oil, rim tape, and some tape or zip ties to fasten the rims together. You’ll also need a replacement rim. The new rim must be the exact same size and spoke count as your old rim.

Grease Spoke Holes

Using a dab of grease on a toothpick, grease all of the spoke holes on the new rim. You’ll only need a tiny bit. This helps the nipples turn easier when you’re tensioning the wheel.

De-tension Old Wheel

Next you’ll need to loosen all of the old spoke nipples. The safest way to do this is to start at the valve hole and loosen all of the spokes by turning clockwise 1/4 turn each. Repeat this step until all of the spokes in the wheel are de-tensioned but still attached.

Attach New Rim

Tape or zip-tie the new rim to the old rim in 2 places directly across from each other. Make sure that the valve hole and placement of the spoke holes in the rims match up exactly.

Transfer Spokes

One at a time, you’ll need to move each spoke from one side of the wheel over to the new rim. Turning counter-clockwise, unthread each nipple from the old rim and place a drop of linseed oil inside the nipple threads. This will keep the nipples tight while still allowing them to be turned in the future. Move the spoke over to the corresponding hole on the new rim. Thread the nipple on most of the way, but leave 2 spoke threads showing.

Once all of the spokes on the first side of the wheel are transferred, repeat the process and transfer the spokes on the other side of the wheel, until all of the spokes have been threaded onto the new rim.

True and Tension Spokes

You can now undo the tape or zip-ties and remove the old rim. Starting at the valve hole, tighten all of the nipples by turning each 1/4 turn counter-clockwise, all the way around the wheel. Repeat this until all of the spokes are fairly tight, and then tension and true the wheel. See the video titled how to true a wheel. In the next video we’ll learn how to properly tension your spokes.

Related Links

Recommended Tools

Categories

Discuss this topic in the Bicycle Repairs and Mechanics Forum

A question I've wanted to ask for a while now. From a personal point of view, what have you found to be the positives and negatives of these two valves? What would your preference be?...

Read more

Hey all, I'd love some feedback on a repair issue. I just got the brakes bled and the first ride after was fine. But after one week of sitting idle, I took it out and the rear brake was suddenly making a horrible loud screeching noise when applied. Took it back to the shop and the mechanic showed how the two halves of the brake were not perfectly aligned and holding firm and there was oil leakage....

Read more

70's=80's Free Spirit Blaze MTN

Latest post 2 weeks ago

70's-80's Free Spirit Blaze MTN   2.JPG (Size: 21.86 KB / Downloads: 4)   3.JPG (Size: 33.89 KB / Downloads: 4)   DSCN3722.JPG (Size: 32.65 KB / Downloads: 4)   4.JPG (Size: 56.63 KB / Downloads: 4) I need a front index shift lever or the matched set. Falcon derailleur, 10 speed or whatever is compatible. 7.3mm is the closet spacing measurement...

Read more

Front Disc brake(Shimano) makes dreadful noise/vibration just at the ‘bite’ point where it stop the wheel (final 2 or 3 cms of rotation on the rotor ! Only started a month ago No luck in sorting it ! .. have had pads, rotor and caliper all replaced and it makes very little difference (all are clean, aligned and functioning as they should) Absolutely no problem on the rear. Don’t know wh...

Read more

So I bought this second hand rad rover five power bike it worked for the whole day and the end of the day I thought it died on me but it hasn't been able to start back up please contact me if you think you could help I've done some research and I have no idea what I'm doing I just need some help somebody knows what they're doing to guide me with this please I spent all my money on this I don't hav...

Read more

My friend is having this issue where the axle keeps slipping in the rear dropouts and hit the chain stay on the non-drive side.   IMG-20260418-WA0021.jpg (Size: 82.12 KB / Downloads: 66) This usually happens when a lot of force (climbing on a high gear or standing to sprint) is applied. It’s worse when the bicycle is loaded up with camping gear on the rear rack. Things tried th...

Read more

Need help with Drivetrain Update

Latest post 3 months ago

Hello everyone, I'm an older lifelong cyclist that recently had my beloved old yeti mountain bike stolen, and to try and fill that void, I picked up a 2015 Specialized Crosstrail (I'm riding more paved and gravel trails these days, my full-on mountain bike days are over!). The bike was in very good physical condition, apparently very lightly used. I was unable to ride before purchase, but it looke...

Read more

Hello! I tried to change my Velowave ranger e-bike breaks and the lever would not have traction. I researched and learned I needed to bleed the breaks, I tried the top method with the cup with a break bleeding kit. Still had the same issue, I tried to use the syringe at the caliper but the hole was too small for any of the included adapters. Is it just trapped air in the calipers/line that is ca...

Read more

Eye to Eye Shock Lengths

Latest post 3 months ago

Will my conversion work? I have an old 2014 Giant Trance 1. It is a small frame. It is just a backup bike. It is still fun to ride and works well when a friend is or family member is visiting and bikeless. I hate sending things to the land fill or not being able to keep them repaired and running. I already replaced the fork a couple of years ago. I already found some parts and converted to a ...

Read more

Shimano law suit

Latest post 3 months ago

Remember the Shimano law suit? Fortunately I had the"good model series" Thousands of riders trusted these components without a second thought. Now, the story has taken a serious turn. Shimano has agreed to pay an $11.5 million penalty after US regulators found the company failed to report a major defect in its 11 speed road cranksets on time. According to the CPSC, Shimano had received thou...

Read more

Hi there, I have a question in regards to either finding a replacement hub for my rear Mountain Bike or just replacing the whole wheel entirely. However when I went to a local bicycle shop (in China, that is so there are language barriers to keep in mind), upon inspection they claimed that the bicycle was too old to accept the replacement of their modern parts, which I honestly find hard to believ...

Read more

Need suntour derailleur replacement

Latest post 4 months ago

My sensation crossroads cruz needs a rear derailleur. I need to verify which shimano part and shifter will work. Thanks Bob...

Read more

Inner side tube punctures

Latest post 4 months ago

I haven't been riding a bike for about two years, before that I was riding it extensively for about 5 or more years. It is a 26 inch mountain bike (if that matters at all). The bike was just staying on flat tires for these two years. After i decided to put the bike to life again so to speak I started to get inner tube punctures (punctures on a tube from the inner side, the side not facing the road...

Read more

How to adjust shock preload?

Latest post 4 months ago

These are Noleen NR-1 shocks on an old Girvin ProFlex MTB. How do I get a grip on the preload adjuster? There is very little surface area & there are no notches for a typical spanner & a pipe wrench, vice grips, etc. which are sure to mar the springs if I can even get them in there to grip it. The working space on the fork shock is especially tight. See attachment photos. Thanks!  ...

Read more

SRAM rival axs index Q

Latest post 5 months ago

Hi there, I recently bought some new wheels for my brand new specialized sl8 expert which runs sram rival axs. Everything is great except gear 12 (smallest cog) is now rejected (red and green LED flashes) in large ring. All other gears run fine. I notice as well that in the large ring it allows me to be in gear 1 which is cross chain? Is that normal? Any ideas what I need to do? Is it a limit sc...

Read more