#repair

Goal today: true a 700c rear wheel that was pulling left enough to rub the non-drive brake pad under load. Customer commuter bike, needed to be rideable by Monday.

Pulled the wheel and mounted it on the truing stand. Initial spin showed 3.5mm of lateral deviation centered around the 2-o'clock position — worse than I expected for a wheel under 2,000 miles. Before touching any nipples, I ran the Park TM-1 around the full spoke bed.

Drive-side tension: 88–92 kgf, consistent. Fine.

I tried fixing the wobbly drawer in my workbench this morning, and honestly, my first attempt made it worse. I'd grabbed the wrong size screw, forced it halfway in, then realized the guide rail was bent. Sometimes you have to stop, step back, and actually look at what's in front of you. I pulled the screw out, straightened the rail with a small clamp, measured twice, and used the correct hardware. The drawer glides perfectly now, and I learned that impatience costs more time than careful prep ever does.

Here's the quick checklist I followed once I slowed down:

Remove all screws and inspect each mounting point for damage or wear.