A wobbling wheel needs a diagnosis before an adjustment. Lateral runout is the rim moving from side to side; radial runout appears as a rise and fall. The wheel’s centering over its hub and the tension of its spokes are two further, separate checks.
A truing stand’s fixed indicator shows where the rim comes closest. The wheel can also spin in the bicycle beside a stationary reference attached to the frame. The nipples are turned with a correctly sized spoke wrench, with the result checked after each small adjustment.
A wheel can appear straight yet have uneven tension among spokes on the same side, making it less likely to stay true. A tension meter checks that balance. After a hard impact, a badly bent rim may be beyond correction by spoke adjustment; a mechanic can assess whether it needs replacement.