Originally Posted by
RubeRad
Thx for the advice, I'll put Brandt's book on my Christmas list.
So I have a rear wheel right now that I can get into pretty good true laterally, but I can't seem to eliminate the hops, maybe 5-10mm worth, I dunno, maybe that's an exaggeration. Maybe I should find a cheap replacement wheel to ride on, buy some new spokes, and try to rebuild it? (Mavic Open Sport 32H on a 105 hub)
You should be fine - "hops" (out of roundness) can occur if a wheel is trued incorrectly (by tightening only or loosening only), and a re-build will usually take care of it. Once the wheel is disassembled, check the rim for roundness by taking measurements across in various directions, and look for flat spots. These can be corrected with a mallet and block of wood (and discretion). I only mention this because 3-5mm seems workable. Much more than that, and you start getting into damage that is very difficult to fix.
Note that you will almost always have a little dip at the rim seam when you build the wheel - this is okay, but should still be less than 1mm at most.
A methodical approach will ensure a wheel that is round, centered and true, with consistent tension throughout.
I'd say give it a go.
Myo - looks nice!