Classic & Vintage - True wheels vs. buy new

I have a 31 year old Schwinn Traveler. It is in pretty good shape, but the wheels are not true. I can and do still ride it several times a week. As you ride it, you can see and feel the wheels wobble a bit. The wobble is not significant, but it is something you can see as the wheels turn.

So the question, do I take this to my LBS and have them true them or do I go for replacements, given that they are 31 years old? Can I true them myself w/o buying special hardware? Any tricks, traps or other things I should be looking for that would make having the wheels made true a mistake?

Thanks.

You can true them reasonably well with no tools other than a spoke wrench. Your result won't be as precise as if you get someone with good tools to do it, but you can get it to be good enough for general riding around.

Step 1 - remove the tire and tube
Step 2 - remount the wheel
Step 3 - secure the bike somewhere so that you can spin the wheel freely
Step 4 - look from above the bike and spin the wheel slowly
Step 5 - follow the process described here (go down to the section Tensioning and Truing) - but instead of using the truing stand, use the brake pads as your guide. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html
Step 6 - repeat for other wheel.

I have a 31 year old Schwinn Traveler. It is in pretty good shape, but the wheels are not true. I can and do still ride it several times a week. As you ride it, you can see and feel the wheels wobble a bit. The wobble is not significant, but it is something you can see as the wheels turn.

So the question, do I take this to my LBS and have them true them or do I go for replacements, given that they are 31 years old? Can I true them myself w/o buying special hardware? Any tricks, traps or other things I should be looking for that would make having the wheels made true a mistake?

Thanks.

Get a magnet. If it sticks to a rim, replace the wheels with a cheap alloy set. If it doesn't, get it trued.

Where's my JB Weld!? I can make a magnet stick to any rim! :lol:

I recently rode 31 miles on my Worldsport with the modern 700X25's from my wifes Specialized. I couldn't beleive the difference it agility, and road feel. My next bike purchase will be a new set of feets for that ride.

If it's in your budget, go new.

Get a magnet. If it sticks to a rim, replace the wheels with a cheap alloy set. If it doesn't, get it trued.

Good point - that would be Step 0. :o

I have a 31 year old Schwinn Traveler. It is in pretty good shape, but the wheels are not true. I can and do still ride it several times a week. As you ride it, you can see and feel the wheels wobble a bit. The wobble is not significant, but it is something you can see as the wheels turn.

So the question, do I take this to my LBS and have them true them or do I go for replacements, given that they are 31 years old? Can I true them myself w/o buying special hardware? Any tricks, traps or other things I should be looking for that would make having the wheels made true a mistake?

Thanks.

Wheel Truing is one of the most routine maintenance items that I do. I am fanatical about the trueness of my wheels. I would not consider replacing a wheel because it needs to be trued. All wheels will require truing sometime and in my experience new wheels always need some minor truing after a few hundred miles.

A wheel truing stand and spoke wrenches cost about $40 US and it is a simple necessary bicycle maintenance task.

If the Traveler is 30 years old and has the original wheels on it - then they are steel. I bought a pair of new Alloys for my Traveler (80 model, probably same frame as yours) from BikePartsUSA for about $60 + shipping. Much much lighter than the old steel and the braking ability improved considerably.

Just don't get too carried away with upgrades like I have. ;)

USAZorro's message was right on point, but if you can't do it yourself, by all means go to your LBS. I had a wheel that had a huge kink in it annd took it to my shop to get a new one. They were able to straighten it right out. If you just have a little wobble I'm sure they can fix it a lot cheaper than a new wheel. BTW, my bike was about 20 years old at the time
Good riding!

USAZorro's message was right on point, but if you can't do it yourself, by all means go to your LBS. I had a wheel that had a huge kink in it annd took it to my shop to get a new one. They were able to straighten it right out. If you just have a little wobble I'm sure they can fix it a lot cheaper than a new wheel. BTW, my bike was about 20 years old at the time
Good riding!


Data point - local shops around here charge between $12-$15 to true a wheel. If you only have 1 or 2 bikes that would be the way to go.

I found a truing stand in the local PennySaver rag for $8 a while ago. Best bike tool money I ever spent. I end up getting a lot of vintage bikes cheap because the previous owners think the wheel is "bent" and toss it in favor of a new ride. At first wheel truing was an exercise in patience, but it quickly became second nature and effortless.

Monkeys could do it...... :D

John D.