EGUNWT

I looked, and searched, and couldn't find this specific question.

I would like to get a truing stand so I can properly true my own wheels and maybe build wheels. I'm not a professional, this doesn't need to be a heavy duty stand designed to true hundreds of wheels a week. I need a stand that's going to give me good results that's not terrifically expensive.

Are there specific brands to avoid? Why?

I know Park has a home mechanic stand, any issues with that one? Any reason to not get it over the $50 more professional model for my purposes? What are the differences?

I know there are other brands out there (Minoura, Spin Doctor, etc). Are they any good, and will they work?

Thanks in advance.

Panthers007

While the Park home-stand (or whatever they call it) misses the mark. Their TS-2 is terrific - and the one I use - but, from your description, it's not what you need. But people say good things about the Minoura. And it will help you dish your wheels as well:

https://www.rei.com/product/709262

And as for the Spin Doctor:

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/....cfm?SKU=15314

Poke around for other entries in the truing-stand debate, and lowest price(s).

thirdin77

You can always do a google search for reviews and it will almost always bring up mtbr.com. See them here.

Just use your web browser to search the page for "truing".

Retro Grouch 

Rrelative to the quality of your results, I don't think that it matters very much. In the end all that a trueing stand does is to provide a stable place to measure from.

The more expensive stands have some features that can make them faster to use.

Panthers007

Minoura truing-stand reviews:

https://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/...39_152crx.aspx

And the Park Consumer truing-stand:

https://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/...47_152crx.aspx

Al1943

+1
It's mostly common sense. You can use a truing stand for dishing by reversing the wheel on the stand as often as needed to confirm that the rim is centered. You don't really need a dishing tool.

tellyho

I have the Minoura - it does the job, but I have to check the self-center every time. It's annoying. I'd buy the TS-2 if I were to do it again.

Panthers007

My method is simple when it comes to truing wheels. I take a look using the brake-pads as a reference point. If it's out-of-true, it goes in my Park TS-2 to be worked on under lights and perched on a stool. Much easier to devote the time needed to take my time and aim for my usual .25mm lateral and .5mm vertical true.

For building wheels, in combination with my FSA tension-meter, a decent truing stand is indispensable. If I want world-class wheels rolling out of my shop. And i do!

JohnDThompson 

If you're on a tight budget, just use an old fork with a caliper attached or a piece of strap iron bent into a narrow "U" shape, notched at the ends for the axle, a couple bolts threaded through for indicators and the whole works bolted to some plywood. You won't have the self-centering features of the commercial stands, but that is easily accommodated simply by reversing the wheel in the fork/stand or by one of the available dishing tools.

Lion Steve

I have this one from Feedback Sports. It is reasonably priced, and seems fine. The base is very heavy and stays put where you place it.

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

Retro Grouch 

I've got a TS-2. I wouldn't risk the rent money on it's rim centering function.

operator

If you're on a tight budget, reverse the fork and put a zip tie there as a marker. You can easily build shop quality wheels this way, with a tensionmeter.

thirdin77

What looks cool is that you can laterally and radially true without adjusting anything.

jccaclimber

I've been using a TS-2 and a dial indicator for truing. The TS-2 has never been centered, and I know for a fact that it's off. I don't center it because you either center a TS-2 for a front wheel, or for a rear, it won't be correct for one if you center it for the other. Instead I use a dial indicator for lateral true. I pick a spot (like next to the valve stem), take a dial reading, flip the wheel around, and repeat. The mean of those two values is the correct position for the outside of the rim if I want the wheel to be true, and I aim for that point. Because my dial is in inches I go for 0.010" which is nearly identical to the 0.25mm stated above, and seems to be standard with the other people I have talked to.

bakerjw

I have a spin doctor. It is not as stable as some you will find in bike shops but it works fine for me. For precision, I would only trust a stand that held both sides of the wheel.

I also use the Park tension gauge which is a necessity.

Panthers007

I haven't gone full-tilt yet and installed a dial on my TS-2, but flipping the wheel is really all you need to do. I guess some people are waiting for a machine to come along and do this for them. I can see it now: Park Tool WF-3 the Wheel-Flipper...

eddy m

The Park rebuild directions for the TS2 end with a recommnedation to check the alignment with a dish gauge.
ANy stand I use needs to be rigid enough that I can push the rim sideways to relieve spoke tension when I turn nipples. That eliminates all the one-sided stands, and most of the other inexpensive ones as well.
I use a dial gauge on an old fork, and a radial gauge like the one in Roger Musson's e-book. The wooden stand in that book is better than any stand you can buy. If I had any woodworking capability I would have one of those. As it is, I have a stand thatworks as well or better than anything I could buy, and I have about $30 in it.

em

Panthers007

I, too, have seen home-built stands that leave the TS-2 in the dust. And I, too, lack familiarity with wood-working. Unfortunately.

I always use a dishing-gauge as my tool of choice for checking/confirming dish in rear wheels, and front if being built for disk-brakes. I don't know why many people squirm at the mention of using/buying a dishing-gauge. The Park WAG-3 is inexpensive and works fine. Solid construction. One warning though: Beware of the Minoura folding D-G. I had one, and used it twice. Then it seized and refused to ever unfold again. Ever.