Taking wheels in for a truing
 

When taking wheels in for a truing should I remove the tires?

Yes

Doesn't matter. Most wheels do not need the tires removed, and on the off chance you have a pair that do, the shop will do it for you

Personally, I would. I'd much rather true a wheel with the tires off (even if I don't have to - for me they just visually get in the way, plus I can't check for vertical true with them on) and if I take them off I won't be wondering if the shop will charge me a few extra dollars for them to do the labor.

I would say yes for a few reasons. It's easier to true wheels w/o tires (or rim strips for that matter). This makes the wrenches happier. But also the tires and tubes should be periodically removed from the rims and each other. This gives a chance to check the condition much better then when mounted, reduces the likelihood of the rubber "sticking' together and lets one check the rim strip's condition. Andy.

IMO it depends on the wheels and what you;re looking for. If these are knockabout wheels on a basic bike, and all you;re looking for is reasonably decent true consistent with the purpose, or a quick touch-up true for a low cost, then it doesn't matter, because odds are they can be trued decently enough with the tires on.

OTOH performance wheels that you;re looking to have properly aligned and tensioned, (ie. plenty of close tolerance tweaking), then the tires will have to come off, and it's between you and the mechanic, and whether he'll charge extra if you don't remove them before bringing him the wheels.

When folks brought me race wheels to work on I always preferred to get them without tires. I never minded removing the tires and didn't charge for that, but I wouldn't remount the tires unless asked specifically. That was because it was easier for the client to check the wheel without tires. For well glued tubulars, like on race team wheels, I'd leave them on for the entire job, and align based on the hub side of the rim.

(in my circle it's considered bad karma to remove a well glued tubular that wasn't punctured. Like with certain birds, tire and wheel were paired for life.

If they're single-wall rims with rubber rim strips, you need to deflate the tire or else a spoke nipple may tear through the the strip and innertube as it's turned. (I recently found this out the hard way.)

Any shop that trues a clincher rim with tires on is a shop you should NEVER frequent again.

Also a properly built wheel with even spoke tension with appropriate spoke and rim selections for the context and use, that has not been abused, nor has it been damaged (pothole, curb riser, leaning bike against wheel) should really NEVER need a truing. Obviously this only applies to road bikes. Mountain biking by definition is abusing the wheelset. 😀

You only care about trueness if you're riding the bike, and you ride the bike with tires on and inflated, so what's wrong with truing with tires mounted and inflated? Assuming your truing stand and dishing tool will accomodate this. Obviously easier for lateral than for radial truing.

Even when I true a wheel with tires off, I will recheck true after mounting and inflating the tire.

Should road wheels never need retruing?. In the real world, you do hit potholes and pavement lips, so I find that even good wheels do go slightly out of true over time. I mean by 1-2 mm. If that doesn't matter, then I guess no retruing is needed.