I do a fair bit of work on vintage bicycles but generally don't touch cotters or adjust wheel spokes. Of late I'm considering getting to know basic truing and minor wheel adjustments. Is it difficult for a first timer to adjust an already-built wheel that is a little out of true? I don't have a stand, but figure I can do it on the bike using the brakes or some other device to check the lateral true. The wheel is currently in radial true, so I figure as long as I loosen one side as much as I tighten the other the radial true should remain pretty good. I've been bringing my bike to the shop a couple times per year to have the back wheel trued up (the front one never seems to run anything but dead straight), but figure I could do well by just making these little adjustments at home. I've seen some materials online and watched a couple of those "experts" videos at various websites and it doesn't seem anything all that complex.

The bikes are basic Raleigh 3 Speeds and a balloon tire bicycle. I know the ballooner uses special large gauge spokes. but what gauge spokes do the 3 Speeds run on, and what spoke wrench would be proper for them?

Cross posted too to classics forum.

I was just talking to the owner at my LBS yesterday and the mechanic said two things about this:

1. To really do this right, you should have a spoke force gage (to measure spoke tension) or a wheel that's been professionally trued to start. If your spokes start out tight to the proper values, you can do basic side-to-side trueing yourself.

2. This doesn't help you necessarily but... they said the will be offering some bicycle mechanics basic classes soon, and trueing would be part of the course. The only reason I mention this is you may want to check with your own LBS and see if they offer something similar.

Read Bicycling's repair manual or Lennard Zinn's book and consult Sheldon Brown's and Park Tool's web sites for background info. Wheel truing isn't difficult but you should have a good concept of how wheels are constructed before beginning.

Park Tools sells loop-type spoke wrenches is a variety of sizes and they are only about $6 each. The "black" wrench (SW-0) fits DT, Wheelsmith and most other European spokes and is the most commonly used one on good quality modern wheels. The "green" wrench (SW-1)fits a few brands like Union but isn't commonly. needed. The "red" wrench (SW-2) fits older Japanede spokes. Park also makes and adjustable wrench that fits all three sizes but isn't a handy to use.

Take your wheels to your LBS and find which wrench fits. Buying all three is really a good idea as it will allow you to work on nearly anything you will come across except some of the new boutique Shimano, Campy and Mavic wheels.

Hmm this wheel was professionally built about 5 years ago and has been professionally trued ever since. It does get a little out of true every so often-- enough to fell it a little in the brakes. I was thinking maybe just making the small adjustment to even up the braking.

For adjustments like the ones you describe, I carry the Park 3 in 1 spoke wrench. For practical purposes, I just try to get my wheels true enough to not rub the brakes- which can be done with the wheel on the bike. Tensiometers and heavy duty stands are vital if someone is paying me to true their wheels, but for my own bikes I'm not as picky. Good luck..