shopping for a truing stand
 

I recently started commuting to work and would like to learn how to true my own wheels

I found the Park Tool Wheel truing adapter which would be a cheap option :thumb: I'm hoping something like this will be good enough but wanted opinions from you guys first.

Also looking on ebay and there are a variety of brands that I know nothing about.

What are some decent stands for the occasional user? I don't want something that is cheaply made that will frustrate me, but i also don't want to spend $$$ on a professional rig if I don't have to.

thanks!

If you want precision than a good stand helps, but also if you invert the bike you can do some truing with the brake shoes - the cheapest version - can have decent results.

If you have a comparator around then that is the most precise tool and can get truing right on the inverted bike. Just put a magnetic rod somewhere on the frame and put the tip of the comparator on the side wall. (these things usualy have precision of 0.01mm, tenths of microns or better to the micron)
http://www.finelinehair.com/home/com..._dial_gage.jpg

but a nice truing stand is nice, and it can even be manufactured from an old front fork (widen to accommodate even 10speed rear wheels), and some rods attached for guidance to observe the side movement and vertical irregularities

You don't need to spend dough for a truing stand. Sure they're handy, but wheels can easily be trued in the fork or frame using the brakes as guides.

All a truing stand is a device to hold the wheel by the axle with a rigid point of reference against which rim deflections can be measured. For simple aligning you don't need anything fancy and can use the brakes for wobble, and a pop-cycle stick held to the stays or fork blades with rubber bands for hop.

I've trued hundreds of wheels this way, and most bike shop mechanics touch up new bike wheels the same way rather than losing time to remove the wheel and use the shop truing stand.

When and if you get more serious or are building or truing numerous wheels on a regular basis you can spring for a stand, until then your money would be better spent elsewhere.

thanks FB

I'll use the brakes as guides first and see how that goes.

I bought a $50 cheapie off Ebay this week and regret it. Always have to kick myself in the arse for cheap tools. Should have bought a Park, but will probably now just make one from scratch come Winter.

Ultimately, it got my wheels true, but what a wobbly POS.

I've trued thousands of wheels in a Park, but now that they've upgraded the TS-2, it really seems to be uneconomic. I could never convince myself to spend $150 on one, now they're over $200. For that price I can get three of the hydraulic indicator stands like the DT Swiss truing stand uses.

I built one for a dollar. Not gonna find it in a wheelbuilder's shop, but then, I'm not a wheelbuilder. No one said anything when I posted before, maybe everyone thinks it's crap, [shrug] here it is anyway:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...e-Truing-Stand

Wait till this stand goes on sale... I think I paid $44 for mine 2 years ago...It is a nice stand for not a lot of cash, and works as good as MOST of us need it to. I have 3 bikes, my girlfriends bike and my brother's bike that I keep the wheels true on, and I have built a wheel using the stand. I'm sure the park stand is nicer, but for the money, I like my "Spin Doctor" Truing stand. I figured I paid for it with just truing my 3 wheelsets ;)

+1 I have that Spin Doctor model as well. +1 Wait for a sale. I got mine free with a nice used workstand I picked up. It is more than adequate, and I use mine all of the time. I have it bolted down to my workbench and it will probably stay there. But I am also truing at least a couple of wheels every week. Yes, you can do it on the bike itself, or with a homemade unit. Mine is actually Minoura branded, but it is identical to the Spin Doctor unit.

Its all you need for a serious homeowner shop IMHO.

Step 1: Download Roger Musson's excellent Wheelbuilding book which will cost you 9 quid (about $16 in Septic money).

Step 2: Build the stand detailed in chapter 3 of said book. Costs about $20, can be buit in an afternoon if you are good with tools.

Step 3: (optional) buy yourself a dial guage and magnetic stand: I got a decent new Mitutoyo gauge on Ebay for $50. Tip: glue a strip of mild steel to the base of the truing stand and stick the mag. stand on this.

Step 4: Enjoy.

I use the Park TS2. It's great. That said, you can do a decent job with zip ties on a fork and a dishing gauge. No one has mentioned spoke wrenches yet. I recommend the three sided wrenches made by Spokey. Probikekit sells a copy of the design as well, last I checked.