I know there have been so many threads on 'truing a wheel' ect, but it is expensive to do.

My back wheel is bent. When i roll it on the ground it hardly moves, when riding i can easily roll with it but i know the pads are rubbing against some parts of the rim (when the wheel is moving so fast is has little effect). Still i dont want wheel rubbing because i am getting this rubbing vibration from the brakes to my seat post to my seat, and it is really annoying and i know that it is slowing my down just that little bit.

So i have two options. I either leave it, and get my LBS to adjust the brakes so it wont rub, but braking power wont be as good.
Or get the wheel trued for $27.50?

what does everybody think?

learn how to do it yourself, even if you don't get it perfect, you should be able to get it close enough that it won't rub.

I have tried and it is hard to get it so i still have power to break and so it cant rub, my LBS would probalby do it free of charge but i want to know if i should just get the wheel trued instead?

Perhaps nnewton123 meant you should learn how to true the wheel, not fix the brakes...?

A quality wheel truing stand can be purchased for $40 and all instructions are provided. It is a simple process. It is an essential tool.

27$ is a L-'bs' price. I've had burrs filed, spokes tensioned for rim deplacement and something else for $20.

A spoke tension is a 14$ say job, rim bending?....ya I got friends. $27 yes that's legit...is it bent or under tensioned spokes**********?

Man, go find a diff mech if it's the spokes. Unless you got da 'bends' ...that's a metal problem of a different order.

The mech on the forums will post, perhaps I get a good deal, I think your getting shafted. @ that price i'd be doing it myself fershure. (average, my rear is in shop every 4 months, say $15. per)

To me, alot would depend on the age/quality of the wheel. If it's a cheap wheelset to begin with, maybe it's a good excuse to upgrade. On the other hand, if it's a great wheel and not that old, I'd be truing or paying for it to be done.

Just buy a $8 Park Tools spoke wrench and flip your bike upside down to save the cost of a truing stand. Doesn't looks as "pretty" but still gets the job done.

It matters not if the wheels are 20 years old or this day new they will require truing at some point.

Especially new wheels will require truing after rolling and flexing under a riders weight. After a few minor truings they should stabilize and remain true.

It is not practical to buy a new set of wheels each time they need to be trued.

I have wheels that are 23 years old, reliable and straight as an arrow.

Blue Neon lives in Oz where $1 US equal $1.38 Australian plus shipping. Park tools would be a lot more in Oz than US, LBS truing price of $27.5 is under $20 US. Steve

I was a sucker and got my lbs to true wheels for me and then one fine day i realized, hey wait a minute maybe i could do it myself, and i got myself a truing stand and now i can do it myself and have saved. More money for more parts . Incase you didnt notice, the moral of the story is do it yourself

I just flip my bike upside down, use a marker and the brake pad as a reference point, then spin the wheel and where it touches, it's where it's bent too close in that direction.
Every 6-9 months I'll spend an hour or so watching tv and carefully truing and tensioning my wheels. I can then go for the next 6-9 months with my tires at max psi through NYC streets with all their potholes and trash without having to worry about it.

Thanks everyone for your replies, i have just never looked into the section of 'wheel truing' before so i needed some advice. I'll see if i can get a truing stand and learn how to do it myself.

Yes, exactly. I usually put an $AU sign when i'm mentioning prices. The currency is different here and its about $0.70US for $1AU (changes all the time). But it dosn't mean to say that we're paying more then in the US, all the rates and taxes and salary's are adjusted aswell.

dudes... bent rims, if bent side ways more than 5mm or more would demand either loosening the nipples where the bent is and tightening it on the other side. but doing this will probably round up the edges of your spokes specially when the spokes are tight. i suggest before doing such, inflate your tire to 50 psi., and look where the most bent part is and smash it on a wooden chair or table with control not to overdo it. check from time to time if the bent becomes less either by placing it back on the truing stand or by putting your wheel on the bike. if the bent is less enough true your wheels to finish the job. with all this you lessen the chances of having your nipples replaced due to inability to true your wheels due to rounded up nipples.

I wouldn't bother with a truing stand to true wheels a time or two. Use the brake pad method. Tighten the brakes down with the barrel adjuster until it starts to rub. Then true the offending area. Tighten the brakes down again. repeat.

If you take the tire off it is easier to see what you are doing. You can also check radial runout by simply using a straightedge across the chainstays or fork.

Take a trip to Home Depot. Get two little spring claps (I think a four pack is $1.99). Clamp some objects (screwdrivers, allen wrenchs, popcicle sticks, whatever) to your forks or seat stays (as applicable to front or back wheel). Set them so they touch the rim on both sides, spin the wheel slowly. Where the out of true section is one will get pushed out a bit, the other will have a gap. Adjust. Repeat until they stay in contact with the rim.

You can also align them with the top of the rim to see where any flat spots might be.

Take a marker pen, hold it against the brake just shy of the wheel, spin the wheel, then slowly bring in the marker pen. Stop when you first start touching the tip of the pen with the rim. You'll have a great visual indication of where to true. Fix, repeat, fix, repeat... Will do a 90% job without a truing stand.