Trueing your own wheels
Discussion
So I did a google search on this,
http://www.mountain-bike-world.com/bicycle-wheel-t...
Bought a spoke key, lubed up the nipples, and with the bike mounted in the turbo trainer (with the tyre off the back wheel) managed to get a huuuge buckle and a high spot out of my wheel in under an hour.
RESULT!
Anyone else do this??, I thought it was some kind of black art, its really simple when you understand how the drive side vs non drive side works and which way to turn the key to tighten and un-tighten the spokes.
http://www.mountain-bike-world.com/bicycle-wheel-t...
Bought a spoke key, lubed up the nipples, and with the bike mounted in the turbo trainer (with the tyre off the back wheel) managed to get a huuuge buckle and a high spot out of my wheel in under an hour.
RESULT!
Anyone else do this??, I thought it was some kind of black art, its really simple when you understand how the drive side vs non drive side works and which way to turn the key to tighten and un-tighten the spokes.
Wheel truing is something that can only be taught by the spoke-monks of Tibet. I believe 15 years of bare-backed training in the Himalayan mountain range is required. This is best demonstrated by that film, The Bulletproof Monk.
The only time I touch spokes is when one snaps in the middle of nowhere, and now with disc brakes I don't even touch that
The only time I touch spokes is when one snaps in the middle of nowhere, and now with disc brakes I don't even touch that
Parrot of Doom said:
Wheel truing is something that can only be taught by the spoke-monks of Tibet. I believe 15 years of bare-backed training in the Himalayan mountain range is required. This is best demonstrated by that film, The Bulletproof Monk.
The only time I touch spokes is when one snaps in the middle of nowhere, and now with disc brakes I don't even touch that
Perhaps the Spoke-Monks will be after me for exposing how easy it really is!, but really how many bike shop mechanics have been on the spoke-monk course? I bet its just something thats shown to them by the old guy in the bike shop, and practice makes perfect, so long as you understand the basics.The only time I touch spokes is when one snaps in the middle of nowhere, and now with disc brakes I don't even touch that
It says for bikes with disc brakes, treat each wheel as if it was a back wheel with a drive/non drive side.
Yes, it's simple to do and while my nice handbuilt ones never seem to need it, there's enough crappy machine-built ones on our other bikes to need regular truing. I use a small allen key blutaked to the frame to better judge how much adjustment is needed.
You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
sjg said:
Yes, it's simple to do and while my nice handbuilt ones never seem to need it, there's enough crappy machine-built ones on our other bikes to need regular truing. I use a small allen key blutaked to the frame to better judge how much adjustment is needed.
You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
Excellent work. perhaps you should look out for the spoke monks as well!You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
sjg said:
Yes, it's simple to do and while my nice handbuilt ones never seem to need it, there's enough crappy machine-built ones on our other bikes to need regular truing. I use a small allen key blutaked to the frame to better judge how much adjustment is needed.
You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
Messiah !You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
BOR said:
sjg said:
Yes, it's simple to do and while my nice handbuilt ones never seem to need it, there's enough crappy machine-built ones on our other bikes to need regular truing. I use a small allen key blutaked to the frame to better judge how much adjustment is needed.
You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
Messiah !You should try building your own from scratch - I built a set up for my commuter, one evening in front of the TV and they were done, far easier than I thought it would be. They've been absolutely spot on and needed no adjusting since.
Its not impossible. I've built a fair few wheels.
What you do need, is patience. And the correct tools - ~IE a truing jig and dishing stick,, spoke keys, flat blade screwdriver or electric driver.
With a good tutor, or a good technical ability plus a guidebook, anyone can build wheels.
Its very, very satisfying when you get them on the bike too.
What you do need, is patience. And the correct tools - ~IE a truing jig and dishing stick,, spoke keys, flat blade screwdriver or electric driver.
With a good tutor, or a good technical ability plus a guidebook, anyone can build wheels.
Its very, very satisfying when you get them on the bike too.
I've pulled a few kinks out of rims on previous bikes with rim brakes, but tbh with discs you get a lot more tolerance. Bike shop only for me from now on.
+1 for the banana rim creation though - thankfully was a spare at the time, but my first effort could have got me £250 on you've been framed.
+1 for the banana rim creation though - thankfully was a spare at the time, but my first effort could have got me £250 on you've been framed.
LOL yeah..
Nobody these days in the stores have a clue about this. It really is one of those arts we seem to be losing. Thanks to factory buildt Wheelsets with funky spokes that nobody ever has in stock, nobody knows how to this anymore.
Building wheels from scratch is one thing (kudos to those who do) but trueing a wheel thats out of whack I beleive should be a skill you should teach yourself.
As a matter of fact, I am getting a set of hand-buildt custom wheels made for my Colnago.. no poncy Ksyeriums or Fulcrums as an easy way out..pah..
Nobody these days in the stores have a clue about this. It really is one of those arts we seem to be losing. Thanks to factory buildt Wheelsets with funky spokes that nobody ever has in stock, nobody knows how to this anymore.
Building wheels from scratch is one thing (kudos to those who do) but trueing a wheel thats out of whack I beleive should be a skill you should teach yourself.
As a matter of fact, I am getting a set of hand-buildt custom wheels made for my Colnago.. no poncy Ksyeriums or Fulcrums as an easy way out..pah..
I have built most wheels my mates are riding on, and they are all going on strong as far as I know.
The better the truing stand makes your life a lot more easier, and with better results. I managed to pick up a Park Tools TS-3 Master Turing Stand (they no longer make it, and their current top of the line TS-2 doesn't touch it) a few years ago, which cost me the sum of a few new parts from the US to fix it (a mechanic broke it when he was drunk, and just ordered a new one..).
The better the truing stand makes your life a lot more easier, and with better results. I managed to pick up a Park Tools TS-3 Master Turing Stand (they no longer make it, and their current top of the line TS-2 doesn't touch it) a few years ago, which cost me the sum of a few new parts from the US to fix it (a mechanic broke it when he was drunk, and just ordered a new one..).
That's what I followed. Roger Musson's ebook (at wheelpro.co.uk) is meant to be great too.
I found it really helped me understand how the tension of different spokes changed the position of the rim. As you go round the wheel tightening it up, you're constantly making little adjustments and seeing the cause and effect of what you've done. I didn't quite "get it" until I'd build that set up.
Out of interest, where could I buy a couple of wheels worth of 700c spokes? Quite fancy building a new set for my road bike. CRC just do 24"/26" sizes...
I found it really helped me understand how the tension of different spokes changed the position of the rim. As you go round the wheel tightening it up, you're constantly making little adjustments and seeing the cause and effect of what you've done. I didn't quite "get it" until I'd build that set up.
Out of interest, where could I buy a couple of wheels worth of 700c spokes? Quite fancy building a new set for my road bike. CRC just do 24"/26" sizes...
"Out of interest, where could I buy a couple of wheels worth of 700c spokes? "
I buy mine from Parkers Mail order. There are links to specific sizes, but in my experience if you're unsure what length you need they will help you out if you tell them the rims & hubs you're using. Last time I bought some rims from them I just asked for "enough spokes to build them into Shimano Ultegra 32/32 hubs" and they all came neatly sorted & labelled for the wheels.
http://www.parker-international.co.uk/c/61/Spokes-...
I buy mine from Parkers Mail order. There are links to specific sizes, but in my experience if you're unsure what length you need they will help you out if you tell them the rims & hubs you're using. Last time I bought some rims from them I just asked for "enough spokes to build them into Shimano Ultegra 32/32 hubs" and they all came neatly sorted & labelled for the wheels.
http://www.parker-international.co.uk/c/61/Spokes-...
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