Is it Tru....ing stands.

[William]

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with the Truing stands (or others) listed below? I would like to try my hand building my own wheels & maintaining my current wheels. I know how to true them up on the fly, believe me, I have lots of experience with that. :crap:

In no particular order:

Ultimate Truing stand.
Spin Doctor Truing stand II
Park Pro TS-2 & TS-3 Truing stands
Park TS-7
Hoadley

Any others I'm leaving out?

Tanks,
William :)

[Jeffie]

IMO, the Park Pro (TS2) stand is the only stand I really want to use. It is very user friendly and allows you to get the job done as efficiently as possible.

That being said, it is a lot of money. I have both the TS2 and TS7. If you are not going to be doing a lot of wheel repairs (I own a small mobile bicycle repair business) then perhaps the TS7 is all you need. I don't have much experience with the others you listed...

I'll be listing the TS7 on ebay soon, if you decide that is the stand you want, let me know and we'll talk.

Jeffie
jeff@mobilebicyclerepair.com

[William]

just sent you a message. :)

William

[Too Tall]

Even the least expensive stand gets the job done for an ocassional wheelbuilder. Park's so called self centering feature is not really functional. I do have a TS2...a gift it's real nice. I gave my cheapo minoura to a pal in need, it was fine.

[D-Squared]

If you want the TS3 it's best to order it directly from Park. They give you the best price. It's pretty rock solid and the gauge option is pretty cool.

D2

[Sandy]

I hope that you don't mind an additional question here.

Could a complete novice buy a truing stand and true his own wheels without too much effort? I don't mean building a wheel, but simply learning how to true your own wheels. It might be fun.

I know that the Jerk would say that any idiot should be able to true a wheel. True, Jerk?

True only to Kevan,

Sandy

[Jeffie]

Sandy,

Truing a wheel really isn't too difficult, but it does take practice. My suggestion would be to get a stand and practice on an old front wheel (so you don't have to worry so much about the dish of the wheel).

Remember, you have to consider spoke tension, lateral true, roundness, and dish when trying to true a wheel. It can be fun, it can be hard. Practice makes perfect.

Might also help to buy one of the books mentioned in the recent wheelbuilding 101 thread.

[zap]

I agree w/tt, the Park self centering doesn't work very well. Get a dishing tool instead. So, any cheap stand will work. Thats what i've used for the past 10 years.

IMHO, Park tools are cheaply made.

Sandy, you can true wheels. Feel free to stop by my house for show & tell.

[shaq-d]

you can _build_ a wheel using your fork, let alone true it. a truing stand is not necessary; it's a luxury for a single rider. if you work in a shop and do lots of truing and lots of building, then u'll need it cause it's a little more comfortable. the key to all truing is simply to make adjustments across several spokes in tiny amounts, as opposed to screwing in the one spoke to make the wheel true. having the wheel equidistant from the fork dropouts or the truing stand is really quite a simple thing to do; the art/work is done in spreading out the truing among several spokes.

sd

[shaq-d]

Could a complete novice buy a truing stand and true his own wheels without too much effort? I don't mean building a wheel, but simply learning how to true your own wheels. It might be fun.


absolutely. after screwing up in the first 5-45 mins, u'll own that wheel like shaquille o'neal on an ant.

sd

[Orin]

you can _build_ a wheel using your fork, let alone true it. a truing stand is not necessary; it's a luxury for a single rider. if you work in a shop and do lots of truing and lots of building, then u'll need it cause it's a little more comfortable. the key to all truing is simply to make adjustments across several spokes in tiny amounts, as opposed to screwing in the one spoke to make the wheel true. having the wheel equidistant from the fork dropouts or the truing stand is really quite a simple thing to do; the art/work is done in spreading out the truing among several spokes.

sd

Yes and no...

You want to get the tension in the spokes as even as possible. That may or may not mean you only need to screw/unscrew one spoke.

I usually ping the spokes with a fingernail - they should sound alike. Sometimes you get ping-ping-ping-thud-ping-ping. The 'thud' gets tightened up to 'ping' first.

Orin.

[bostondrunk]

the drunk has a TS2. It is not needed, and I don't really see how it does any self centering at all. I still need to use a dishing tool.
If <burp> I were doing it again, I'd get the cheapest stand I could along with any old dishing tool.

[Peter]

I'm another TS-2 owner. I've had mine since 1979. Even as a backyard mechanic it has clearly paid for itself a dozen times over through building/truing wheels for myself and others. Friends feed me; others must pay!

Yes; it's also true that it's self-centering feature isn't perfect but it will get you within a couple millimeters. Use a dishing tool to verify things. I then compensate by how tight I clamp the wheel in the forks-tightening the knob will shift the wheel a smidgeon, or I tap/pull on the knob lightly to shift the rim relative to the indicator. Perfect wheels everytime.

It's bulletproof, rebuildable, and accurate (enough).

[William]

Thank you for all the replies. I know you don't need the most expensive stand out there to be able to true a wheel, or even build one. I just wanted to see what peoples thoughts & experiences were with the different brands and various levels of stand quality that were available.

Sandy:
Learning to true, as others have pointed out, is just a matter of practice. I learned to true my wheels on the road. When I first started riding I was destroying rear wheels left and right...broken spokes and knocking it out of true. I Got tired of constantly taking it to the shop so I bought the spoke wrench that I needed and started carrying it with me. I learned to true up my wheels on the bike using my brake pads as the guides. Over the years my riding style has smoothed out and I don't have as many problems as I once did. But I still occasionally rip them apart. A month or so ago I ripped through a corner and as I came out of it I got out of the saddle and started sprinting, I took about two or three hard pedal stokes and then heard a SPROING, clack, clack, clack. ( :D just like that; SPROING, clack, clack, clack). Broken spoke and knocked it
out so far out that It was hitting the brake pads hard. I was able to true it up enough so it wasn't hitting the pads and I was able to get home on it (after I removed the spoke and hucked into the woods for the squirrels :butt: ;) ).
Get a spoke wrench or two and play around with an old wheel, or practice on one of Kevans wheels. :D

William

[Too Tall]

Such a deal have I got for you bubbala. Smiley left a pile of junk wheels at my place...they are alll yours fo free.

[William]

Such a deal have I got for you bubbala. Smiley left a pile of junk wheels at my place...they are alll yours fo free.

Yo, You talkin ta me? ;)

William

[Too Tall]

No no, I never address self defense honchos as Bubbala. I'd like to live past 46 thanks. That was for Bambi and my only risk there is if he takes the wheels off my hands...slips and falls...on me. Love yah Bambi I only kid because I love.

[Steve-O]

I've used the TS2 working as a tech at a shop in a previous life. I now have a Performance Spin Doctor stand (Believe it is made by Minora). I actually like the Minoura better. For occasional truing and building up a set of wheels every now and then it is more then adequate....

[Marron]

I've had a T2, found it very solid and easy to use, but passed it along to a friend who was starting his own business. I replaced it with a T-7 and honestly didn't notice any difference in the either the process or results. Pretty much the same as bikes; it's all in the hands (rather than the legs).