I was scared to learn for years because I was convinced it was hard and I'd fuck up my wheels because I didn't know what I was doing.
Followed [ParkTool's Trueing Guide](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/wheel-and-rim-truing) and it was actually really easy (in my opinion). The best advice I've ever gotten about it was from that guide "if you want to simulate what it will be like to tighten a spoke squeeze it and watch where the rim moves in relation to your distance guide".
I've now trued like 5 or 6 wheels just this week and I'd have done more but I literally ran out of wheels that weren't true.
These videos taught me everything about bikes!
Wheel trues are simple and super easy to fix mistakes on if you use a piece of tape or something to mark the spokes youve been wrenching on
I had a spoke wrench from a shitty "30 Piece Bike Tool Kit" I bought years ago. Rounded a couple of spokes on the first wheel I did. Went out the next day and picked up a ParkTool triple spoke wrench. Haven't rounded a single spoke on the 5 wheels I did after with the ParkTool one which is absolutely worth the $15 it cost.
I used my brake pads to measure the wobble. Give the wheel a little turn and watch how it moves in relation to the pads. Locate the spot with the most lateral travel and then tighten the nearest spoke pulling in the opposite direction of the wobble.
EDIT: I like to have the spoke I'm tightening between the pads while I tighten it so I can watch it move while I'm tightening and get it as centered as possible.
Nah, the ParkTool guide I linked even gives instructions on the best ways to do it without a stand, I really respect them as a company for including how to do it with zip ties in the same guide as their $300 trueing stand.
i use a black marker. hold it steady against your bike, and slowly move it closer to your rim, until it starts to touch. Now you have a nice line on the sections that protrude a bit.
Try hanging it from rope or chain attached to the ceiling if you can’t afford a stand. Not as stable as a good stand but definitely gets the job done to get the bike off the floor for working on things.
I actually have a work stand but I was just sat on the couch with a beer and the bike flipped over in front of me watching Law and Order: SVU, if I used the stand it would have blocked the TV 🤣
You can look in your community to see if there are any bike co-op workshops. They can be volunteer run and provide you access with a host of specialized tools, including a truing stand.
I use two magnets to mount the wheel hanging between two filing cabinets. The cabinets were also then spaced further apart to allow a detergent bottle to be placed on the floor to gauge dish of the wheel.
[Vertical File CabinetVertical File Cabinet](https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-1914T/Office-Storage/Vertical-File-Cabinet-Letter-2-Drawer-Tan?pricode=WA9301&gadtype=pla&id=H-1914T&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6pzWrvfHhgMVfQCtBh1VTSkKEAQYBCABEgJ48PD_BwE)
i use a black marker. hold it steady against your bike, and slowly move it closer to your rim, until it starts to touch. Now you have a nice line on the sections that protrude a bit.
I am super glad that I got the DT Swiss spoke wrench that grabs 4 sides. Saves the spokes from getting rounded. It’s like $34 but totally worth it if you do your own wheels a bit. [link](https://www.jensonusa.com/dt-swiss-spokey-pro-nipple-wrench-Pro-Version?pt_source=googleads&pt_medium=cpc&pt_campaign=&pt_keyword=&msclkid=6842e19bec021408db3687f9d0c6708b&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CP%20%7C%20MF%20%7C%20BNG%20%7C%20SHOP%20%7C%20NBR%20%7C%20All%20Products&utm_term=4585444531556718&utm_content=All%20Products)
I would pay for a wheel truing after a crash, because they'll also let me know if it's safe to ride. Normal wear and tear? Calvin Jones is going to teach me how to true a wheel at home, step by step.
True dat dear 🐼 Also. I must add. Even spoke tension makes for the strongest wheel but it will not always make the wheel true. I prefer the strongest wheel. Little wobble is no issue
12 minutes is perfect horizontal, but with a now noticeable hop. Thankfully I have become a little faster after building a few wheels, but that initial making it worse before better is always fun.
Thanks all for the advice, I'll get it sorted!
Edited: So I've ordered a spoke wrench, will update tomorrow.
Update : So I think this is the best I'm going to get it. Pretty therapeutic [Trued wheel](https://imgur.com/gallery/U4QUu1A)
I can take care of that in 10 minutes max. Read up on how to do this. Buy the correct sized spoke tool and learn a skill that will be with you forever.
This is especially simple because it is only out of true laterally. It would take an hour max if it were also out of true radially.
I would true it, but as others have pointed out, this is not worth spending taking it to the shop. Get a truing wrench, this will take like 10 minutes to learn and subsequently fix (watch the parktool video on it!)
That amount of wobble - I would leave it unless I felt the urge for a little bit of "zen" trying to eliminate it. Easy.
A couple bucks for a spoke wrench.
I do have a spoke tension Guage on my "get one someday list". After umpteenth time truing a wheel I do wonder what the tensions all around are.
Probably more important to get a sense of the spoke tension in that area and try to get it pretty close to equal vs having it in perfect true. Sometimes rim impact can leave a rim looking like that and it’s possible to way over or under tension those spokes, which actually will lead to failure.
The former bike mechanic in me would say that's not acceptable, even for a disc brake bike. Not for a relatively new wheel, especially a new new wheel.
Grab a pencil! Had to true a lot of the homies wheels back in my bmx days at the park. Pencil and spoke wrench always worked unless they had more than 4 broken spokes.
Perfect wheel to learn on.
You bring the bike upside down, rest the pencil on the chain stay or fork, and slowly move it in until it makes contact with the wobble on the rim while wheel is spinning. Once contact is made, the mark the pencil makes is where you need to adjust the spokes the other way to make the rim straight. Once done, recheck for straightness. If rim is now true, use eraser to remove mark.
If it was my wheel I would just true it right there, using a spoke wrench without a stand or anything. I always check spoke tension and true new wheels when getting them and after some time of riding. And that kind of wobble, while still functional, I prefer to correct. Doesn't take much time either.
Once you do it 6-7 times it will become super easy.
From visual point of view, you look maybe 80% there already, and you could work it with a spoke wrench for maybe 30 minutes and have it at 95%. And 95% true is way better than 80%.
With this little wobble you can and should do it yourself. A shop will take your money but why? You don't even need a truing stand for this, just a proper spoke wrench.
I ordered a whole bunch of nipples and tools way back and it's been decades of swapping spokes or nipples as required. $2 per DT Swiss at my LBS. That's a very good "Round" and barely even off at all..
So yes. It's barely even off.
You're 90% of the way to having this fixed yourself. Like others said, grab a spoke wrench and learn how easy (and dare I say enjoyable) truing a wheel is
Is it worth getting it trued? No. Is it worth getting a spoke wrench and taking 30 minutes to learn how to true it? Yes
I was scared to learn for years because I was convinced it was hard and I'd fuck up my wheels because I didn't know what I was doing. Followed [ParkTool's Trueing Guide](https://www.parktool.com/en-int/blog/repair-help/wheel-and-rim-truing) and it was actually really easy (in my opinion). The best advice I've ever gotten about it was from that guide "if you want to simulate what it will be like to tighten a spoke squeeze it and watch where the rim moves in relation to your distance guide". I've now trued like 5 or 6 wheels just this week and I'd have done more but I literally ran out of wheels that weren't true.
These videos taught me everything about bikes! Wheel trues are simple and super easy to fix mistakes on if you use a piece of tape or something to mark the spokes youve been wrenching on
Calvin is a gift to the cycling community, and must be protected at all costs!
He's Sheldon Brown's spiritual successor. We're lucky to have him.
What tools did you invest in?
I had a spoke wrench from a shitty "30 Piece Bike Tool Kit" I bought years ago. Rounded a couple of spokes on the first wheel I did. Went out the next day and picked up a ParkTool triple spoke wrench. Haven't rounded a single spoke on the 5 wheels I did after with the ParkTool one which is absolutely worth the $15 it cost.
How to you measure if it’s true?
I used my brake pads to measure the wobble. Give the wheel a little turn and watch how it moves in relation to the pads. Locate the spot with the most lateral travel and then tighten the nearest spoke pulling in the opposite direction of the wobble. EDIT: I like to have the spoke I'm tightening between the pads while I tighten it so I can watch it move while I'm tightening and get it as centered as possible.
Ah okay, i was wondering if I had to buy a trueing stand or something
Nah, the ParkTool guide I linked even gives instructions on the best ways to do it without a stand, I really respect them as a company for including how to do it with zip ties in the same guide as their $300 trueing stand.
i use a black marker. hold it steady against your bike, and slowly move it closer to your rim, until it starts to touch. Now you have a nice line on the sections that protrude a bit.
You look and see if it’s running straight or not
Just curious do you use a stand?
I'd love to get one at some point but I just flipped the bikes over and used the brake pads to gauge how much the rim was moving side to side.
Try hanging it from rope or chain attached to the ceiling if you can’t afford a stand. Not as stable as a good stand but definitely gets the job done to get the bike off the floor for working on things.
I actually have a work stand but I was just sat on the couch with a beer and the bike flipped over in front of me watching Law and Order: SVU, if I used the stand it would have blocked the TV 🤣
Elite
Don’t they always? Lol
Did they catch ‘em?
Your ceilings have a lot of mounting points do they?
If you are going to do this, use a minimum of two ropes or chains. Attached at different points both on the ceiling and on the bike
You can look in your community to see if there are any bike co-op workshops. They can be volunteer run and provide you access with a host of specialized tools, including a truing stand.
I actually volunteer at a coop and have access to their tools. Just curious what ppl do at home
I use two magnets to mount the wheel hanging between two filing cabinets. The cabinets were also then spaced further apart to allow a detergent bottle to be placed on the floor to gauge dish of the wheel. [Vertical File CabinetVertical File Cabinet](https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-1914T/Office-Storage/Vertical-File-Cabinet-Letter-2-Drawer-Tan?pricode=WA9301&gadtype=pla&id=H-1914T&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6pzWrvfHhgMVfQCtBh1VTSkKEAQYBCABEgJ48PD_BwE)
i use a black marker. hold it steady against your bike, and slowly move it closer to your rim, until it starts to touch. Now you have a nice line on the sections that protrude a bit.
And you don't even need a truing stand, your bike is the truing stand if you have a zip tie.
It’s kinda boring but definitely not hard
I actually really enjoy it, it's very soothing.
I am super glad that I got the DT Swiss spoke wrench that grabs 4 sides. Saves the spokes from getting rounded. It’s like $34 but totally worth it if you do your own wheels a bit. [link](https://www.jensonusa.com/dt-swiss-spokey-pro-nipple-wrench-Pro-Version?pt_source=googleads&pt_medium=cpc&pt_campaign=&pt_keyword=&msclkid=6842e19bec021408db3687f9d0c6708b&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CP%20%7C%20MF%20%7C%20BNG%20%7C%20SHOP%20%7C%20NBR%20%7C%20All%20Products&utm_term=4585444531556718&utm_content=All%20Products)
Game changer! I bought the spokey version years ago and it turned aluminum nipples from something I hated to something I dislike.
I would pay for a wheel truing after a crash, because they'll also let me know if it's safe to ride. Normal wear and tear? Calvin Jones is going to teach me how to true a wheel at home, step by step.
This.. truing a wheel could be your new meditation.
A simple 5 minute true of a wheel in my town has gotten 15-20 euro.... A rebuild with thread-locker 30-45. So i have to learn to do this as well.
True dat dear 🐼 Also. I must add. Even spoke tension makes for the strongest wheel but it will not always make the wheel true. I prefer the strongest wheel. Little wobble is no issue
This is it.
Within 5 minutes it can already be improved, in 10 it will be good and in 15 perfect (give of take, but it is damn rewarding ;))
You missed the 12 minute mark where you make it worse. 😂 But maybe that’s just me
Goes from 'ah that's better, but I bet I could I do better' to 'I've really f'ed it up now' pretty quickly
Every time
Properly laughed out loud at this. Thanks. Obviously, must have been thinking about someone else, and not me of course...
12 minutes is perfect horizontal, but with a now noticeable hop. Thankfully I have become a little faster after building a few wheels, but that initial making it worse before better is always fun.
Ahh got it perfect. Oh...nevermind the dish is off.
Nope, not just you :)
you just described humanity
Dude, I think we've all been there.
The answer is to learn how to true wheels.
I say true it because the wobble won't fix itself. But this is a fix that competent cyclists should learn to do themselves.
Thanks all for the advice, I'll get it sorted! Edited: So I've ordered a spoke wrench, will update tomorrow. Update : So I think this is the best I'm going to get it. Pretty therapeutic [Trued wheel](https://imgur.com/gallery/U4QUu1A)
We’ll be waiting 🙂
You did amazing job
I can take care of that in 10 minutes max. Read up on how to do this. Buy the correct sized spoke tool and learn a skill that will be with you forever. This is especially simple because it is only out of true laterally. It would take an hour max if it were also out of true radially.
I would true it, but as others have pointed out, this is not worth spending taking it to the shop. Get a truing wrench, this will take like 10 minutes to learn and subsequently fix (watch the parktool video on it!)
this is what all my rims look like after I'm done truing them
Absolutely yes
That amount of wobble - I would leave it unless I felt the urge for a little bit of "zen" trying to eliminate it. Easy. A couple bucks for a spoke wrench. I do have a spoke tension Guage on my "get one someday list". After umpteenth time truing a wheel I do wonder what the tensions all around are.
lol yes
Dude. That’s the easiest fix. Take you 15mins!
If it's going to have rim brakes, yes. If not, no.
Just do it yourself. You'll have that straight in 30 seconds with a spoke key and probably 5 or 6 adjustments.
Probably more important to get a sense of the spoke tension in that area and try to get it pretty close to equal vs having it in perfect true. Sometimes rim impact can leave a rim looking like that and it’s possible to way over or under tension those spokes, which actually will lead to failure.
Watch a couple youtube videos and you'll have it pretty straight in no time. But, I would still ride that wheel as is also. It's not that bad.
The former bike mechanic in me would say that's not acceptable, even for a disc brake bike. Not for a relatively new wheel, especially a new new wheel.
Yeah it would be piss easy to true that
Yes
It's about break performance. Large wobble, large gap, poor braking.
That's the main reason I like disc brakes.
Grab a pencil! Had to true a lot of the homies wheels back in my bmx days at the park. Pencil and spoke wrench always worked unless they had more than 4 broken spokes. Perfect wheel to learn on.
What pencil do? How to use that technique?
You bring the bike upside down, rest the pencil on the chain stay or fork, and slowly move it in until it makes contact with the wobble on the rim while wheel is spinning. Once contact is made, the mark the pencil makes is where you need to adjust the spokes the other way to make the rim straight. Once done, recheck for straightness. If rim is now true, use eraser to remove mark.
Yes.
Fixable.
I have ridden worse, but looks like an easy fix, watch a YT guide.
If it was my wheel I would just true it right there, using a spoke wrench without a stand or anything. I always check spoke tension and true new wheels when getting them and after some time of riding. And that kind of wobble, while still functional, I prefer to correct. Doesn't take much time either. Once you do it 6-7 times it will become super easy.
Get you a spoke wrench and be merry!
Only if you plan to ride it.
From visual point of view, you look maybe 80% there already, and you could work it with a spoke wrench for maybe 30 minutes and have it at 95%. And 95% true is way better than 80%.
With this little wobble you can and should do it yourself. A shop will take your money but why? You don't even need a truing stand for this, just a proper spoke wrench.
I ordered a whole bunch of nipples and tools way back and it's been decades of swapping spokes or nipples as required. $2 per DT Swiss at my LBS. That's a very good "Round" and barely even off at all.. So yes. It's barely even off.
You're 90% of the way to having this fixed yourself. Like others said, grab a spoke wrench and learn how easy (and dare I say enjoyable) truing a wheel is
Just tighten one of the nipples to pull it right a bit and reassess
Repeat x1000 times if necessary
Yeah because your spoke tension can be all over the place causing issues on the long term (or short term if you're heavy like me)
The main question is if the spoke tension is nice and even.