aligning wheels, realistic home project?

"Martin Wilson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Just spoken to my LBS and they want £15 per wheel to align
4 wheels (26" mountain bike type, 2x32 spoke, 2x36 spoke).
Not badly bent or anything just not totally true. Seems a
lot to me. Something that I'll probably need to do fairly
frequently so could cost a lot of money in the long run.
My thinking is, its probably in my own interest to learn
this skill and perhaps put that £60 towards reasonable
tools for doing it if necessary. It may be possible for me
to make some sort of rig for the job at work if necessary
but would possibly need schematics. Anyone able to direct
me further?

The essential tool is a decent spoke key. I like the spokey
(red plastic disc for my spokes) - 5 quid, and you might be
able to get it from settle cycles.

The rest is like wheelbuilding - I believe truing stands and
dishing stands help the process, but if you're a tight git
like me, a bike frame works.

sheldonbrown.comwheelbuild.htmlOpen ↗ is how to build
a wheel - for straightening them, skip to the section
'Tensioning and truing'. Beware - don't practice on your
nice wheelset! Start with something easy, like a little
wobble in a front wheel. (front are easier than back, due to
being symmetrical. Unless you have discs...)

Quoted message said:

My last point where would be a good place to get a cheap
and heavy duty 40 or even 48 spoke 26" wheel. The weight
of it is not an issue. Strength is far more important.

Our MTB tandem uses 36 spoke 26" wheels - but they are
properly built. And they don't go out of true either. What
are you doing which requires super strong wheels? (ie don't
go to 40/48H, get your wheel built properly instead (which
can include building your own)).

Jobst Brandt's book "The Bicycle Wheel" is the
standard textbook.

cheers, clive

On 30/6/04 10:39 am, in article [email hidden],

Martin Wilson said:

Just spoken to my LBS and they want £15 per wheel to align
4 wheels (26" mountain bike type, 2x32 spoke, 2x36 spoke).
Not badly bent or anything just not totally true. Seems a
lot to me. Something that I'll probably need to do fairly
frequently so could cost a lot of money in the long run.
My thinking is, its probably in my own interest to learn
this skill and perhaps put that £60 towards reasonable
tools for doing it if necessary. It may be possible for me
to make some sort of rig for the job at work if necessary
but would possibly need schematics. Anyone able to direct
me further?

Buy the following:

1. The Jobst Brandt book
2. A wheel truing stand (the minoura one is fine)
3. a decent spoke key (spokey or park are good).

Should cost less than the LBS and will give you a really
nice set of wheels.

..d

Martin Wilson said:

Just spoken to my LBS and they want £15 per wheel to align
4 wheels (26" mountain bike type, 2x32 spoke, 2x36 spoke).
Not badly bent or anything just not totally true. Seems a
lot to me. Something that I'll probably need to do fairly
frequently so could cost a lot of money in the long run.
My thinking is, its probably in my own interest to learn
this skill and perhaps put that £60 towards reasonable
tools for doing it if necessary. It may be possible for me
to make some sort of rig for the job at work if necessary
but would possibly need schematics. Anyone able to direct
me further?

You could make one, or even just use the bike frame, but a
truing stand makes a good investment. Minoura Workman Pro is
reasonable. For a spoke tool, I recommend: Buddy Spokey.

Quoted message said:

My last point where would be a good place to get a cheap
and heavy duty 40 or even 48 spoke 26" wheel. The weight
of it is not an issue. Strength is far more important.

St John Street Cycles, perhaps. ...Oh, hold on, they're not
cheap. Note that choice of rims and hubs is much reduced
once you go above 36 spokes. I think it's worth spending a
bit more if you can, the wheel could possibly be used on
future bikes for years to come.

DT Alpine III spokes will be good for you.

~PB

Quoted message said:

Strewth, that's expensive. Even Stif bikes, an MTB boutique
in Headingley just down the road from here, does if for a
fiver, while you wait. And he's a dedicated wheelbuilder
chappie, too, he built me a wheel for a (road use) MTB a
year or so ago which is still true as new. Well, I did take
the tyres off beforehand, but that price includs new rim
tape as well.

Is it usually that expensive for what's about a 5 minute
job for an experienced person?

I honestly don't know if thats the going rate or not but if
it is, it seems grossly profiteering. To be honest its put
me off the whole shop. Then again perhaps I'm being
unreasonable and its the going rate in most LBS. However as
basic wheel trueing equipment is available for £60 approx I
would rather go in that direction.

Thanks to everyone whose answered. As ever a very useful and
friendly usenet forum.

Martin Wilson said:

I honestly don't know if thats the going rate or not but
if it is, it seems grossly profiteering. To be honest its
put me off the whole shop. Then again perhaps I'm being
unreasonable and its the going rate in most LBS. However
as basic wheel trueing equipment is available for £60
approx I would rather go in that direction.

A spokey is a lot cheaper than that! I've built a handful of
wheels using nothing more, it's not a common enough task for
me to have bothered with getting a truing stand. The frame
itself should be adequate.

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is by treading on the
toes of giants. ne.jphomeOpen ↗

Martin Wilson typed:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Strewth, that's expensive. Even Stif bikes, an MTB
boutique in Headingley just down the road from here, does
if for a fiver, while you wait. And he's a dedicated
wheelbuilder chappie, too, he built me a wheel for a
(road use) MTB a year or so ago which is still true as
new. Well, I did take the tyres off beforehand, but that
price includs new rim tape as well.

Is it usually that expensive for what's about a 5 minute
job for an experienced person?

I honestly don't know if thats the going rate or not but
if it is, it seems grossly profiteering. To be honest its
put me off the whole shop. Then again perhaps I'm being
unreasonable and its the going rate in most LBS. However
as basic wheel trueing equipment is available for £60
approx I would rather go in that direction.

Thanks to everyone whose answered. As ever a very useful
and friendly usenet forum.

I'd suggest that for a single wheel £15 might be a
reasonable (ish) price, especially if trueing isn't their
mainstay and they have to set things up and pack away due to
limited space etc However, for four wheels, I'd suggest that
it's like many things, doing one wheel takes time, doing two
or three doesn't necessarily take two or three times as long
... so shouldn't be two or three times the price.

And LBS' still have to make a profit if they are to stay in
business .. 😉

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

in message <[email hidden]>, Martin Wilson

(') said:

Just spoken to my LBS and they want £15 per wheel to align
4 wheels (26" mountain bike type, 2x32 spoke, 2x36 spoke).
Not badly bent or anything just not totally true. Seems a
lot to me. Something that I'll probably need to do fairly
frequently so could cost a lot of money in the long run.

Well it's easy to do if you are patient and systematic and
work in small increments. A truing stand helps but isn't
vital. But it is not something you should need to do at all
frequently - if you do, you need to think about the quality
of the components you are using, and the way you are riding.
I can't remember when I last had a wheel go out of true, and
I do a lot of fairly serious off-road cycling.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke)
jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

Simon Brooke typed:

Quoted message said:

I can't remember when I last had a wheel go out of true,
and I do a lot of fairly serious off-road cycling.

About a week in my case .. but about a year before that ..
and I also ride off-road a bit quickly, and am quite hard on
equipment .. 😉

In that same year I've worn out two sets of tyres and god
knows how many brake block sets .. The rims are on their
way too .. 😉

--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

Martin Wilson <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I honestly don't know if thats the going rate or not but
if it is, it seems grossly profiteering. To be honest its
put me off the whole shop. Then again perhaps I'm being
unreasonable and its the going rate in most LBS.

No, it's way over the top.

--
Dave...

(Dave Kahn) said:

Martin Wilson <[email hidden]> wrote in
message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I honestly don't know if thats the going rate or not but
if it is, it seems grossly profiteering. To be honest its
put me off the whole shop. Then again perhaps I'm being
unreasonable and its the going rate in most LBS.

No, it's way over the top.

Last time I went to an LBS, I had

- wheel trued,
- bust spoke replaced,
- brakes sorted,
- gears made functional and
- headset replaced

for about 30 ukp. Bargain. Shame the bike was written off
two days later.

Paul:

Quoted message said:

And LBS' still have to make a profit if they are to stay
in business .. 😉

My LBS just sorted out my wonky back wheel and I gave them
the front wheel at the same time to check the spoke tension.
They charged me a tenner. It's about the limit of what I'd
be prepared to pay for a job like that, but I trust the
couple that run the shop to do a good job and I'm happy to
support their business. And I'd rather pay a tenner to get
the job done by someone that knows what they're doing than
try to do it myself and wreck the wheels.

I know it's something I *could* do myself if I took the time
and trouble to learn how to do it properly, but until then,
any wheels of mine that need trueing are going to the LBS.

d.

Quoted message said:

- wheel trued,
- bust spoke replaced,
- brakes sorted,
- gears made functional and
- headset replaced

for about 30 ukp. Bargain. Shame the bike was written off
two days later.

Ha, brakes sorted. That's risk compensation for you then.

Not Responding said:

On 1 Jul 2004 04:54:10 -0700, [email hidden] (Dave

Kahn) said:

Martin Wilson <[email hidden]> wrote in
message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I honestly don't know if thats the going rate or not but
if it is, it seems grossly profiteering. To be honest
its put me off the whole shop. Then again perhaps I'm
being unreasonable and its the going rate in most LBS.

No, it's way over the top.

Last time I went to an LBS, I had

- wheel trued,
- bust spoke replaced,
- brakes sorted,
- gears made functional and
- headset replaced

for about 30 ukp. Bargain. Shame the bike was written off
two days later.

I was hoping to be able to tell you exactly how much I paid
Sigma Sport in Kingston for replacing a broken spoke and
retruing and retensioning a Shimano 105 wheel recently, but
I obviously paid cash as there is no entry for it in my home
accounts. If memory serves it was either 6 or 8 quid and a
few pence.

On a previous occasion when they didn't have the special
spokes in stock and there was a long wait for them they not
only lent me a pair of Zipp wheels in the meantime but
refused to charge me anything when the job was finally done.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. -
Mark Twain

Clive George said:

The essential tool is a decent spoke key. I like the
spokey (red plastic disc for my spokes) - 5 quid, and you
might be able to get it from settle cycles.

The rest is like wheelbuilding - I believe truing stands
and dishing stands help the process, but if you're a tight
git like me, a bike frame works.

I'm with you clive, I've built road and MTB wheels.... Road
wheels are generally a bit trickier than MTB wheels but the
MTB wheels I've built from scratch I've done without a wheel
gig and just used the frame. Truing wheels is very easy but
I'm pretty adept mechanically so maybe that helps?

I would have said a fiver a wheel was about right for a shop
to do it unless the rims are buckled or something.