aligning wheels, realistic home project?

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?

One other point when I spoke to the salesman in my LBS he said it was
about £7 per wheel but on phoning it becomes £15 per wheel.

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.

"Martin Wilson" wrote in message
...
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.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html 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...)

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 ,
"Martin Wilson" wrote:

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 wrote:
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.

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

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 10:39:32 +0100, Martin Wilson wrote:
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

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?

--
Trevor Barton

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 wrote:


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.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

Martin Wilson typed:
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 , Martin Wilson
') wrote:

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.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Simon Brooke typed:
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