I don't bike to this extent, nor do I ever plan to really. But I watched the whole video for no reason, don't even know how I got here. Good stuff. Keep it up.
You deserve every compliment you've received for this excellent tutorial, so i'll make two alternative observations: Firstly, there's an enormous difference between 1st gear and the rest on your rear block, what kind of biking does your son do? The difference between gears looks like an impractical mix for maintaining fairly even cadence on inclines. Secondly, with such a superbly organized workshop and obvious passion for good old men's hobbies, your wife must've left years ago! Great video!
@1RadNomad My son has a Shimano MegaRange Freewheel on his bike with a gigantic 34 tooth sprocket. I have the same one my mountain bike too! Purist mountain bikers would shun us for wimping out with a "granny gear" like this, but for us non-expert riders, it makes hill climbing an absolute breeze. DW and I are celebrating our 25th this year - best 25 years of my life. Just wish I could get her interested in biking! :)
Very good explanation on how to true a wheel,finally someone who know what he's talking about.Also that truing stand you made is EXCELLENT ! Thank you 4 sharing your knowledge. All BEST!
Wow - respect for such dedication to getting a complete and good job done. Also great to see innovation like the flags of tape to insure as little residual twist left in the spokes as possible. Keep up the great work - and nice job on the stand too!
@GregArtDude Thanks for the kind words. I can't take any credit for the masking tape on the spokes. I got that tip from Roger Musson's Wheel Building Book.
I just built a a wooden stand a few days ago. Rock solid. I'll have to do the dishing gauge. I had a dial indicator that I added. I know you don't need it but it makes it fun. Fun watching the dial move when turning the spoke. Got it side to side less than .005. Makes it real easy. Problem the rear wheel has had a long hard life and while it is true, lots of spokes are lose and others are over tight. Time for a new wheel.
@pef286 Congrats on your new truing stand. Wow! 0.005" - that is ridiculously true! :) My experience is that if some spokes are loose and others very tight - the rim won't stay true for very long - especially if you ride some rough terrain. A new wheel might be the way to go.
I know your've received a lot of complements here, but I just wanted to say thanks for a job well done. Very meticulous. I just trued my sons wheel, but have concerns that all spokes were not tightened the to the same tension. Learned a lot here. Thanks again, and, I'd be interested to know your occupation. Medicine?? Surgeon maybe?
@FetusGaming Thanks for the kind words. I got a real good chuckle out of your post! As best as I can figure, a bad case of the chickenpox at an early age left me with a bit of nerve damage on one side of the face. The weird thing is that I don't even know I am doing it until I watch myself on video! :)
I have seen many videos and have been concerned about the centering of my rim and the vertical wobble (not the side to side that everyone else covers and forgets the former.) Thanks, I am also going to build my own truing stand and will purchase the book you recommend.
@valamaas If the rim is really out of round (ie. oval shaped), it is my experience that you will not be able to true the rim just with the spokes. The spokes will end up being very tight on one side of the rim and loose on the opposite side of the rim. This will result a rim that will go out of true very quickly. You can try removing all of the spokes and straightening the rim first, then true it in the truing stand, but It might be easier to just buy a new rim.
@Donswoodshop thanks for that info. I have another bike for road where the rim is a little wobbly. Will live with that. I have a new bike for MTB and want to look after it better and will use your video to help with that.
the spokey pro looks like a good tool, i searched for it on ebay but could not find one.?! might be a good idea to have the manufacturers list them, i'd buy one..! great vid. thanks
@directtalk1 I bought my Spokey Pro spoke wrenches from SJS Cycles in the UK for 6GBP each + 7 GBP shipping. Google "Spokey Pro SJS Cycles". They also have them on Amazon.com for $10 USD each + $5 shipping. Search Amazon for "KLICKfix Rixen & Kaul SPOKEY professional 3,25" and you will find them.
Hi, Donswoodshop. Thanks for the very helpful tutorial.
I've purchased Musson's wheelbuilding eBook with the plans for building my own version of his stand. But being somewhat of a tool-limited project guy, I don't know that I have the appropriate tools for the job...most noticeably - I don't know which tool I need to borrow/rent/or purchase to bore out the two channels for the adjustable side of the truing stand (seen at 1:20). Any pointers? Would that be a router? Could a dremel do it?
@davidisaurus - David - I used a drill press to drill the two holes at the both ends of the slot and a scroll saw to cut out the slots. Alternatively, you could use a jig saw to cut the slots. Good Luck!
cool, thanks man. i have not heard of the "dishing gauge" before, neat. im working on my recumbent tryke and bent the rim, i have a vid of it on my channel thank you again thumbs up
I have trued my mtb frontwheel to almost near perfect (laterally, radially, dishing). I took the bike for a shortride and have found that the spokes are not tensioned well, some became quite loose but the wheel is still true. What should I do? Tighten up loose spokes? Use a spoke tensionmeter? I have access to a bike shop w. all the precision tools.
Also, that Park triangular spoke wrench is not that good. Park has an improved version(more steel) of it available at bike shops.
@camlpg My experience is that if you still have some loose spokes after truing, the rim will not stay true for very long. It is only a matter of time before you hit a big bump and your rim will twist like a pretzel. You need to get all of the spokes tight and tensioned as evenly as possible. In hindsight, I would forgo the triangular spoke wrench and go for the "Spokey Pro" wrench instead - a much better spoke wrench and not that much more money.
@Donswoodshop I went to DIY bike shop and learnt how to use a spoke tensiometer and it seems to have corrected the problem. One thing though, is that the front MTB is a double-walled rim and the tensiometer chart did not have a specified tension for this type of rim w. steel spoke but I think I tensioned it correctly. Checked the tension on back wheel and it seemed to be mostly within factory specs.
The tool used was the Park ST1 Tensiometer. Tool retails from $50 - 90.
@camlpg Good work! The wheel will last much longer with even spoke tension. Wish they had a DIY bike shop are around here - neat concept - didn't even know they existed!
@Donswoodshop Thanks, now I have to work on the backwheel as it is out radially a bit. The back wheel might be more challenging then the frontwheel but I love challenges.
Not sure what part of Canada you are in but if you want to start a community bike shop start it out as a Not-For-Profit organization and you might get a lot of responses from possible donors. The bike is making a comeback because of hight fuel costs and eco-concerns if you have the time.
@camlpg i would say your spokes are bowed out not like bent its very hard to see it but if you tighten you spokes but then just a short time later they are lose again they are probably bowed out. In terms you need new spokes and nipples
@cheron60 Thanks for the advice but it's not right. I have corrected the problem by using a spoke tensiometer to get accurate tension. Also the front wheel on my MTB is a double-walled rim and doesnt' seem to need as much tension as a single wall rim which I have on the back wheel. Took the bike out for an offroad ride last week and the wheel is holding up quite well now.
@YORKPEPPER Just make sure radially truing is done to. If you have not done this you better check. You have to take the tire off the rim and attach a straight ruler to chainstays and snug up against rim and do radially truing done. You still have to check dishing as well. I have found that it is possible to do this by using a thin(wide) tape measure. Any difference and you will have to do dishing adjustment. Tensioning can also be a problem as observed from this video.
It is my experience that if the wheel wobbles outward and the spokes are already tight in that area, you may need to take all of the spokes out and straighten the rim, re-thread the spokes and true the wheel again. Truing a wheel with the spokes assumes that the rim is relatively straight to start with. If the rim is badly warped or out of round, correcting it with spoke tension will leave you with uneven spoke tension on the wheel whcih is no good. itr might be easier to buy a new rim.
for me... my radius is messed up, a bit of the wheel wobbles outward, but the spokes around that area are already very tight, so how would i fix that? i even tried to loosen those spokes, tighten the ones across the hub from those, and retightning the spokes around the high area, but no help
@mrjkt123 Greetings from Canada! There are metal forks to hold the hubs. The rest of the construction is wood that is well sealed against changes in moisture content. I am a mechanical engineer with 20+ years of design experience in stainless steel. There is no need for the expense of high precision or metal construction in this application - it is only to find high spots on a bicycle rim!
@Donswoodshop Is it not possible to load the rim wiithin the stand. In other words, haul it to the side or lever the rim concentrically. This is what I'm looking for in a wheel stand but have only seen it used for motorcycle wheels. I believe that some of the older commercial cycle wheelstands were capable of taking this use.
I have trued a mtb frontwheel but notice that it is dished to one side(by eyesight).
If I just measure the distance of the rim from end to end using a tape measure(with centre-point axle) is this an accurtate measurement? I notice there is about a 3mm difference when measuring both sides.
@camlpg The front wheel could be dished if you have disk brakees. If it has rim brakes (rubber brake pad rubs against the rim), then there should be no dish on the front rim. I doubt that you will get an accurate measurement without a proper dishing gage. It is not diffcult to make - you can cut out of a piece of plywood or even cardboard in a real pinch.
@Donswoodshop guess I could make a cardboard one. Thanks for the ideas. I did do a second check and fine truing on the wheel it is now almost perfect axially and radially. I checked with a tape measure to check for change in dishing it does seem to be much better(both sides showing only 0.50mm difference) but I should use the dishing gauge to make sure. Thanks for your help.
Brilliant video. Really really good, enjoyable & I picked up lots of useful tips. Thank you for taking the time to film everything so clearly and for editing it all together so well. Five stars!
why is the rim still unbalance? cause roughly at 12:25 when you let rim go it rocks back and forth untill it reaches a stopping point. how do you fix that problem??
@Donswoodshop Does this mean that an opposing weight(exact same reflector or some type of weight) should be put on corresponding opposite spoke on the other side of the wheel? Wheel is not balanced when spinning and as speed increases the effect of wheel unbalance increases. What this means is that more pedal energy is being used to maintain speed. When coasting(not pedalling) the bike will slow down more readily due to unbalance???
@camlpg The unbalanced weight of the reflector is insignificant. I would simply remove the reflector if you are really concerned about this, but my opinion is that it will make little or no difference at all.
@Donswoodshop Mass imbalance does affect a bicycles stability at speeds above 40mph and may initiate a wobble. It's not usually dangerous but can be frightening to the unwary.
Excellent video....very thorough. Nice truing stand as well! I'm considering making one using an old bike fork and wood, since they are fairly expensive.
I don't bike to this extent, nor do I ever plan to really. But I watched the whole video for no reason, don't even know how I got here. Good stuff. Keep it up.
higheddy89 1 week ago
WOW! awesome job on the video! that was perfect!
MrUSbabe 1 week ago
You deserve every compliment you've received for this excellent tutorial, so i'll make two alternative observations: Firstly, there's an enormous difference between 1st gear and the rest on your rear block, what kind of biking does your son do? The difference between gears looks like an impractical mix for maintaining fairly even cadence on inclines. Secondly, with such a superbly organized workshop and obvious passion for good old men's hobbies, your wife must've left years ago! Great video!
1RadNomad 2 weeks ago
@1RadNomad My son has a Shimano MegaRange Freewheel on his bike with a gigantic 34 tooth sprocket. I have the same one my mountain bike too! Purist mountain bikers would shun us for wimping out with a "granny gear" like this, but for us non-expert riders, it makes hill climbing an absolute breeze. DW and I are celebrating our 25th this year - best 25 years of my life. Just wish I could get her interested in biking! :)
Donswoodshop 2 weeks ago
How many of us would just file the blooming nut?
Nice job.
sacheus 1 month ago
fantastic job mate, love your detail 10 out of 10 :)
i reckon you should play a little tune on the spokes on your next upload.
Cheers
Nick
NickatD9 1 month ago
Very good explanation on how to true a wheel,finally someone who know what he's talking about.Also that truing stand you made is EXCELLENT ! Thank you 4 sharing your knowledge. All BEST!
zaalen97 1 month ago
Wow - respect for such dedication to getting a complete and good job done. Also great to see innovation like the flags of tape to insure as little residual twist left in the spokes as possible. Keep up the great work - and nice job on the stand too!
GregArtDude 1 month ago
@GregArtDude Thanks for the kind words. I can't take any credit for the masking tape on the spokes. I got that tip from Roger Musson's Wheel Building Book.
Donswoodshop 1 month ago
@GregArtDude I totally have to agree! Now if you had the time to replace ever dictatorial on Youtube then things would make more sense
jonnyfivem1 1 month ago
I just built a a wooden stand a few days ago. Rock solid. I'll have to do the dishing gauge. I had a dial indicator that I added. I know you don't need it but it makes it fun. Fun watching the dial move when turning the spoke. Got it side to side less than .005. Makes it real easy. Problem the rear wheel has had a long hard life and while it is true, lots of spokes are lose and others are over tight. Time for a new wheel.
pef286 1 month ago
@pef286 Congrats on your new truing stand. Wow! 0.005" - that is ridiculously true! :) My experience is that if some spokes are loose and others very tight - the rim won't stay true for very long - especially if you ride some rough terrain. A new wheel might be the way to go.
Donswoodshop 1 month ago
Wow, you made that stand? Are you a cabinet maker or a furniture builder? That truing stand is PRO!
maddog0610 1 month ago
@maddog0610 Thanks for the kind words. Woodworking is just a hobby for me. I have a small, but fairly decently equipped workshop in my basement.
Donswoodshop 1 month ago
I know your've received a lot of complements here, but I just wanted to say thanks for a job well done. Very meticulous. I just trued my sons wheel, but have concerns that all spokes were not tightened the to the same tension. Learned a lot here. Thanks again, and, I'd be interested to know your occupation. Medicine?? Surgeon maybe?
torchandregdoc 1 month ago
@torchandregdoc Thank you for the kind words. I am a mechanical engineer.
Donswoodshop 1 month ago
buy your son a double wall rims and you will forget for all this problems
korsikanec99 2 months ago
@korsikanec99 This is very good advice. We upgraded his bike to double wall rims this summer.
Donswoodshop 1 month ago
Awesome video; methodical, systematic and logical...the tape flag idea was awesome...
lmvassoler 2 months ago
Quick question, did you take a mean left hook when you were young?
Great video by the way!
FetusGaming 2 months ago
@FetusGaming Thanks for the kind words. I got a real good chuckle out of your post! As best as I can figure, a bad case of the chickenpox at an early age left me with a bit of nerve damage on one side of the face. The weird thing is that I don't even know I am doing it until I watch myself on video! :)
Donswoodshop 2 months ago
I have seen many videos and have been concerned about the centering of my rim and the vertical wobble (not the side to side that everyone else covers and forgets the former.) Thanks, I am also going to build my own truing stand and will purchase the book you recommend.
valamaas 3 months ago
@valamaas If the rim is really out of round (ie. oval shaped), it is my experience that you will not be able to true the rim just with the spokes. The spokes will end up being very tight on one side of the rim and loose on the opposite side of the rim. This will result a rim that will go out of true very quickly. You can try removing all of the spokes and straightening the rim first, then true it in the truing stand, but It might be easier to just buy a new rim.
Donswoodshop 3 months ago
@Donswoodshop thanks for that info. I have another bike for road where the rim is a little wobbly. Will live with that. I have a new bike for MTB and want to look after it better and will use your video to help with that.
valamaas 3 months ago
This is seriously THE most complete truing video I've ever seen.
Good job!!
filip000 4 months ago 7
perfect
925dude 4 months ago
nice one but quite complicated
Radeks241 4 months ago
Comment removed
Radeks241 4 months ago
Nice one.!
directtalk1 5 months ago
the spokey pro looks like a good tool, i searched for it on ebay but could not find one.?! might be a good idea to have the manufacturers list them, i'd buy one..! great vid. thanks
directtalk1 5 months ago
@directtalk1 I bought my Spokey Pro spoke wrenches from SJS Cycles in the UK for 6GBP each + 7 GBP shipping. Google "Spokey Pro SJS Cycles". They also have them on Amazon.com for $10 USD each + $5 shipping. Search Amazon for "KLICKfix Rixen & Kaul SPOKEY professional 3,25" and you will find them.
dzcz63 5 months ago
what if ya wheel is kinda egged
gazilla25 5 months ago in playlist GC
do a tutorial on how to make that truing stand
ChrisON3ill 5 months ago
what if my spokes are super loose but the rim is still straight what do i do???? anyone know what i can do
yfz450ridervs700 6 months ago
@yfz450ridervs700 Evenly tighten all of the loose spokes. You don't want any loose spokes remaining.
Donswoodshop 6 months ago
Hi, Donswoodshop. Thanks for the very helpful tutorial.
I've purchased Musson's wheelbuilding eBook with the plans for building my own version of his stand. But being somewhat of a tool-limited project guy, I don't know that I have the appropriate tools for the job...most noticeably - I don't know which tool I need to borrow/rent/or purchase to bore out the two channels for the adjustable side of the truing stand (seen at 1:20). Any pointers? Would that be a router? Could a dremel do it?
davidisaurus 7 months ago
@davidisaurus - David - I used a drill press to drill the two holes at the both ends of the slot and a scroll saw to cut out the slots. Alternatively, you could use a jig saw to cut the slots. Good Luck!
Donswoodshop 7 months ago
its a god video IN ORDER TO fix ur wheel!!!!
hrzan 7 months ago
nice follow up (o:
laekrits 8 months ago
cool, thanks man. i have not heard of the "dishing gauge" before, neat. im working on my recumbent tryke and bent the rim, i have a vid of it on my channel thank you again thumbs up
stephmc111 8 months ago
I have trued my mtb frontwheel to almost near perfect (laterally, radially, dishing). I took the bike for a shortride and have found that the spokes are not tensioned well, some became quite loose but the wheel is still true. What should I do? Tighten up loose spokes? Use a spoke tensionmeter? I have access to a bike shop w. all the precision tools.
Also, that Park triangular spoke wrench is not that good. Park has an improved version(more steel) of it available at bike shops.
camlpg 8 months ago
@camlpg My experience is that if you still have some loose spokes after truing, the rim will not stay true for very long. It is only a matter of time before you hit a big bump and your rim will twist like a pretzel. You need to get all of the spokes tight and tensioned as evenly as possible. In hindsight, I would forgo the triangular spoke wrench and go for the "Spokey Pro" wrench instead - a much better spoke wrench and not that much more money.
Donswoodshop 8 months ago
@Donswoodshop I went to DIY bike shop and learnt how to use a spoke tensiometer and it seems to have corrected the problem. One thing though, is that the front MTB is a double-walled rim and the tensiometer chart did not have a specified tension for this type of rim w. steel spoke but I think I tensioned it correctly. Checked the tension on back wheel and it seemed to be mostly within factory specs.
The tool used was the Park ST1 Tensiometer. Tool retails from $50 - 90.
camlpg 8 months ago
@camlpg Good work! The wheel will last much longer with even spoke tension. Wish they had a DIY bike shop are around here - neat concept - didn't even know they existed!
Donswoodshop 8 months ago
@Donswoodshop Thanks, now I have to work on the backwheel as it is out radially a bit. The back wheel might be more challenging then the frontwheel but I love challenges.
Not sure what part of Canada you are in but if you want to start a community bike shop start it out as a Not-For-Profit organization and you might get a lot of responses from possible donors. The bike is making a comeback because of hight fuel costs and eco-concerns if you have the time.
camlpg 8 months ago
@camlpg i would say your spokes are bowed out not like bent its very hard to see it but if you tighten you spokes but then just a short time later they are lose again they are probably bowed out. In terms you need new spokes and nipples
cheron60 8 months ago
@cheron60 Thanks for the advice but it's not right. I have corrected the problem by using a spoke tensiometer to get accurate tension. Also the front wheel on my MTB is a double-walled rim and doesnt' seem to need as much tension as a single wall rim which I have on the back wheel. Took the bike out for an offroad ride last week and the wheel is holding up quite well now.
camlpg 7 months ago
too much bla bla. i do it by eye on the frame. and 99% faster and allmost perfect..
YORKPEPPER 9 months ago
@YORKPEPPER Just make sure radially truing is done to. If you have not done this you better check. You have to take the tire off the rim and attach a straight ruler to chainstays and snug up against rim and do radially truing done. You still have to check dishing as well. I have found that it is possible to do this by using a thin(wide) tape measure. Any difference and you will have to do dishing adjustment. Tensioning can also be a problem as observed from this video.
camlpg 8 months ago
Don, amazing video. Truing is a fiddly business. Thanx for a great video.
dogdutyascetic 9 months ago
Excellent quality video!
dospicolisos 9 months ago
It is my experience that if the wheel wobbles outward and the spokes are already tight in that area, you may need to take all of the spokes out and straighten the rim, re-thread the spokes and true the wheel again. Truing a wheel with the spokes assumes that the rim is relatively straight to start with. If the rim is badly warped or out of round, correcting it with spoke tension will leave you with uneven spoke tension on the wheel whcih is no good. itr might be easier to buy a new rim.
Donswoodshop 9 months ago
In the video he says u have to tighten the spokes around the high spot, but for my bike those high spots spokes are already tighten....
IIIIAnonymousIIII 9 months ago
for me... my radius is messed up, a bit of the wheel wobbles outward, but the spokes around that area are already very tight, so how would i fix that? i even tried to loosen those spokes, tighten the ones across the hub from those, and retightning the spokes around the high area, but no help
IIIIAnonymousIIII 9 months ago
@mrjkt123 Greetings from Canada! There are metal forks to hold the hubs. The rest of the construction is wood that is well sealed against changes in moisture content. I am a mechanical engineer with 20+ years of design experience in stainless steel. There is no need for the expense of high precision or metal construction in this application - it is only to find high spots on a bicycle rim!
Donswoodshop 9 months ago
@Donswoodshop Is it not possible to load the rim wiithin the stand. In other words, haul it to the side or lever the rim concentrically. This is what I'm looking for in a wheel stand but have only seen it used for motorcycle wheels. I believe that some of the older commercial cycle wheelstands were capable of taking this use.
TheBeebopper 8 months ago
I have trued a mtb frontwheel but notice that it is dished to one side(by eyesight).
If I just measure the distance of the rim from end to end using a tape measure(with centre-point axle) is this an accurtate measurement? I notice there is about a 3mm difference when measuring both sides.
I do not have a dishing gauge.
camlpg 9 months ago
@camlpg The front wheel could be dished if you have disk brakees. If it has rim brakes (rubber brake pad rubs against the rim), then there should be no dish on the front rim. I doubt that you will get an accurate measurement without a proper dishing gage. It is not diffcult to make - you can cut out of a piece of plywood or even cardboard in a real pinch.
Donswoodshop 9 months ago
@Donswoodshop guess I could make a cardboard one. Thanks for the ideas. I did do a second check and fine truing on the wheel it is now almost perfect axially and radially. I checked with a tape measure to check for change in dishing it does seem to be much better(both sides showing only 0.50mm difference) but I should use the dishing gauge to make sure. Thanks for your help.
camlpg 9 months ago
Brilliant video. Really really good, enjoyable & I picked up lots of useful tips. Thank you for taking the time to film everything so clearly and for editing it all together so well. Five stars!
NeilPiersRobinson 10 months ago
It might be out of balance. Tough to say without seeing it.
Donswoodshop 10 months ago
why is the rim still unbalance? cause roughly at 12:25 when you let rim go it rocks back and forth untill it reaches a stopping point. how do you fix that problem??
MrBonejainglers 10 months ago
@MrBonejainglers The rim rocks back and forth due to the weight of the spoke reflector.
Donswoodshop 10 months ago
@Donswoodshop say mine doesnt have a reflector? Would u say its off balance?
MrBonejainglers 10 months ago
@Donswoodshop Does this mean that an opposing weight(exact same reflector or some type of weight) should be put on corresponding opposite spoke on the other side of the wheel? Wheel is not balanced when spinning and as speed increases the effect of wheel unbalance increases. What this means is that more pedal energy is being used to maintain speed. When coasting(not pedalling) the bike will slow down more readily due to unbalance???
camlpg 9 months ago
@camlpg The unbalanced weight of the reflector is insignificant. I would simply remove the reflector if you are really concerned about this, but my opinion is that it will make little or no difference at all.
Donswoodshop 9 months ago
@Donswoodshop Mass imbalance does affect a bicycles stability at speeds above 40mph and may initiate a wobble. It's not usually dangerous but can be frightening to the unwary.
TheBeebopper 8 months ago
Very nice video. Most detailed video on wheel truing that I've seen.
MrIharper 10 months ago
Excellent video!!!! Thanks so much.
54Aaron88 11 months ago
Excellent video....very thorough. Nice truing stand as well! I'm considering making one using an old bike fork and wood, since they are fairly expensive.
byonicbeats 11 months ago
Thanx a lot for a wonderful demonstration. Much helpful then other guys out there.
mkh4n 11 months ago
Excellent video, thanks for posting.
CaptainRon1913 1 year ago
Very clear, user friendly and comprehensive video! Just wanted to say well done! Liked it very much.
reiphoto 1 year ago
u think u can make a video on how to make your own true stand cause i need 1 my self
scareface411 1 year ago