How to True a Bicycle Wheel

This video demonstrates how to "true" a bicycle wheel using simple wooden tools that I made in my workshop. The tools are based on plans found in Chapter 3 of an ebook entitled "Professional Guide to Wheel Building, 5th Edition", by Roger Musson. This book is available for download by online purchase at http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php. I found the book to be very informative and simple to understand. After reading this book, I concluded that anybody with reasonable mechanical aptitude should be able to true and even build their own bicycle wheels.

I built the truing stand, radial gauge, lateral gauge, and dishing gauge in one weekend, using scraps pieces of Baltic birch plywood, pine, hard maple, maple plywood, UHMW plastic and 1/4" cold rolled steel flat bar. All of the wooden parts have three coats of oil based urethane for added protection. The nipple driver was made by grinding the tip of an inexpensive slot screw driver, using the dimensions found in Roger's book. The Red Spokey Pro spoke wrench was purchased on line from SJS Cycles in the UK.

This video is not intended to be a comprehensive video on bicycle wheel truing. It only gives a quick overview of the truing process. To really understand the topic in more depth, I would highly recommend that you download Roger's ebook and read it for yourself. I am not a professional bicycle mechanic, just a DIYer with a fairly good mechanical aptitude who enjoys a challenge. This was a fun and practical woodworking project and also an interesting learning experience. I hope that it may inspire others to try their hand at bicycle wheel truing.

Thanks for watching and feel free to leave your comments.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• wheel
• truing
• spokes
• bicycle
• bike
• wooden truing stand
• repair
• building
• DIY
• how-to
• fix
• rim
• true
• tutorial
• maintenance
• hub
• spoke wrench

[1RadNomad]

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!

[Donswoodshop]

@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! :)

[GregArtDude]

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!

[Donswoodshop]

@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.

[pef286]

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.

[Donswoodshop]

@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.

[filip000]

This is seriously THE most complete truing video I've ever seen.

Good job!!

[higheddy89]

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.

[MrUSbabe]

WOW! awesome job on the video! that was perfect!

[sacheus]

How many of us would just file the blooming nut?

Nice job.

[NickatD9]

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

[zaalen97]

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!

[jonnyfivem1]

@GregArtDude I totally have to agree! Now if you had the time to replace ever dictatorial on Youtube then things would make more sense