As above, where did you go? How long was the course? How much did it cost? How did you find out about it? Did you buy/build a jig? Has it been useful?

Or if you haven’t been on a course but can re-true/rebuild a wheel, where did you learn? What equipment have you got?

I can sort out most things on my bike when things go wrong, however I think being able to rebuild/re-true wheels (properly) would be a really useful skill (particularly as I want to do some touring in the future where there may not be a LBS to bail me out).

Before anyone says it, yes I appreciate a decent LBS will do a better job, buy that’s not the point.

Cheers.

truing is quite easy to get the hang of, look for some online guides and just try it. at first it’ll be worse but you’ll get the hang of it!

I do my own wheels. Bribed my LBS wheelbuilder with a packet of fig rolls and he taught me all.

I taught myself. Just looked at a whole wheel, and copied that. Easy really tbh.

Evening Surazal

There are plenty of wheelbuilding courses you can do, we offer them at ATG training its a Three day course and you come away with a DT Swiss wheelbuilding certificate. The cost is £340 plus vat.

I have done it myself the advice I would give if you do one is keep practicing it. TBH i did the course a few years ago and didn’t build wheels for ages after and i would have to do a refresher course if i wanted to build some wheels, I’m lucky though as i can do that through work or get the other half to knock some up.

The things you will need are: A Spokey spoke Key (a red and yellow one), I would recommend you buy a jig if you want to true accurately but you don’t need to spend a fortune on one Tacx do a cheap one. You can build to the same tolerances on any jig in my opinion. Dishing tool is pretty essential .

Spoke calculation websites: I would recommend Sapim seems the most accurate as you have to measure all your components.
If your new to it I would recommend a tension meter although these can be very expensive.

Just let me know if you need more info

Jeeze I gotta get on this…

‘Elfin’s plug-wiring course. Fifty pounds and you get an Elfinsafety Certificate’

🙂

Ker, and indeed; Ching.

Wheelpro book (downloadable PDF) for £9 is a good start, describes making your own jig and some tools too.

I had the pdf book, not sure but might have been the Wheelpro one also. Anyway swapped the hub on a wheel last winter & it worked well. Borrowed a jig, but the book has the designs for building one from wood. Just a case of being methodical. I got carried away on the first go, tightening too quickly, so started again. Also made a nipple driver, was a good start. Would happily tackle another one now. Rear is a bit tricky, sorting the dishing, but working patiently & methodically I’d say within the means of anyone who could wield a spanner.

Thanks for the post Marmalade, some useful info there, unfortunately I think that course is probably a bit too serious (and expensive) for what I want. I was thinking more about a one day/half day course to cover the basics . Unfortunately it’s too late to edit my original post but TBH the main things I want to be able to do are:
– true wheels
– replace broken spokes
Rebuilding is secondary (but I’d give it a go on an old set of wheels). I certainly don’t think I’d ever buy a ‘decent’ hub/rim and try to build a brand-new wheel myself from scratch though.

SV – will have a look for that, cheers

EDIT – should say, I have replaced spokes before and had a dabble at truing. I certainly improved things but I want to be able to do it properly and make the wheels totally wobble free (especially as the brakes on my road bike have minimal clearance).

As mentioned above- what you are wanting to do is not particulary difficult. I tend to true wheels in the frame (inc. after replacing spokes). You can use a drywipe marker pen to highlight the area of the rim that needs the work by holding it close as you spin the wheel.