just ordered a park workstand pcs10 and a wheel jig that fits onto the stand (no more wheel truing at the lbs for me 🙂 )

stand avaiable HERE at 90 quid its cheapest i could find, there was a 60 or 70 quid park tools one to (not sure what model off hand) but i wanted the pcs10 for the wheel jig 😉

also ordered the wheel jig HERE
wanted a jig for ages and this seems like a good option 🙂

as i have not really done any truing before, is a spoke tensioner neccesary? i dont intend on building wheels, just straightning them and keeping loose spokes nipped up? the park tools tensioner seems expensive and im not sure if i need that to?

is a spoke tensioner neccesary

No
Unless you have loads of money they wont be that accurate either

ah, didnt think so, was just concerned about overtightning as i can be a bit heavy handed at times!!Thanks for the advice, cant wait for the stand and jig to arrive now 🙂

No
Unless you have loads of money they wont be that accurate either

I’d mostly agree (didn’t have one for the first couple of dozen wheels I built) but I do finding building up stans rims a more successful with one as they are so tension critical. It also allows you to look like a total nerd and check out mates bikes as “research”!

Unless you have loads of money they wont be that accurate either

They only work if you’re rich? Bloody snobby tools.

LOL @ allows you to look like a total nerd and check out mates bikes as “research”!

think il wait til the stand and jig arrive so i can hacve a go without first, then maybe invest if my mates want to hire my services lol (hire my services, as in – truing there wheels obviously)

If I was looking for a bike stand (I’m not, already have one) I’d be tempted by that – but I can’t see that wheel truing jig being particularly effective. You couldn’t use it easily for centering or dishing.

You couldn’t use it easily for centering or dishing.

Just turn the wheel round?

But why..?! You have to take the wheel out of the frame anyway and it’d be a ball-ache; for £15 or so more why not get a proper jig like the Minoura at Merlin.

dishing? centering? errr, maybe i need to buy a book to! i was under the impression it was just a case of buckled wheel on, spin it, see where it rubs on the stop, and tighten/loosen accordingly!!

i guess dishing is where the whole wheel pulls over to one side slightly as the spokes are all even round the wheel but tighter one side than the other?

http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

Explains everything!

well, thats an extra 25 quid, its not something i intend to do alot, just when needs must or if ive broken a spoke. didnt think it looked particulary akward to be honest, plus, i am a bit limited for space so i really liked the idea of it fixing to the workstand! infact, i loved the idea of it fixing to the workstand, i guess that swayed me 🙂

Fair enough, your money!

thanks for the link, ishall take a look at the book download, should be an interesting read 🙂

If you build any wheels a dishing tool is a must
You could make one sure there is a YouTube clip showing you how

Tempting to get that stand, my cheapy one has done well but is starting to fall apart now

i was in the same boat, and it was the cheapest i could find, even chain reaction was 130 quid!!

as for building wheels, i dont intend on going that far, just fed up of snapping spokes and having to go to lbs! infact, its not even the money, last time it was 12 quid for 2 new spokes and re trueing, i dont mind that so much, its more the fact they want to keep the wheel for a few days that bugs me, now i can do it myself 🙂

If you build any wheels a dishing tool is a must

been building wheels for over 15 years, never used or had one. You can check dish by taking the wheel out the truing stand, turning it around and putting it back in. Always flummoxed me why you need a separate tool to do this.

Theres also a theory that if your frame is out of alignment you’d check and adjust dish in the frame to compensate (withing reason).

Built my first wheel using Sheldon Brown’s guide

http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

thanks for thesheldon brown link, its something i have come accross before but had forgotton! makes some interesting reading. – i will point out though, he does suggest a dish tool!

that is a very good offer, not the first time its been up!

sorry, didnt realise it had been up already, thought id found the best offer of the year when i saw it and thought id post it lol

The wife just text to inform me a large package has arrived 🙂 think I’m going to be tinkering tonite 🙂 woohoo

i could’nt true a wheel until i learnt to build a wheel, once i’d built a wheel i had more of an understanding/feel for what was happening when i tried to true.

dishing tool, for the little cost worth it definitely.

tensioner… agree with comments above re. accuracy but i’d buy one.

i’d also buy the very best park jig i could to if i had the cash.

mind you, much as i love building wheels and take pride in doing it myself, my last few wheelsets have been hope hoops. for what the cost me complete i could’nt even get close to the parts cost alone. and neither set have ever given me any grief at all.

wheelpro… best few quid you will spend. jobst brandt book also very good, some different ideas in it.

Convert – as you mention Stans’ rims specifically; Given that the info I’d found on the web suggests tensioning to 95Kgf, how is that figure used in real-time, given the drive side (rear) will (I’m assuming) need more tension than the non-drive side? Will there be effectively more than the 95Kgf on the DS and less on the NDS, to arrive at a mean average of 95?

(genuine question – not trolling) Cheers for any help.

Well, all setup last night, got an old unused wheel in the jig to try and have a go, it’s harder than I thought, but perfectly doable, however I think I will invest in the spoke tensioner just so I can be sure I’m not overloading the spokes, as I felt like some were a lot tighter than others despite being tru! As for the stand, what a great bit of kit!! So much easier to use than my old cheapy one, and feels a lot sturdier to ! I have just managed to rip the rear mech off my bike, so it will get its first proper necessary use tonight! !