First time tru-ing a wheel. Need help!

[Packinheat]

Currently doing my first bike build. Everything that's gone wrong....has.. lol. Now I'm running into another speed bump.. truing a bike wheel. I watch YouTube videos and read every article. I must not be contemplating the process enough, or I'm just dumb. Ive only made my wheel worse. Anyone have any pointers or a simple explanation on how to tru a bike wheel?

Thank you in advance!!

 

[Member 30571]

I found it to be a lot less head scratching and getting all pissed off... just to take it to a pro bicycle shop and let them do it.. Cost $10 bucks

 

[DAMIEN1307]

Cost $10 bucks

Bike shop here in Alamogordo, NM charges 16 bucks but hes the only game in town for that stuff...lol...im glad ive got my mags...lol...DAMIEN

 

[Member 30571]

$16... Thats not a bad price.

 

[Jayraye39]

dude definitely take it to a bike shop to have it laced and true d I have tried to true a rim a couple times and both times I spent three to four hours on them and have never ever got them completely true it's tedious time consuming and a complete pain in the ass. I think I ended up getting pissed off and taking a hammer to the rim so with that said I would not attempt it if I were you

 

[Aikaru]

Yeah, cruiser bike wheels are a pain in the rear to true because most of them don't have a quick release like mountain bikes which essentially automatically true it for you. I was able to true my wheels but it wasn't easy. Takes a lot of patience, precision, tightening, loosening, yelling, cussing, and so forth.

 

[Frogslayer]

Yeah, cruiser bike wheels are a pain in the rear to true because most of them don't have a quick release like mountain bikes which essentially automatically true it for you. I was able to true my wheels but it wasn't easy. Takes a lot of patience, precision, tightening, loosening, yelling, cussing, and so forth.

Don't try truing lol. I'm not sure why axle style would matter would a tension gage for the spokes would be a nice thing to have.

 

[darwin]

I've never been able to get a spoked rim trued by myself and that's with the bike upside down spinning the wheel. Get one close but still wobbles. As a kid hopping curbs was normal. Wobbly wheel messes with rim brakes.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

The first question I'll ask you is do you have the equipment to true a wheel with? If you don't have a truing stand and spoke wrench you've already lost the battle. You should also have a dishing tool and a spoke tension gauge.

I always suggest a 36 hole cross 3 pattern when using J spokes, along with a double walled rim.

If upgrading to higher quality spokes first mark the old spokes. Next do the remove a single spoke replace a single spoke then true it until you get all the spokes replaced. Yes it's a slow method doing it that way but works well for beginners.

You also want to use one of the top 3 spoke makers DT, Wheel Smith, Sapim.

I use a cheapo stand, dishing tool, spoke tension gauge and spoke wrench. All of which cost around $110. Still I can get my wheels under 1 mm of vertical and horizontal movement.

 

[Mach6]

I was having the same issue. Finally got it right by building my own truing stand. Not the best looking, but it worked.