Which home truing stand to buy???

I need to rebuild a wheel and will need a truing stand. I
don't generally build wheels but would want to true the ones
I have. Which would be best?

http://tinyurl.com/37ewh, or http://tinyurl.com/2y83r, or
http://tinyurl.com/3flq8

The Spin Doctor and the Minoura look very similar in design.
One mtbr review for the Park tool complains about cheap
parts in spite of the sturdy frame.
--
- Zilla Cary, NC (Remove XSPAM)

I have a Spin Doctor and it works great! The tubular design
is stiff enough to virtually eliminate flex when trueing,
self centering too. And cheap! Get a dishing tool as well,
though, don't rely solely on the SS

- -

"May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear
for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

Chris Zacho "The Wheelman" <ChriszCorner@webtv.net> writes:

>> I need to rebuild a wheel and will need a truing stand. I
>> don't generally build wheels but would want to true the
>> ones I have. Which would be best?

http://tinyurl.com/37ewh, or http://tinyurl.com/2y83r, or
http://tinyurl.com/3flq8

>> The Spin Doctor and the Minoura look very similar in
>> design. One mtbr review for the Park tool complains about
>> cheap parts in spite of the sturdy frame.

> I have a Spin Doctor and it works great! The tubular
> design is stiff enough to virtually eliminate flex when
> trueing, self centering too. And cheap! Get a dishing tool
> as well, though, don't rely solely on the SS

My problem with these stande is that they assume they are
standing on a table near eye level. I have a couple of
donated stands that can be used standing on the floor where
I can drop a wheel in and do a quick tuneup. I don't think
I've worked on a wheel on a table except in someone's
bicycle shop where the stand was a permanent fixture.

Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org wrote:
> Chris Zacho "The Wheelman" <ChriszCorner@webtv.net>
> writes:
>
>>> I need to rebuild a wheel and will need a truing stand.
>>> I don't generally build wheels but would want to true
>>> the ones I have. Which would be best?
>
> http://tinyurl.com/37ewh, or http://tinyurl.com/2y83r, or
> http://tinyurl.com/3flq8
>
>>> The Spin Doctor and the Minoura look very similar in
>>> design. One mtbr review for the Park tool complains
>>> about cheap parts in spite of the sturdy frame.
>
>> I have a Spin Doctor and it works great! The tubular
>> design is stiff enough to virtually eliminate flex when
>> trueing, self centering too. And cheap! Get a dishing
>> tool as well, though, don't rely solely on

>
> My problem with these stande is that they assume they are
> standing on a table near eye level. I have a couple of
> donated stands that can be used standing on the floor
> where I can drop a wheel in and do a quick tuneup. I don't
> think I've worked on a wheel on a table except in
> someone's bicycle shop where the stand was a permanent
> fixture.
>
> Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

I plan to mount it on a table, or on a self-made pedestal to
bring it to eye-level.

--
- Zilla Cary, NC (Remove XSPAM)

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 18:04:43 GMT, jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org
wrote:
>My problem with these stande is that they assume they are
>standing on a table near eye level. I have a couple of
>donated stands that can be used standing on the floor where
>I can drop a wheel in and do a quick tuneup. I don't think
>I've worked on a wheel on a table except in someone's
>bicycle shop where the stand was a permanent fixture.

What do you think about not using a truing stand at all? In
The Bicycle Wheel, I got the impression that it's no big
deal to just use the bicycle as a truing stand, and I intend
to attempt a wheel build soon.
--
Rick Onanian

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 15:25:28 -0400, Rick Onanian <spamsink@cox.net>
wrote:

>On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 18:04:43 GMT,
>jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org wrote:
>>My problem with these stande is that they assume they are
>>standing on a table near eye level. I have a couple of
>>donated stands that can be used standing on the floor
>>where I can drop a wheel in and do a quick tuneup. I don't
>>think I've worked on a wheel on a table except in
>>someone's bicycle shop where the stand was a permanent
>>fixture.
>
>What do you think about not using a truing stand at all? In
>The Bicycle Wheel, I got the impression that it's no big
>deal to just use the bicycle as a truing stand, and I
>intend to attempt a wheel build soon.

My first 'shop' truing stand was made from an old bike frame
and fork that I found on the street. I clamped the fork to
the table and bolted a piece of metal into the cantilever
brake boss as guides. For the rear wheel, I hacksawed most
of the frame away and used the rear triangle, again clamped
to the edge of a table. No canti bosses? Pony clamps and a
piece of steel. Flip the wheel to check centering.

Truing stands are nice but not necessary. Put your money
into quality rims and spokes, build a wheel, and then decide
if a stand would be helpful for the next wheel.

Dan Daniel <ddandan.remove@pacbell.net> wrote:

> Truing stands are nice but not necessary. Put your money
> into quality rims and spokes, build a wheel, and then
> decide if a stand would be helpful for the next wheel.

On the other hand, even a $50 truing stand makes building
easier and faster. Especially for a beginner they are very
helpful, as there are less things to worry about. It is also
going to last a very long time for a home mechanic. I fail
to see how it could not be a smart investment. The same
applies to quality tools in general.

-as

"Zilla" <zilla62XSPAM@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:hP9gc.58511$Lh2.11968@bignews1.bellsouth.net...
> I need to rebuild a wheel and will need a truing stand. I
> don't generally build wheels but would want to true the
> ones I have. Which would be best?
>
> http://tinyurl.com/37ewh, or http://tinyurl.com/2y83r, or
> http://tinyurl.com/3flq8
>
> The Spin Doctor and the Minoura look very similar in
> design. One mtbr review for the Park tool complains about
> cheap parts in spite of the sturdy frame.
> --
=

I recommend that Minoura over the Park, having tried both.
The nice thing about the Minoura is that the left and right
'probes' are moved in and out via a bolt with attached knob.
This allows very, very small incremental advancements
towards the rim as you true (if I knew the TPI of the bolt,
I could tell you what portion of a revolution corresponded
to a given linear movement, but no such luck). The Park is
certainly sturdier, but the probes are simply on
sliders...makin it very difficult to move in very smal
increments.

Kyle

Rick Onanian writes:

>> My problem with these stands is that they assume they are
>> standing on a table near eye level. I have a couple of
>> donated stands that can be used standing on the floor
>> where I can drop a wheel in and do a quick tuneup. I
>> don't think I've worked on a wheel on a table except in
>> someone's bicycle shop where the stand was a permanent
>> fixture.

> What do you think about not using a truing stand at all?
> In The Bicycle Wheel, I got the impression that it's no
> big deal to just use the bicycle as a truing stand, and I
> intend to attempt a wheel build soon.

That is an expedient way of doing it and not having a
truing stand should not deter people from building wheels.
However, truing stands, centering tools, and tensiometers
are great conveniences, all of which I have at home... but
not on the road.

I built many wheels using my bicycle, as a "poor" student,
and fixed a few on the road, but I always use my crummy
truing stand I have at home because the wheel isn't in the
bicycle in the first place and dropping it in the stand is
far easier than messing with the bicycle, its chain and
brakes. Besides, the bicycle has to be on a stand upright or
inverted and held against the knee. It's cumbersome.

Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

Chris Zacho writes:

>> My problem with these stands is that they assume they are
>> standing on a table near eye level. I have a couple of
>> donated stands that can be used standing on the floor
>> where I can drop a wheel in and do a quick tuneup. I
>> don't think I've worked on a wheel on a table except in
>> someone's bicycle shop where the stand was a permanent
>> fixture.

> True, but that could be said for other stands too. and the
> S.D. can be permanently mounted, there is even a
> predrilled bolt hole in the base for this purpose.

> I'm not saying it's the best thing going, but for the
> price *and I doubt our poster is in the market for a $200
> T stand). it's got a lot going for it!

Can't we just leave the spelling of the title alone? We
don't need no steenkin second threads on this subject.

You need a newsreader that automatically copies the header
of the posting to which you are responding. There are a
bunch of these slightly altered subject lines appearing
these days.

Please keep it simple and bottom respond so there are no
misinterpretations of who said what and when, otherwise its
like having the index at the front and the foreword at the
back of a book.

Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

Antti Salonen writes:

>> Truing stands are nice but not necessary. Put your money
>> into quality rims and spokes, build a wheel, and then
>> decide if a stand would be helpful for the next wheel.

> On the other hand, even a $50 truing stand makes building
> easier and faster. Especially for a beginner they are very
> helpful, as there are less things to worry about. It is
> also going to last a very long time for a home mechanic. I
> fail to see how it could not be a smart investment. The
> same applies to quality tools in general.

That's true if you have $50 to toss out at the drop of a
spoke, but then you have nothing to go on when selecting the
model you buy except someone else's preferences. Having
built a few wheels, you know more about what you want and
need. In today's society being fully equipped before
beginning an enterprise seems more important than getting
into the problem. Bicycling is for many a $xK investment
before they even turn a pedal, lighting, clothing, hydration
system, optics, headgear, shoes, gloves, postal system
jersey, etc.

Ride bike! Know thine enemy before arming yourself.

Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org

On 17 Apr 2004 20:35:56 GMT, Antti Salonen
<aksalone@blah.blah.cc.helsinki.fi.invalid> wrote:

>Dan Daniel <ddandan.remove@pacbell.net> wrote:
>
>> Truing stands are nice but not necessary. Put your money
>> into quality rims and spokes, build a wheel, and then
>> decide if a stand would be helpful for the next wheel.
>
>On the other hand, even a $50 truing stand makes building
>easier and faster.

Actually, I'd consider a dishing tool a far more worthwhile
investment if I was going to spend money on tools for wheel
building. You can jury rig truing, but even flipping a wheel
makes me wonder if the axle is exactly flipped.

>Especially for a beginner they are very helpful, as there
>are less things to worry about. It is also going to last a
>very long time for a home mechanic. I fail to see how it
>could not be a smart investment. The same applies to
>quality tools in general.
>
>-as

From the few I've seen, quality and $50 don't go together in
truing stands.

Dan Daniel <ddandan.remove@pacbell.net> wrote:

> From the few I've seen, quality and $50 don't go together
> in truing stands.

I've used the Tacx Exact truing stand, for which I paid
about 45 EUR at the LBS:

http://www.tacx.nl/content.cfm?l=en&id=32104

It's not particularly sturdy, no doubt, but I don't see any
significant problems with it. It's true that you also need a
dishing tool to get the wheel centered.

-as

This is one item on which I economised, and later wished I hadn't. I have the Park TS7, and the lack of incrimental control, and general lack of sturdyness made me regret not spending the extra coin for the professional model.
Oh well, live and learn, eh?

__________________
Dan Burkhart
Oakville Ont

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 14:01:06 GMT, Dan Burkhart
<usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote:

>Zilla wrote:
> > I need to rebuild a wheel and will need a truing stand.
> > I don't generally build wheels but would want to true
> > the ones I have. Which would be best? http://tinyurl.c-
> > om/37ewhhttp://tinyurl.com/37ewh[/url], or
> > http://tinyurl.com/2y83r"]http://tinyurl.com/2y83r, or
> > http://tinyurl.com/3flq8http://tinyurl.com/3flq8 The
> > Spin Doctor and the Minoura look very similar in
> > design. One mtbr review for the Park tool complains
> > about cheap parts in spite of the sturdy frame.
> > --
> > - Zilla Cary, NC (Remove XSPAM)
>
>
>
> This is one item on which I economised, and later wished I
> hadn't. I have the Park TS7, and the lack of incrimental
> control, and general lack of sturdyness made me regret not
> spending the extra coin for the professional model. Oh
> well, live and learn, eh?

------------------------

I find the Spin Doctor truing stand entirely satisfactory
for wheel truing. The flip-up plate edge is great for
roundness, the rounded rubber nubs move in to the rimsides
on both sides. Dish is easily determined by placing the
wheel in the bike frame and centering there, between the
chainstays, where the wheel is actually going to be in use.

Optimal is the truing stand atop a picnic table, a couple
of beers near at hand, something white (e.g. an old t-
shirt) behind the workview. The nubs can be adjusted in to
just barely touching; alternately one side and the other.
A comfortable seat, line of sight in the sunshine, nice
spoke wrench, a few swills of beer, one Zens into a very
nice wheel of roundness, tension, lateral trueness in
short order.

Since the applied forces involved in wheel truing are quite
gentle, one doesn't need a heavy duty frame for the process.
The Spin Doctor/Minoura folds up for easy/handy storage.

On those occasions when you discover a flat at home and
you dismount the tire and tube, you can, within 10-min,
flip out the truing stand and get your wheel back on the
nose if needed.

Handy, easy to work with, good results, inexpensive.
Werks fer me.

Bruce Ball Colo Spgs