A few month ago I rebuilt an old Trek 4300 mountain bike and after that project was finished one of the guys at the local bike shop suggested that for my next project I should build a wheel. I thought about his suggestion for a few moments and then told him to order the parts so I could build a new front wheel for my Gary Fisher Big Sur. Back in January I had purchased a Park Tool Professional Wheel Truing Stand (TS-2.2) so I could true my own wheels and a wheel building project would be a real learning experience for me.
Park Tool Professional Wheel Truing Stand (shown with optional base unit)
Park Tool Professional Wheel Truing Stands have been used in professional bike shops for over 35 years and the TS-2.2 model keeps up with current trends by accepting up to 29″ wheels (with or without the tire removed) and rim widths of up to 4″ (great if you own a Surly Pugsley or other Fat Bike). This truing stand is made of nickel chrome plated heavy gauge steel and is definitely a precision instrument. When not in use it fold us into a fairly compact unit and does not take up much room on your workbench or shelf.
While this unit is called the professional model, it is easy enough to use that even a rank amateur (like me) can use it. For practice I trued the wheels on all five of my bikes and on a few extra wheel sets I had in the garage. Bike shops in my area charge about $20 to true a wheel and $45 to build one (plus parts). I really didn’t buy this truing stand to save money—I got it because I enjoy working on my own bikes. However, it really won’t take long for this truing stand to pay for itself.
The Caliper On The TS-2.2 Wheel Truing Stand (shown with optional base unit)
Some people mount their truing stand to a workbench for stability, but since I knew I wouldn’t be using the stand all that often I bought a Park Tool Truing Stand Base (the black tray in the photo above). This base unit has three small bins to store small items such as spoke nipples or rim tape, and there is also a spot for you to keep three spoke wrenches. Park Tool Professional Wheel Truing Stands are supposed to be calibrated before they leave the factory, but mine wasn’t so I bought a Park Tool Centering Gauge (1554-1) to center the stand (if I had a perfectly true wheel to begin with I could have used it instead). One other item you need for a properly adjusted wheel is the Park Tool TM-1 Tension Meter which allows you to make sure your wheels are properly and uniformly tensioned.
The Park Tool Professional Wheel Truing Stand (TS-2.2) retails for $240, and the optional base unit is $36. The Park Tool TM-1 Tension Meter has a retail price of $75, and the Centering Gauge is $70. You can save a few dollars on these items if you buy them from Amazon.com. However, I would strongly suggest you buy them from your local bike shop—you might have to pay full retail prices, but they can give you some helpful guidance that will save you a lot of time and frustration.
In case you were wondering, when I built the wheel for my Gary Fisher Big Sur I used a Mavic 317 rim, stainless steel spokes, brass nipples, a Shimano Deore XT hub, and a Shimano center mount disc rotor. After I got the wheel finished I took it back to the local bike shop so they could inspect it to make sure it was road worthy (it passed the test).
velophileaustralia
May 16, 2012 at 8:20 AM
Wow. Nice! I’ve always just used the bike frame as a stand and the brakes as a reference when truing my wheels. Takes a bit longer and is a bit annoying but still gets the jobs done reasonably well.
All Seasons Cyclist
May 16, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Park Tool has a section in their “Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair” on how to true a wheel like that, but I really like playing with the truing stand (and it is easier on my back to have it sitting on a work bench). However, knowing how to true a wheel just using your frame is something that everyone ought to learn in case of emergencies away from home.
aa
May 16, 2012 at 10:26 AM
The only truing stand to buy.
All Seasons Cyclist
May 16, 2012 at 10:59 AM
I agree — I looked at the competition and couldn’t find anything else that even came close to this stand.
Season Books
May 16, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Hello!
I have been toying around the idea of getting a truing stand since one year. I almost got one from the e-bay. Couple of days after bidding, they told me that they cannot ship it to India. I’ll still check to see if any seller will be shipping it to India.
But why the heavy Professional Truing Stand from Park Tool?How about Home Mechanic Wheel Truing Stand (TS-8)? Is it OK for a novice cyclist to have TS-8?
All Seasons Cyclist
May 16, 2012 at 11:57 AM
I don’t own the TS-8, so I can’t really compare it to the TS-2.2. However, the TS-2.2 is a heavier unit and from what I’ve been able to read it is easier to adjust. Also, the TS-2.2 can handle the massive rims on my Surly Pugsley (they are 4 inches wide). As for shipping to India — I don;’t know anyone who does that, but I would imagine you can find some bike shop in America that will do that for you.
The Tri Road (HeatherH)
May 16, 2012 at 3:31 PM
WOW. I’m so knew to all this I’ve never even heard of truing a wheel – let alone building one from scratch. I think I’ll leave that to you for now. An interesting read though.
All Seasons Cyclist
May 16, 2012 at 3:37 PM
The folks at your local bike shop probably true you wheels for you every time you take it in for a tune-up. I am still learning bike repair myself, but truing a wheel sure keeps your ride smooth!
Suzanne Gibson
May 18, 2012 at 1:22 AM
Hi, thanks for liking my bicicletta post.
I like the way you set up your site, nice photos, too. I’m not too techy, but if it’s about bikes, I’ll read it. I also appreciate the great blog roll you have.
All Seasons Cyclist
May 18, 2012 at 1:18 PM
I really liked your “Bikes in Italy” picture gallery — when I visited Italy I didn’t have the chance to ride at all (which, considering they way they drive their cars might have been safer)