I've done pretty much all of the maintenance on all of my bikes myself since I was old enough to turn a wrench. The only thing I've never gotten a hang of is truing my wheels. I've read everything that I can on it, but I can't seem to get it right. I'm to the point where I want to just have a shop do it for me. What seems to be the going rate for this service at a bike shop? We have one bike shop in town, and I want to make sure I'm not overpaying.

My next bike gets disk brakes so truing isn't as critical.

Posted by wannabeotaku My next bike gets disk brakes so truing isn't as critical.

Out of true or poorly trued wheels will just get worse and worse. You should get them done right.

Well, I was quoted at $10 a wheel, which seems reasonable to me. I think I could do it better myself if I had a truing stand.

Truing is the easy part, its even tension that tricky.

I can get tension close when using the even tone method, but since I know I'm not the best with it, I know it's not perfect.

I learned to true Tires working as the Person who assembles bikes at Canadian Tire

after I finished working there I used to try to true my tires with a wrench or whatever else I could find and I found out that tends to strip the spokes making them useless.

I just went out and bought a trueing wrench for like $5 at Canadian Tire

So much easier.. I am pretty good at it and basically had to learn from doing it. I'm telling you tho, those bikes were so good after I finished with them. Not like the ones you buy from other Canadian Tires where they need tons of work still.. F$%* that.. My bikes were straight and oiled and put together PERFECTLY.. lol now I quality check Automobiles for a Major Automobile Company.. see kids.. do good at your crap jobs and it pays of in the end..

look it up on the internets.. then buy a wrench.. they come in so handy

I can get tension close when using the even tone method, but since I know I'm not the best with it, I know it's not perfect.

/edit Blackberry posting FAIL

I'd say it's more about practice than about reading stuff. I admit that I've practiced a lot on shitty road steel wheels at first and it got gradually easier with time. If you don't have a truing stand, flipping the bike over and using brakes as references is a good start. It's also a bit easier when you've removed the tube and tire.

And there stops my knowledge. But if you eventually plan on dropping 350$ on a wheel, I'd suggest you go to the store when in need of a truing.

Posted by baleze If you don't have a truing stand, flipping the bike over and using brakes as references is a good start.

as far as I am concerned that the easiest, fastest way to do it..

just flip the bike over, two minutes, and then keep riding..

Posted by baleze If you don't have a truing stand, flipping the bike over and using brakes as references is a good start.

Thats what I was doing last time I was trying to true my back wheel, I just kept moving the breaks closer and closer in as I worked on it.. But then again I was never able to actually get it straight and there was no uniform tension on the spokes.. Recently it went back to being bent again as it always quickly returns to.. Eventually I want to just get a new wheel and be done with it.. Personally I think my rim is actually bent in which theres no real coming back from that..

Got them trued, he only charged me $10 total for both.

Got a new bike, though, a 1971 Schwinn Super Sport that needs a little work, and I'll be taking it down there. Just easier to have someone else true them, that way I know it's right.