Rant: old way of truing wheels vs. new method after 30 years

I started truing wheels back in the 90s using just a spoke wrench and my eye, relying on feel and experience to get them straight. Now I use a truing stand and a dial indicator gauge to measure runout within 0.1mm, which I picked up after buying a Park Tool TS-2.2 stand about 6 years ago from a shop in Portland. The old way took longer and left some wobble, but the new way is faster and more precise. Has anyone else made the switch to a more exact setup, or do you still prefer the hands-on approach?

2 comments

2 Comments

iris_rivera446d ago

My Park Tool TS-2.2 sits in my garage covered in dust because I spent an hour one Saturday dialing in a wheel to 0.08mm, only to realize I'd forgotten to tighten the axle nuts before I started. What a waste of time. I still have my old spoke wrench with the tape wrapped around the handle from 1998, and sometimes I pull it out just to feel less stupid. But then I look at the dial gauge and think, "Hey, at least my wheels are straight now even if I'm not." I've definitely spent more money than sense on this hobby, but at least my bike doesn't wobble down hills anymore.

amy_foster566d ago

Oh sure, because nothing says "I love biking" like spending 500 bucks on a truing stand and then obsessing over a tenth of a millimeter while your buddy's wheel is still wobbling from the 90s. I got a TS-2.2 a few years back too, felt like a real pro until I realized I spent more time cleaning the dial indicator than actually riding my bike. Guess I'm just a sucker for fancy toys that replace the "good enough" method.