Tbh I think truing a wheel by eye is better than using a stand

Honestly, I've been building wheels for like 6 years now and I still don't own a truing stand. Last month I was out at a trailhead in Boulder fixing a buddy's wheel that got smashed on a rock garden. Had to true it with the bike upside down and a zip tie as a reference point. Everyone says you need a Park Tool stand for precision, but I got that wheel within 1mm of true just by spinning it and watching the rim pass the brake pads. Stands just slow me down and add a bunch of hassle for no real benefit in the field. Has anyone else ditched the stand and never looked back?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_holly1mo ago

Totally agree with "adds a bunch of hassle for no real benefit." My buddy Dan tried using his fancy stand last summer and spent two hours fighting with it, then just flipped his bike over and fixed it in fifteen minutes with a zip tie like you said. He still uses the stand as a coat rack in his garage and swears the zip tie method works better for him every time.

felix_hayes6429d ago

Wait, did your buddy Dan actually try setting up the stand correctly before giving up? I've seen people buy those cheap universal stands that don't fit their bike right and blame the whole concept. What kind of stand was it and what bike was he working on? Because there's a HUGE difference between a $30 Amazon special and a proper Park Tool or Feedback Sports stand. That zip tie fix works great for quick stuff but try bleeding brakes or chasing a derailleur hanger alignment with the bike flipped over.