Beginner looking for tools and tips...

[eyedrop]

Not necessarily wanting to build wheels just yet, but I do want to start truing my wheels myself rather than having to take them into the shop. I know very little about the subject, so I'm basically starting from square one. I just need a list of proper tools that are not too expensive, but represent a good value for money. I want to be able to dial in radial, lateral, and wheel dishing. I also need links to learning info for getting me started.

Also, I do have a couple sets of disposable wheels I can practice on, which I plan on doing before jumping into my high end wheels.


Thanks for your help!

[madcow]

Here's a good place to start: Bicycle_Wheel_-_Jobst_Brandt

[RussellS]

The Jobst Brandt PDF cited is the bible for wheelbuilding. For tools, a Park spoke wrench is good. There may be better ones, yes. But Park makes fine and good spoke wrenches. Probably the black one will fit your spokes. The green and red ones are not used much anymore. For a truing stand, many will work fine enough. The expensive Park stand is nice, but not needed. Some people just mount the wheel in a fork or rear dropout and then clamp some toothpicks to the stays and true it. It works. You just need to hold the wheel and have some alignment pins on either side to tell how much the rim moves back and forth. A dish tool is very good to have after the wheel is true. The dish tool tells you whether the wheel is in the middle of the hub or off to one side.

Dishing tool
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/store ... 1___204841

Spoke wrench
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/store ... 1___204841

Truing stand
http://www.wiggle.com/pro-mechanic-wheel-truing-stand/