Wheel Truing Cost?

meursault

Can I ask opinions of a reasonable cost of wheel truing from LBS?

Been quoted £15 (seems reasonable) but two week repair time (Hmmm too long)

I like my shop, Contour Cycles Stevenage.

I had a medium crash on last weekends IOW randonee, and slightly buckled front wheel.

Have a go myself??

P.S.

Brucie Bonus

Front right shifter, got pushed over a bit, but sorted myself. Feeling super proud...

keef66

I've generally trued my own wheels when they've gone slightly wonky. The fewer the spokes the harder it is. I'd have a go and see what happens.

Since you bent it when you crashed, there's a chance the rim's damaged and it might not respond to spoke tweaking though.

It's better the shifter twisted and you were able to twist it back. Son's bike fell over in the house and his RH Ultegra STI didn't move. Instead the plastic body cracked through on both sides. We've superglued and splinted it but I'm not expecting it to last indefinitely.

meursault

keef66 wrote:

I've generally trued my own wheels when they've gone slightly wonky. The fewer the spokes the harder it is. I'd have a go and see what happens.

Since you bent it when you crashed, there's a chance the rim's damaged and it might not respond to spoke tweaking though.

It's better the shifter twisted and you were able to twist it back. Son's bike fell over in the house and his RH Ultegra STI didn't move. Instead the plastic body cracked through on both sides. We've superglued and splinted it but I'm not expecting it to last indefinitely.

Much appreciated Grazie!

photonic69

Hmmm....

I had a slightly "pringled" wheel a few years back after a crash. The shop managed to get it to run true-ish but it was never as good as it was and the spoke tension was all over the place just to keep it straight. Once the go beyond a certain degree of bending the rim can become "plasticly" rather than "elastically" deformed and will never be properly true. However it lasted for a few years until I sold the bike with those wheels.

Were they expensive wheels? Can they be rebuilt?

meursault

PhotoNic69 wrote:

Hmmm....

I had a slightly "pringled" wheel a few years back after a crash. The shop managed to get it to run true-ish but it was never as good as it was and the spoke tension was all over the place just to keep it straight. Once the go beyond a certain degree of bending the rim can become "plasticly" rather than "elastically" deformed and will never be properly true. However it lasted for a few years until I sold the bike with those wheels.

Were they expensive wheels? Can they be rebuilt?

They are Mavic Aksium discs that came with the bike. I was thinking about an upgrade, so now in two minds. Need to true anyway, while thinking about upgrade.

Thank you.

keef66

Being disc they presumably have a fair number of spokes to play with? And less of a need to get it fantastically true as you would with rim braking?

meursault

keef66 wrote:

Being disc they presumably have a fair number of spokes to play with? And less of a need to get it fantastically true as you would with rim braking?

I've just had a go, and it looks better, but not perfect. I have a feeling you need the truing stand to get right.

photonic69

meursault wrote:

I've just had a go, and it looks better, but not perfect. I have a feeling you need the truing stand to get right.

Turn bike upside down. Get a shortish pencil and elastic bands. Fasten pencil to NDS chain stay with bands and adjust until the lead rubs the rim at the high points. Adjust tension until true. Don't forget to check roundness by holding pencil or ruler across both stays onto the rim. You have the tyre off already, yes?

meursault

PhotoNic69 wrote:

meursault wrote:

I've just had a go, and it looks better, but not perfect. I have a feeling you need the truing stand to get right.

Turn bike upside down. Get a shortish pencil and elastic bands. Fasten pencil to NDS chain stay with bands and adjust until the lead rubs the rim at the high points. Adjust tension until true. Don't forget to check roundness by holding pencil or ruler across both stays onto the rim. You have the tyre off already, yes?

No, I just span the wheel to see where it was moving away or towards the fork and adjusted from there.

keef66

All my wheel truing is done with the wheel in the bike with makeshift pointers fabricated from things lying around.

Probably avoid using a pencil on a brake track given the lubricating properties of graphite though. Fine for disc brakes obvs

photonic69

keef66 wrote:

Probably avoid using a pencil on a brake track given the lubricating properties of graphite though. Fine for disc brakes obvs

Yes, quite. I had forgotten I used this in my MTB wheel with discs. Simple solution - snap lead off and blunt pencil before use.

First.Aspect

Two weeks is pretty normal. Most bike maintenance offerings seem designed to encourage you to shop online and do it yourself. Some places do a first come first serve, but you still might be bikeless for a few days to a week.

You could try one of these mobile man in a van offerings that are popping up. At least they'll only come when they can actually do the work.

sparquin

Get a second set of wheels to use while the bent ones are in the shop? When they come back you'll have two sets and can have dedicated wet and dry tyres always ready to go!

ugo.santalucia

First Aspect wrote:

Two weeks is pretty normal.

Is it?
It takes typically 10 minutes... it'sa bike shop, not a GP practice

In the OP case, I suspect the job will be unsatisfactory, as the rim is most likely damaged

Matthewfalle

keef66 wrote:

Probably avoid using a pencil on a brake track given the lubricating properties of graphite though. Fine for disc brakes obvs

fantastic.

#fantastic.

meursault

Wheel done.

Went to SpokeCycles Codicote.

https://www.spokecycles.cc/

Messaged Alex yesterday, took it in this morning, twenty minutes, done. £15.

Alex is an ex-racer, really passionate and friendly.

Proper coffee! Proper bike place. Have found where to get all my fettling done.