Truing Stand Under $100 recommendations?
 

Any recommendations for an affordable Truing Stand? I really don’t want to spend over $100 as I will only be using a few times a year. I have zero knowledge about trueing but feel confident I can do it after watching several YouTube videos.

This contains plans to build one and how to use it, pretty simple.

https://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

Built examples

I have and use this one: https://www.performancebike.com/spin...-sd-ts/p914520

can you adjust the two upright poles left to right?

I've been using a Minoura for 23 years which conveniently folds flat for storage and self-centers for initial dishing.

https://www.amazon.com/Minoura-Porta.../dp/B008ENQ39W

I use whatever upside-down frameset I have on hand ... with brakeset for lateral truing and an extra spoke (with rubber band) for vertical truing.

Just use a bike with rim brakes... If you want to get fancy, replace the brake shoes with something that bolts in and allows you to get the "scree scree scree" noise when the rim touches it. shorten the brake cable or use a toe strap or zip tie on the brake lever to bring them in closer to the rim.

I bought the Park pro-level truing stand back when I was finally able to afford one and what I found out is I never needed it. Big waste of money. I can't tell you how many wheels I've built just using a bike. Flip flopping the wheel works well to get the dish correct, too.

I say save your $100 or invest it in a $70 bike repair stand from Amazon and a wooden stool to sit on and some good quality spoke wrenches.

I slotted two lengths of angle iron from an old bed frame and bolted them to a scrap 2x6. I've built and trued many a wheel this way. The angle iron flexes enough it works on everything from 126 mm QR's to 142 mm through axles.

To visually gauge run out I hold a metal rod in place with a magnet and back light it with an Ikea clip on LED lamp. As the wheel spins the distance of the shadow from the rod clearly shows any run out without anything scraping on the rim.

The Ikea LED lamps make excellent shop lamps. I use them in lieu of drop lights.

I just turned the bike upside-down and trued the wheels in place. I decided to get something more for-purpose and got something like this. It's OK, but it wasn't an improvement on my old method. FWIW.

I've got an older version, and it's worked well. To answer the subsequent question, yes, the legs spread or close to adapt to a variety of hub widths.

In the end, the only thing a wheel truing stand does is to provide a stable place to measure from.

It also elevates your wheels to table height so you can build them while comfortably seated.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6b0e36a65.jpeg

+1 for this truing stand. It works a lot better than any DIY bodges that some people swear by, especially when it comes to ergonomics. It's really nice to plop the truing stand onto your work table (or coffee table) and take care of your wheels in comfort.

great advice!

thank you everyone

A lotta bottles
 

If those are all empties on the table, I can't help but wonder how true the wheel really is... ;)

Jim Beam is an excellent wheel builder

It took a couple of years, but eventually I got a Park TS-2 stand for $100

and a 5 minute drive away.

About the same here.
I use an old fork I had and made an adjustable slide rom the V-brake lugs. Cheap and it works !

I built every pair of wheels I ever made on a no-name folding stand I paid like 10 bucks for.

I've also trued many a wheel on the upside down bike... Just tighten the caliper as you go.

Wheels look scarier than they are. Take your time, don't get stressed, accept that you'll screw it up and have to back off and try again. Wheels are fun, maybe my favorite thing to work on.

--Shannon