How I used to set spokes with nothing but a screwdriver

Back in the mid 90s I would true a wheel by eye and a little screwdriver to tap spokes into place. Spent hours getting them just close enough that the rim didn't wobble too bad. Now I grab my Park Tool tension meter and a spoke wrench, and I can knock out a wheel in under 20 minutes. The biggest change came around 2010 when I finally bought a truing stand from a shop in Portland. It cost me about $150 used, but it paid for itself inside a year. Anyone else remember working without a stand and just feeling bad for your customers?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_james1mo ago

Calibrating a tension meter is a good habit but it's not like you're gonna blow up a wheel if you skip it once. I've used mine straight out of the box for years and my wheels hold true just fine for the kind of riding most people do. It's a tool, not a science experiment.

lewis.diana1mo ago

... but honestly, that Park Tool tension meter really only works right if you calibrate it first, a lot of people miss that step and end up with spokes way too tight or too loose. I remember trying to use one without the manual and my wheels kept coming out of true after a few rides, turns out I was cranking the tension all wrong. Your screwdriver method though, that's pure old school. I still do that for quick fixes on customer bikes when I don't want to pull out the stand, just tap and listen, tap and listen. The shop in Portland trick sounds solid, seems like a good price for a used one that actually works.