By Brad Quartuccio

Truing stands are key for properly building and maintaining wheels. They also happen to be prohibitively expensive for folks using them just a few times per year. While it is perfectly reasonable to true wheels while still on the bike using the brake pads or a carefully placed thumb, one of the benefits of a truing stand is a clear sight line to the rim and the ability to make subtle adjustments to the gauge. Brake pads can make it hard to determine exactly where a deformation in the rim is located, especially when it comes to subtle adjustments of true.

The combination of a spring clamp and pencil is a simple solution. Clamp it to the fork or rear stay like so and it provides a clear view of the rim passing by the pencil along with an audible sound and mark on the rim at high points. Start at the highest point and work towards a true wheel in slow adjustments, moving the pencil closer to the rim as the wheel is brought into true. This method can also yield a visual gauge for the roundness of the wheel about the axle by removing the tire and placing the pencil above the rim, between the stays.