# How long does it take for a LBS to true up a wheel?



## Coolpick87 (Apr 15, 2009)

I was just wondering how long it take to true up a wheel. I wouldn't think it would take too long? The LBS is taking a really long time(over 3 days now, he told me he'd call me after a couple of hours that day) Everytime I go to check on it, the guy is standing around talking to the "regulars/roadies".

I'm not really complaining because I realize he is busy. I'd really like to go out and ride.


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## Kouki_Monstah (May 26, 2007)

My LBS trued up both wheels under 30 minutes.


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## SteveUK (Apr 16, 2006)

Call the shop and tell them you'll be in at a particular time to collect the wheel they said would be ready three days ago. If they say that that's no good, then tell themthat you don't want to spend any more time off the trail and that you'll be in any way to collect your wheel to take somewhere else. Be polite, but firm, and don't let them d*ck you around. 

Then learn to true your own wheels.


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## sanjuro (Sep 29, 2004)

10 minutes. Except when you complain. Then it takes 1-2 weeks.

During the busy season, which is now, a bike mechanic can do 5-7 tune-ups a day, less if he has to deal with customers.

BTW, if he trues your wheel, and your derailleur shifts into the spokes, you are ok with that, right? Or what if the handlebars slip? 

There are several things involved with any bike servicing, which also increases the time of a repair.

Put this way: did you take off your wheel from your bike and remove the tire before having the wheel trued? Your mechanic is much more likely to true your wheel on the spot if you are willing to do that.


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## Coolpick87 (Apr 15, 2009)

Well, I just came back. Still not done, lol. He said he would have it done tomorrow. I know its the busy season.

Yeah I took the wheel off before I brought it in. How does one go about truing up a wheel?


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## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

Coolpick87 said:


> Well, I just came back. Still not done, lol. He said he would have it done tomorrow. I know its the busy season.
> 
> Yeah I took the wheel off before I brought it in. How does one go about truing up a wheel?


You would have been on the trails days ago if you had trued your own. Try Mike T's wheel page in general for wheel info http://miketechinfo.com/new-tech-wheels-tires.htm#wheel truing stand


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## emtnate (Feb 9, 2008)

It takes me about 20 mins per wheel, and I wouldn't say I'm proficient at it.

If you go back tomorrow, take your wheel - done or not. It shouldn't take that long.


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## Jwiffle (Jan 26, 2004)

emtnate said:


> It takes me about 20 mins per wheel, and I wouldn't say I'm proficient at it.
> 
> If you go back tomorrow, take your wheel - done or not. It shouldn't take that long.


As I see it, the issue isn't really the amount of time it takes to actually true the wheel. A week or more during the busy season isn't even "long" for some shops that get really slammed with repairs. It's overly long in this case because the OP says he was told a few hours, which makes 3 days "long."


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## Bikinfoolferlife (Feb 3, 2004)

Hey coolpick, is there something unusual about how out of true this wheel is? Is it just a minor touch up or is this major surgery? Just curious...


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## Coolpick87 (Apr 15, 2009)

It wasn't bad, but I didn't feel like riding on it. Nothing was broke on it.


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## ADDam (Jun 7, 2008)

It really does depend on the shop. MOST of the time we can get it back to you in a few hours depending on how many repairs we have going out that day. If we're caught up and we're just building bikes and shootin' the $hit with the guys, then sure we'll get started on it right away, some times we can get it done right in front of you :thumbsup:

BUT keep in mind, we also answer the phones, and sell bikes too, so it can be really hard to give a prediction on stuff like this.


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## ChromedToast (Sep 19, 2006)

~5 minutes per wheel if they are clean, off the bike and not completely ****ed.


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## Spawne32 (May 22, 2009)

peddlers took over a week to finish the tune up on my friends new bike they were so back logged, they had bikes sitting out in the lobby thats how many they had in the shop


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

When I bring in a bike, they usually tell me to pick it up the next day. Last time it was retensioning a wheel and shortening brake hoses.

At least once they fixed some issue for me while I dropped by at the library, a couple of blocks away.

During busy times, things take longer but they don't want to keep lots of customer stuff in there: they'd run out of space.


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## daleksic (Aug 26, 2007)

My LBS does it in 2 minutes max. I usually bring my wheel(s) in. Leaving the wheel there for truing is unacceptable. If they can't give you the 2 minutes of attention to do it there, it will usually be left in a corner and forgotten.

Switch Bike Shops. If they don't have the patience to deal with you right on the spot, they usually will not deal with your problem later either, or just do a crappy job. Always ask if the mechanic is in before you go there. Some smaller shops don't have a full time mechanic on staff. If they are too busy, they don't need your business.


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## CougarTrek (Jan 27, 2007)

I expect anything I have my LBS do this time a year to be a week or more going in; I'm generally pleasantly surprised, but that's what I expect.

I also expect them to honor their "we'll get it to you by ______" date or the "you are in line for __/__/__" date within reason (if it changes I want to know ahead of time and I expect it to not happen more than once).

I haven't had a problem. Most times I'm the person they drop everything to do the "10-15 minute" fix for right then and there and I only have to wait for the full tunes and major issues. There are benefits to being loyal.


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## mlepito (May 1, 2007)

It may only take a couple minutes for the repair, but most shops this time of year don't schedule your repair until a week after you broght it to them. So if you bring it in now, they don't even look at it until next week. They are busy fixing the bikes that came in last week. If you take it to performance bike, try a month. They are doing a lot of free tune-ups on every bike they ever sold.


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## hidesertbomber (Jun 16, 2009)

I built my own truing stand for my motorcycle. http://mysite.verizon.net/resp7drb/id8.html I will be building/buying one for the bicycles as soon as one is needed. It's really not hard when you understand the concept, assuming things aren't too far off. Read up on it and give it a go!


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

I second doing it yourself like bikinfool said (and reading MikeT.'s page - he makes it simple to understand)
once you get the hang of it, it's a snap
then you can get free beers when you able to true your buddies wheels as well :thumbsup:


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

There are multiple bike shops in my town (sorry highdell, its all mine) so I have seen the range of service and attitudes out there when I walk in with a bike that isn't theirs

Brought my bike into one shop on a Thursday for a simple wheel truing. After the manager looked down at my bike he told me he could start working on it on Monday. Then him and the wrench went back to chatting with some friend. Sad because I've had good experiences before that with the same manager, but that was when I was buying shoes and other stuff

Brought my bike into another shop on a Friday evening 5 minutes after the shop closed and the wrench told me they don't normally schedule many repairs on weekends but that he wanted to get me riding and promised to have it finished on Saturday, which he did by 1pm


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

boomn said:


> There are multiple bike shops in my town (sorry highdell, its all mine)...


that's just fine - I'm in Reddin' for the summerrft: :ciappa: rft:


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

highdelll said:


> that's just fine - I'm in Reddin' for the summerrft: :ciappa: rft:


I thought it felt too easy. I expected some resistance.

I'm jealous of your proximity to Whiskeytown though


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

boomn said:


> ...I'm jealous of your proximity to Whiskeytown though


haha, yeah - I can have a respite from all the bone rattling


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## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

It's not the work that takes a long time, it is the 70 other bikes that were brought in before yours. It wouldn't really be fair to bump you ahead of everyone else that has been patiently waiting for their repair.
I'm a service manager, and only mechanic at a shop that does alot of repairs. Right now we have over 50 bikes waiting to be worked on.....and about 10 wheels hanging up waiting to be trued.
Even with all that, we only have a week lead time, which is great for this time of year.
It really sucks not being able to help someone out, even though you know that their repair will only take 5-10 minutes.
I am the only wrench at our shop, and my day is so set in stone, if I take only a few minutes away, a few times a day, it makes it really hard to get my scheduled repairs done on time.
I pride myself on the fact that I have never missed a repair date, and am usually done a day early. Sometimes sooner.
I'm really eager to please my customers, and they all seem happy. Especially the regulars, and other customers who know some shops have a much longer lead time, and don't always deliver as promised.
It is the busy time of year folks, try to have a little patience with your shops. I'm sure they all just want to make you happy too.


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

savagemann said:


> It's not the work that takes a long time, it is the 70 other bikes that were brought in before yours. It wouldn't really be fair to bump you ahead of everyone else that has been patiently waiting for their repair.
> I'm a service manager, and only mechanic at a shop that does alot of repairs. Right now we have over 50 bikes waiting to be worked on.....and about 10 wheels hanging up waiting to be trued.
> Even with all that, we only have a week lead time, which is great for this time of year.
> It really sucks not being able to help someone out, even though you know that their repair will only take 5-10 minutes.
> ...


To defend my example, I could see their queue in the first shop and I could see the look in the manager's eyes. Its possible I misinterpreted both though. 
As for the second shop, every stand had a bike in it and he had already mentioned how they were busy with repairs and prepping new bikes

Your comments def make sense to me though and I could understand that kind of situation.


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## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

I agree Boomn. It's kind of a bummer that the mechs all had time to stand around and chat it up, but not do a repair.
Besides my 2 breaks a day in a 8 hour shift, the only time I ever sit down is when I am adjusting the limit screws on a rear mech......= )
We never have time to stand around and chat.
But they pay me good, and I love to work hard and make people happy, so I am worth it.
The hardest part for me is not being to please everyone, everytime.


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## sanjuro (Sep 29, 2004)

I apologize then. I was just saying when someone brings me a wheel and it is in good condition, I will true it up on the spot. 

Your mechanic is slacking.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Hey Boomn, what were the shops?
you don't gotta list the slacker one (unless it's cumpuss bicycles - if you went there, you outta have your berries chopped off)
but the 'good deal' one outta get some recognition (plus I'm curious to both )


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

highdelll said:


> Hey Boomn, what were the shops?
> you don't gotta list the slacker one (unless it's cumpuss bicycles - if you went there, you outta have your berries chopped off)
> but the 'good deal' one outta get some recognition (plus I'm curious to both )


Yep, I prefer to leave the other shop unnamed as it is admittedly my interpretation of the situation. Don't worry, I learned on my own not to bother with Campus bikes

North Rim was the good guy. I've tried 'em all and decided to stick with North Rim. Their labor charges may be a bit more sometimes, but I think their wrenches are more knowledgeable and more genuinely helpful than the other stores.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

boomn said:


> ...North Rim was the good guy....


yup... I'm a North Rim guy
They leave ya alone when your browsin and they help out when called upon :thumbsup:
the mechs stop what they're doin' and don't seem 'put-out' when you need a part from behind the counter - great shop


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## jalopy jockey (Jun 7, 2007)

I usually give the shop from lunch until after work. Only once have a left a wheel overnight. Then again when they asked when I needed it is said something like have it ready for the group ride tomorrow or I'm taking one off the floor. 

That was also the only time I brought in the bike not just a wheel.


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## Qatarbhoy (Jun 13, 2008)

"Everytime I go to check on it, the guy is standing around talking to the "regulars/roadies". I'm not really complaining because I realize he is busy. I'd really like to go out and ride."

Well he's obviously not too busy to stand around and chat. If they say three days they should be held to it especially on a job that might take 15-20 minutes - and you've taken the trouble to come in and see them about it to follow up. Poor customer service IMO.


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