Review: Park Tool TS-2.2 Wheel Truing Stand

By Liz Colebrook

Pros: Adapters for various hubs from 80-175mm, fully serviceable. Cons: Expensive for occasional use.

Cycle mechanic and frame builder Liz Colebrook reviews this workshop-quality stand fit for a lifetime of wheel building and repair

Park Tool TS-2.2 Wheel Truing Stand £199.95

Anyone thinking now’s the time to keep a fleet of bicycles on the road, whether for yourself, the family or a community project, will know that a pair of true and tensioned wheels are fundamental to performance and reliability.

This wheel truing jig come from Minnesota-based bicycle toolmaker Park Tool. The model tested is designed to give a lifetime’s service, and there’s no doubting that. It’s an extremely robust, easy to use and fully rebuildable bit of kit. Owning this as a community organisation, bike shop or home workshop will enable you to build and true wheels for decades – providing you know what you’re doing!

The problem with more basic jigs is flex. If this triggers vibration, it makes reading rim deflection frustratingly difficult. A wheel jig must be stable. It should also be positioned with good lighting and the right height to work at comfortably.

The TS-2.2 is designed to be clamped into a bench vice or paired with a dedicated tilting base (£50). You’ll also need a dishing tool (from £30) and spoke tensiometer (from £70), as well the correct spoke keys to fit subtly different spoke nipple sizes.

The TS-2.2 sprung caliper arms can be set to act as a dishing tool but this will require calibration (Park Tool does a tool for that too); a separate dishing tool ensures ultimate accuracy.

A couple of nice features are the indicator arm tip covers to protect painted or carbon rims, and there’s a conveniently placed white background as you look down to assess rim deflection.

If you’re just getting starting with wheel building, you’ll want a guide too. Park Tool publishes the Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair (BBB4) and has a plethora of branded online tutorials. The book is £19.99 to download and includes a new wheel-building section.

Roger Musson and David Meadows both offer very comprehensive downloadable manuals for around £10. For full-on theory there’s The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt or Gerd Schraner’s The Art of Wheelbuilding, pitched more at mere mortals. Or you could book yourself onto an accredited course, with Bike Inn.

Verdict

Built in hardened steel and powder coated, TS-2.2 Wheel Truing Stand us designed for long service. It’s adjustable to take a wide range of wheel diameters, hubs types and rim widths.