Trueing a bicycle wheel has something of a “black arts” stigma attached to it. But it really isn’t very difficult at all. It requires only a few things:

• The patience of a saint.
• A spoke-key.
• Some blu-tac and a little allen key.
• A little knowledge of how a wheel works.

I can’t be bothered to explain the process here. It’d take longer to do that than to true a wheel. But let me put it this way:

Earlier on, I upturned my Cove Stiffee, and went to work on the back wheel. It was so far out of true it was funny — so wibbly that it was almost impossible to work out which bits were true and which weren’t. Adam left me in the garage with the comment “You’re going to be there for hours mate!” Not so – half an hour or so later I was done. Winner!

I then fitted the new tyres (which seem very narrow for 2.3″ers) and singleator and the bike was all ready to be ridden! Just a pity it was getting dark by then…