Wheel building and truing is an art. An art that is based on science, but still an art. Just ask any expert wheel builder who’s been doing it for ages. But what if you could save up to 75% of the time it took to get perfect results, for beginners or professionals? That’s the promise of TRUDI.
Created by the team behind the flexible BERD spokes, TRUDI is meant for all spoke types and “any bicycle wheel.” The secret behind the device is a computer that calculates proper spoke tension to ensure the perfect true and then applies that tension spec to a specific spoke via an automated driver.
Supposedly, TRUDI delivers a perfect true with just one touch per spoke. That results in a much faster wheel true – up to 75% faster. BERD states that TRUDI evolved from their automated wheel building process that was needed to produce wheels with their PolyLight spokes. Taking the process a step further, they claim to have created a revolutionary system.
BERD is planning to offer demos of the system at the Taipei Show, after which more details should be avaialble. TRUDI is only available for pre-order now, with deliveries expected in mid-April. The machine itself is priced at $6,999 for a single payment, or interest free financing with an initial payment of $1,999 and 10 payments of $500 per month.
Additionally, it appears that you will need to have a subscription for the system to work, with rates starting at $29 per month, up to $499 per month depending on your needs.
