OP
OP
- Location
- London
Out of interest do you use it for measuring absolute values of tension, or just to check that tension is equal across spokes?
Spoke tension meter
- Thread starter Blue Hills
- Start date
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OP
OP
- Location
- London
Thanks for link. Turns out i have already copied it to my bookmarks. Lots to ponder in there. Already have the book, been taking my time jumping in, the plague year probably a good time to start.
OP
OP
- Location
- London
That's what i have been thinking. I ping spokes to check them on the bike if something seems odd, but fear I would wear my fingers out if i did it repeatedly on a build.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Use a small tool to tap them. Tyre lever, spanner, screwdriver, the spoke key - anything will do.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Maybe @Blue Hills just doesn't want to risk her nail varnish with too much plucking.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
A bit of both. I tend to use it towards the end when finishing off. The meter has a series of numbers 1-32 or something, that the pointer will point at depending on the deflection and therefore tension in the spoke. You look up the number on a piece of card that comes with it. That’ll give you the tension. For the rear I’ll check the drive side is in right tension range and even. For non drive side I just check the tension is even. The dishing being correct will mean the tension is in right range for that side relative to drive side.
It doesn’t take that long to do and is just a final step as you approach finishing off the wheel.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
I got the Park one today. My slackest wheels (those where I judged the rim to be weak, e.g. no eyelets) are 100 kgf, and the tightest wheels are way above that. Historically, few rim manufacturers gave a tension recommendation so you assessed the rim and went with the highest you reckoned it, or the nipples,would stand.
overmind
My other bike is a Pinarello
- Location
- Reading, Berkshire
The trick is to tighten until just before the tension hits 0. Then stop. 
I bought a park tools tensionmeter recently and have used it on the last 3 sets of wheels I've built. The last two pairs were carbon and one had bladed spokes - I found it really useful to know how close I was getting to the 120kgf maximum for the rims and to ensure the tensions were fairly even on each side. These last few sets seem to be the best wheels I've built, I don't think it's a coincidence.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
In t'olden days, you tightened until the rim pringled, then backed off half a turn. Modern rims are too stiff for this trick.The trick is to tighten until just before the tension hits 0. Then stop.
curzons246
Veteran
- Location
- derbyshire
Where can I source rim recommended max tension please.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Manufacturer's website, if you're lucky.
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
I think it's worth having a tensionometer (I have the Park one), although I don't generally use it when building a wheel, relying on feel. But sometimes it can surprise you how out the relative tensions between the spokes are. When I use it, I use it to check on the relative tensions, not absolute ones, hence I've never had it calibrated.
