Spoke Tension-o-meter questions

[Me]

Hi, I'm thinking about buying a Spoke Tensionometer (you know what I mean) thingy.

I've never used one before as I've just built my wheels up and guessed when I should stop tightening
the spokes.

But now I want to do a proper job.

My question is which one should I get? the blue park one? The black wheelsmith one?

Will they all do about the same thing? Will they come with instructions on what to calibrate the
spokes to given a certain wheel / rim combo? If not where do I find this amount out?

thanks

 

[daveornee]

Originally posted by Me
Hi, I'm thinking about buying a Spoke Tensionometer (you know what I mean) thingy.

I've never used one before as I've just built my wheels up and guessed when I should stop tightening
the spokes.

But now I want to do a proper job.

My question is which one should I get? the blue park one? The black wheelsmith one?

Will they all do about the same thing? Will they come with instructions on what to calibrate the
spokes to given a certain wheel / rim combo? If not where do I find this amount out?

thanks

Buy "the Bicycle Wheel" by Jobst Brandt.
The book will tell you how to determine how much tension to use on each rim/spoke combo.
The absolute number isn't as important as getting even spoke tension. Once you have attained the correct tension and applied it evenly, you have it right. There are other factors to include such as spoke alignment, centering, truing, and stress relieving.
Park or Wheelsmith make units that are repeatable enough at the correct spoke tension to insure spoke tension balance.

 

[Jobst Brandt]

anonymous writes:

> Hi, I'm thinking about buying a Spoke Tensionometer (you know what I mean) thingy.

Can't we just call it by its real name and get on with it. Its a TENSIOMETER.

> I've never used one before as I've just built my wheels up and guessed when I should stop
> tightening the spokes.

There are ways of knowing how tight to make a wheel without a tensiometer.

> But now I want to do a proper job.

> My question is which one should I get? the blue park one? The black Wheelsmith one?

> Will they all do about the same thing? Will they come with instructions on what to calibrate the
> spokes to given a certain wheel / rim combo? If not where do I find this amount out?

These all have a couple of problems but they get the job done. It depends on how much you want to
spend to have an easily readable gauge. The DT seems to me to be the best compromise because it can
be read eaisly.

Jobst Brandt [email protected]

 

[Me]

cool jobst,

I use to sell your book (well actually it collected dust under the ed burke training diary if you
remember those) when I worked in a bike shop a few years ago.

Attempts at humor aside, I learned a lot from that book reading it on my lunch hour. It taught me a
lot. So thanks!

Back to my question.

I haven't seen the DT one for sale anywhere. Is it loads more money than the park/wheelsmith?

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> anonymous writes:
>
> > Hi, I'm thinking about buying a Spoke Tensionometer (you know what I mean) thingy.
>
> Can't we just call it by its real name and get on with it. Its a TENSIOMETER.
>
> > I've never used one before as I've just built my wheels up and guessed when I should stop
> > tightening the spokes.
>
> There are ways of knowing how tight to make a wheel without a tensiometer.
>
> > But now I want to do a proper job.
>
> > My question is which one should I get? the blue park one? The black Wheelsmith one?
>
> > Will they all do about the same thing? Will they come with instructions on what to calibrate the
> > spokes to given a certain wheel / rim combo? If not where do I find this amount out?
>
> These all have a couple of problems but they get the job done. It depends on how much you want to
> spend to have an easily readable gauge. The DT seems to me to be the best compromise because it
> can be read eaisly.
>
> Jobst Brandt [email protected]

 

[Squidvark]

"Me" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I haven't seen the DT one for sale anywhere. Is it loads more money than the park/wheelsmith?

The digital version is over $500. The dial one is a bit less.

 

[Chas.]

Squidvark <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Me" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I haven't seen the DT one for sale anywhere. Is it loads more money than the park/wheelsmith?
>
> The digital version is over $500. The dial one is a bit less.

The analog version is US$290 at harris cyclery

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/tools-h-z.html#wheel

(Scroll down a bit)

REgards, Chas.