Spoke tension....

[Raydek]

I can't seem to find a topic/answer by searching, so here goes..

 

 

I have owned a bike now since September and it seems that the front wheel's spokes are getting loose. Are they something that needs to be tensioned every now and then? And if so, how do I know how much to tension them.

 

It just seems that lately my front wheel has become 'loose' in corners, feels like there is too much sideways movement. Not sure if I am just being paranoid.

 

Edit: I have read an article that says for a specific spoke length that they should ping at a specific key when plucked... Really???

Edited May 16, 2014 by Raydek

[Flippa]

check the hub for play. the bearings might need adjustment or replacement

[Raydek]

check the hub for play. the bearings might need adjustment or replacement

 

Checked that initially.. All seems good...

[Karman de Lange]

Thread still ok on tyre?

[Raydek]

Thread still ok on tyre?

 

Yip..

 

If I ride in a straight line but quickly yank the handlebars left and right it seems as if the wheel sways. Not quite sure how to explain it. Its as if the dish goes left to right when doing it.

[fanievb]

 

Edit: I have read an article that says for a specific spoke length that they should ping at a specific key when plucked... Really???

 

Google Easton wheel building

[jmaccelari]

Spoke tensioning is very much an experience thing. I started off buying a DT Swiss tensiometer when I first started building wheels.

 

A few years down the line and I can get it a lot closer by feel, but still use the tensiometer as a final check.

 

It was expensive, but well worth it...

Edited May 16, 2014 by jmaccelari

[Flowta]

I can't seem to find a topic/answer by searching, so here goes..

 

 

I have owned a bike now since September and it seems that the front wheel's spokes are getting loose. Are they something that needs to be tensioned every now and then? And if so, how do I know how much to tension them.

 

It just seems that lately my front wheel has become 'loose' in corners, feels like there is too much sideways movement. Not sure if I am just being paranoid.

 

Edit: I have read an article that says for a specific spoke length that they should ping at a specific key when plucked... Really???

 

Are the spokes loose? Wheel wobbling a bit when you spin it?

 

You'll be able to feel if a spoke is loose.

 

If loose take it to your lbs to tighten/true spokes shouldn't come loose if wheel is built properly.

 

Might be worth using Google and youtube to search for how to true a wheel.

[Raydek]

 

Are the spokes loose? Wheel wobbling a bit when you spin it?

 

You'll be able to feel if a spoke is loose.

 

If loose take it to your lbs to tighten/true spokes shouldn't come loose if wheel is built properly.

 

Might be worth using Google and youtube to search for how to true a wheel.

 

The wheel is true, but if I squeeze a set between my fingers they move closer together than what the back does.

 

Was thinking of giving each one a quarter turn to see what the outcome is, but don't want to screw it up, so might just pop into LBS and ask them to check it.

[kosmonooit]

You can check the tension by the 'pinging' the spokes with a metal object and listenng to the tone, that will give you some idea if have inconsistent tensoin or loose spokes, You can just tension the loose ones up, but that will effect the truing which should be checked as well if the job is to be done properly. Even half a tweak of a nipple can cause a wobbly,

[David Marshall]

I don't think you will "feel" low tensioned spokes while riding, far more likely to be one of the factors mentioned above - hub, tires or a bent rim or some spokes looser than others. You didn't mention if it is a road or mtb. On a road wheel braking may be affected but on a disc brake wheel your first indication of a problem is the usually the tire touching the frame.

 

There is one reason why you have this type of problem - money! People are fussy when it comes to groupsets and bike weights and that is what purchasers concentrate on. To keep prices competitive on entry and mid level bikes manufacturers cut costs on wheels. Still light and look good but not durable. Machine time costs money so the less operations that have to take place the cheaper the wheel. Machines can tension spokes and true wheels quickly. They cannot detect spoke wind up as easily. The solution is to use straight guage spokes, as they are less prone to wind up than double butted and to build to a lower tension. The lower the tension the more a spoke flexes and the quicker the nipple loosens. (That is why you always tighten a nipple when truing - never loosen it.) More expensive wheels will have had more time on machines and are often "hand finished" or even hand built.

 

Without a bit of experience it is difficult to assess tension by squeezing spokes or plucking them. Different types of spoke have a very different "ping". 2mm straight guage can sound loose at quite a high tension while a bladed spoke can have a high pitch before its tension even registers on a guage. Just remember you can destroy a rim with too much tension long before you will break a spoke so be careful. Most wheelbuilders will place the hub on a wooden block on the floor and lean on the wheel while building. This allows for the spokes to relax from wind up and importantly to give an indication of the tension limit of the rim.

 

Also remember that spoke tension will be different on either side of a wheel. Drive side much tighter than the left (rear) and brake side tighter on the front. This has to be to keep the rim centered on the hub. Some spokes will be tighter than others (on the same side) to allow for imperfections in the rim while a loose spoke has a "dead" tone relative to those around it.