How critical is uniform spoke tension?

[Louis]

I have a low-mile, excellent condition front wheel that spins rail-straight. Zero noticeable lateral or radian motion. However, if you twang the spokes (which happen to be bladed) there are a few on each side that sound noticeably lower in tone than the others. (you can't really tell if you wiggle the spokes with your fingers) I have an Park tensiometer, but haven't had a chance to actually compare the tension.

Is this something that I should attempt to fix before using the wheel or should I just ride it and see what happens? (I'd have a "real" wheel builder do this - I can tweak old beat-up out of true wheels and improve them a bit, but a complete re-tensioning of an almost new wheel is probably beyond my capability.)

TIA
Louis

[fatallightning]

I have a low-mile, excellent condition front wheel that spins rail-straight. Zero noticeable lateral or radian motion. However, if you twang the spokes (which happen to be bladed) there are a few on each side that sound noticeably lower in tone than the others. (you can't really tell if you wiggle the spokes with your fingers) I have an Park tensiometer, but haven't had a chance to actually compare the tension.

Is this something that I should attempt to fix before using the wheel or should I just ride it and see what happens? (I'd have a "real" wheel builder do this - I can tweak old beat-up out of true wheels and improve them a bit, but a complete re-tensioning of an almost new wheel is probably beyond my capability.)

TIA
Louis
unless the spokes are right next to each other, it's going to be tough to equalize the tension without introducing a hop radially or side to side. i'd leave it be, you'd really have to take them all the way out and then bring them back up.

[Peter P.]

I remember Wheelsmith, the well-reputed wheelbuilding company from the 80's. The Hjertberg (sp?) brothers were interviewed in a popular bike mag. One thing they said was uniform spoke tension was more important than true and they would tolerate a greater error in wheel tolerances to keep tension within spec.

The condition you're seeing could be due flat spots on the rim but you say the wheels dead nuts straight and true...?

The only way to correct your problem is to remove all tension and start over.

Park Tool considers +/- 20% variations with individual spoke vs. the overall average tension. Using the Park Tension Gauge, I can usually cut that to 10%.

Is it a problem? Eh; your wheel won't fall apart. If it annoys you, then correct it just for peace of mind.

[ultraman6970]

Louis. the wheel will get as round as the rim is, there are some tolerances and stuff can be fixed but with some rims u have to pick between the or fix the problem in the rim versus too much or too little tension in one spoke for example. But that depends from the builder and how he likes the things too.

I'm not a professional wheelbuilder but i do my stuff since 30 years ago, not often tho but I consider myself good at it. And I never used a tension meter just because are too expensive... with the time and practice just from touching the spokes you know if the tension is good or not. Tension goes in ranges, it is impossible to leave all the spokes at the exactly same tension either, u always get variations because the rims arent 100% perfect. Some builders if the rim is to bad and cant fix the problem hammering them (Aluminum obviously) a tiny bit they simply discard the rim and pick another one.

Now a days with machined sidewalls is hard to find rims that are too bad, back in the day almost all the time the joint area was a problem with tension of one spoke (at least) because the area always did a S shape in probably less than a inch.

Good luck with your builds.

[Mike748]

I'd put your gage on it and find out how far off they are. If there's a loose spoke there is most likely going to be an overtight one nearby. In the long run the wheel will stay truer if the tensions are close to equal.

[Steve in SLO]

Louis,
Are the different-sounding spokes laying flat against the spokes they cross--i.e. full contact at the cross? If they aren't, they will sound different when twanged at same tension.

[Louis]

Louis,
Are the different-sounding spokes laying flat against the spokes they cross--i.e. full contact at the cross? If they aren't, they will sound different when twanged at same tension.

Radial lacing, so no crosses at all.

[rain dogs]

If you're really concerned about it I would check the spokes with a gauge and see if they are in fact noticeably different. If not I'd leave them. I don't think the "tone" is a hard law, just a fairly accurate approximation. There may be many inputs in that system which result in different tones other than tension alone.

[Bob Loblaw]

The only risk is an increased chance of breaking one of the lower tension spokes.

BL

[hillzofvalp]

not critical at all unless you don't know what the hell you're doing

[Louis]

not critical at all unless you don't know what the hell you're doing

That's debateable... :)

[hillzofvalp]

not all rims/spokes/hubs are made alike. just get in that range with no huge outliers and you should be good. if there there huge outliers then it's likely you didn't bring it up to tension evenly, or some nipples don't have enough thread...?