Measuring CX-Ray spoke tension with Wheelsmith tensiometer

[dwb]

Does anybody have any experience measuring spoke tension on the Sapim CX Ray spokes with the Wheelsmith tensiometer? This is my first wheelbuild with CX Rays, and I have a couple issues. Most of the wheels I build have been Sapim Lasers.

I have the calibration chart, but it is from 2003, long before these kind of aerospokes were common, so I am basically flying blind. I am not expecting anyone to come up with a calibration curve, just curious how others handle this.

The other issue is that CX Rays are so flimsy that I am not reaching the minimum reading of the tensiometer on the non-drive side spokes. For those not familiar with the Wheelsmith tool, it has marks from 10 to 100 that are read like a Vernier scale. The non-drive side spokes do not even make a reading. I am building with a carbon rim and cannot take the drive side spokes over 120 kgf.

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions?

[oldpotatoe]

Does anybody have any experience measuring spoke tension on the Sapim CX Ray spokes with the Wheelsmith tensiometer? This is my first wheelbuild with CX Rays, and I have a couple issues. Most of the wheels I build have been Sapim Lasers.

I have the calibration chart, but it is from 2003, long before these kind of aerospokes were common, so I am basically flying blind. I am not expecting anyone to come up with a calibration curve, just curious how others handle this.

The other issue is that CX Rays are so flimsy that I am not reaching the minimum reading of the tensiometer on the non-drive side spokes. For those not familiar with the Wheelsmith tool, it has marks from 10 to 100 that are read like a Vernier scale. The non-drive side spokes do not even make a reading. I am building with a carbon rim and cannot take the drive side spokes over 120 kgf.

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions?

Even tho the far right of the Wheelsmith chart is for bladed spokes .9mm thickness and 3.1mm blade width, I think that would be a decent approximation. On mine, a measurement of about 30.

[dwb]

Thank you, oldpotatoe! This is reassuring. My chart says the same. I'll give your advice try.
I don't see what the fuss is about these spokes yet, but I'll wait until I get some riding time on the wheels.

[oldpotatoe]

Thank you, oldpotatoe! This is reassuring. My chart says the same. I'll give your advice try.
I don't see what the fuss is about these spokes yet, but I'll wait until I get some riding time on the wheels.

WEll, built a lot of wheels, and especially for the $, and in spite of the marketing, I just don't see any advantage to these or AeroLites from DT. An oval spoke..not really more aero, made from a thin spoke..and like Lasers and Revolutions, I won't use them on the rear unless the rider is like a buck-fifteen, and maybe not even then. 'Maybe' on LH rear, depending on rider, rim, spoke number.

[dcama5]

WEll, built a lot of wheels, and especially for the $, and in spite of the marketing, I just don't see any advantage to these or AeroLites from DT. An oval spoke..not really more aero, made from a thin spoke..and like Lasers and Revolutions, I won't use them on the rear unless the rider is like a buck-fifteen, and maybe not even then. 'Maybe' on LH rear, depending on rider, rim, spoke number.

Peter (if I have your name right),

I have a front wheel built by Lyle Strickland of Spin Lite cycling about ten years ago. It has 28 cx-rays in a 2X pattern. I have had excellent luck with cx-rays but I snapped one on a ride a few weeks ago and I noticed that the tension is very high in this wheel. Since I have built a number of wheels (not as many as you), I have the Wheelsmith spoke tension meter. After reading this thread, I put my Wheelsmith on that wheel and every spoke, although fairly uniform, comes in at 70 on the gauge. My question is: is it advisable to uniformly reduce spoke tension in a wheel built 10 years ago, or is 70 ok?

By the way, I lost contact with Lyle about 6-7 years ago. Does anyone know where he went from Georgia?

[buldogge]

I'm not Peter...and...you should hold his answer in higher accord, for sure...but...I use 65-70 on the Wheelsmith gauge for CXs and Lasers on front wheels and DS rears usually...FWIW. This all really depends on the rim used of course.

-Mark in St. Louis

Peter (if I have your name right),

I have a front wheel built by Lyle Strickland of Spin Lite cycling about ten years ago. It has 28 cx-rays in a 2X pattern. I have had excellent luck with cx-rays but I snapped one on a ride a few weeks ago and I noticed that the tension is very high in this wheel. Since I have built a number of wheels (not as many as you), I have the Wheelsmith spoke tension meter. After reading this thread, I put my Wheelsmith on that wheel and every spoke, although fairly uniform, comes in at 70 on the gauge. My question is: is it advisable to uniformly reduce spoke tension in a wheel built 10 years ago, or is 70 ok?

By the way, I lost contact with Lyle about 6-7 years ago. Does anyone know where he went from Georgia?

[ergott]

What's the point of using a tensiometer for absolute tension readings when you don't even know if the number correctly coincides with the spoke? Unless you are willing to get a calibrated reading off a known spoke's tension you are shooting in the dark.

I don't have the answer to the original inquiry and it's the main reason I switched to a more reliable tensiometer (FSA which was the predecessor to the current Wheel Fanatyk offering).

I was recently tasked with the warranty replacement of a couple rims from wheels built by a rather large house brand. I got tension readings of 160kgf for the drive side rear. No wonder the rim couldn't take it.

Tensiometers are useless if you don't have them calibrated to the spoke and tension you regularly use.

[buldogge]

^^^In my case, I use it tested against similar/same spokes on wheels built with "better" tensionometers, and by more experienced "builders"...FWIW.

-Mark

[oldpotatoe]

Peter (if I have your name right),

I have a front wheel built by Lyle Strickland of Spin Lite cycling about ten years ago. It has 28 cx-rays in a 2X pattern. I have had excellent luck with cx-rays but I snapped one on a ride a few weeks ago and I noticed that the tension is very high in this wheel. Since I have built a number of wheels (not as many as you), I have the Wheelsmith spoke tension meter. After reading this thread, I put my Wheelsmith on that wheel and every spoke, although fairly uniform, comes in at 70 on the gauge. My question is: is it advisable to uniformly reduce spoke tension in a wheel built 10 years ago, or is 70 ok?

By the way, I lost contact with Lyle about 6-7 years ago. Does anyone know where he went from Georgia?

70 seems high for that spoke. A 14/15 reads about 55 or so on my wheelsmith for about 110kgf. Thinner spoke should read less for the same tension. But sure, reduce tension but I don't think you broke a spoke because of tension. Usually low/erratic tension because of a warped/bent rim.

[dcama5]

70 seems high for that spoke. A 14/15 reads about 55 or so on my wheelsmith for about 110kgf. Thinner spoke should read less for the same tension. But sure, reduce tension but I don't think you broke a spoke because of tension. Usually low/erratic tension because of a warped/bent rim.

Thanks Peter.

[dcama5]

What's the point of using a tensiometer for absolute tension readings when you don't even know if the number correctly coincides with the spoke? Unless you are willing to get a calibrated reading off a known spoke's tension you are shooting in the dark.

I don't have the answer to the original inquiry and it's the main reason I switched to a more reliable tensiometer (FSA which was the predecessor to the current Wheel Fanatyk offering).

I was recently tasked with the warranty replacement of a couple rims from wheels built by a rather large house brand. I got tension readings of 160kgf for the drive side rear. No wonder the rim couldn't take it.

Tensiometers are useless if you don't have them calibrated to the spoke and tension you regularly use.

Yes, that's the whole issue. The Wheelsmith tensiometer does not list a recommendation for cx-rays. Peter mentioned the setting he considers appropriate for those spokes, but some of it has to be an educated guess. Since Peter builds a ton of wheels, I thought I would ask.

However, uniformity of tension is as important as a particular number, and the tensiometer can tell you if you have uniformity of tension on all spokes regardless of the number used.

[dcama5]

I'm not Peter...and...you should hold his answer in higher accord, for sure...but...I use 65-70 on the Wheelsmith gauge for CXs and Lasers on front wheels and DS rears usually...FWIW. This all really depends on the rim used of course.

-Mark in St. Louis

Thanks Mark. Lyle built great wheels (I don't know what he is doing now, I have lost touch and, as far as I know, he is no longer in Georgia) but your point is valid in my mind.

[oldpotatoe]

Thanks Mark. Lyle built great wheels (I don't know what he is doing now, I have lost touch and, as far as I know, he is no longer in Georgia) but your point is valid in my mind.

Another suggestion, email Fairwheel and ask them. Or maybe Sapim altho they are in Belgium.

[ergott]

However, uniformity of tension is as important as a particular number, and the tensiometer can tell you if you have uniformity of tension on all spokes regardless of the number used.

That's just as easily done with relative pitch of the spoke. Once you achieve the correct tension and hear the pitch it's faster to pluck the spokes for uniformity. A couple of verifications with the tensiometer as you get close and you are done.

What good is uniformity of you are uniformly too high or low?

[dcama5]

That's just as easily done with relative pitch of the spoke. Once you achieve the correct tension and hear the pitch it's faster to pluck the spokes for uniformity. A couple of verifications with the tensiometer as you get close and you are done.

What good is uniformity of you are uniformly too high or low?

Your recommendation still utilizes the tensiometer. You can use pitch, tone, etc, that's up to you. But then you say "a couple verifications with the tensiometer". Why not just skip the pitch and tone stuff if you have a tensiometer?

Some wheelbuilders think uniformity of tension is priority number one. The recommended tension is a range, not an absolute number - like heart rate or blood pressure, but uniformity is either on or off.

[ergott]

Why not just skip the pitch and tone stuff if you have a tensiometer?


You are talking to a musician here. I can run around the wheel plucking the spokes far faster than using a tensiometer on each spoke. That's how I even up the tension on a given side of a wheel.

Of course uniform tension is important. I never said otherwise. You would be surprised how far off you can be if you use a tensiometer wrong. I've seen it in other builder's work many times. The result is either premature rim failure or a wheel that goes out of true when spokes go slack (more of a rear wheel issue).

You have two wheel builders on here and one is using 30 and the other 65-70. That's a pretty drastic difference in resulting tension. I'm not familiar with the Wheelsmith so I can't comment on what is correct. A CX-Ray isn't a similar spoke to the Laser with regards to using that kind of tensiometer because it uses a very strong sideload on the spoke. The FSA I use and the current Wheel Fanatyk uses far less pressure on the spoke so it's more accurate. That tensiometer is effected by both the cross sectional area of the spoke as well as it's thickness where measured.

If someone can verify CX-Rays after having a known tension from another tensiometer that's proven to be accurate you should have a good number to work with but be prepared for about a 10% margin of error with the Wheelsmith.

[oldpotatoe]

You are talking to a musician here. I can run around the wheel plucking the spokes far faster than using a tensiometer on each spoke. That's how I even up the tension on a given side of a wheel.

Of course uniform tension is important. I never said otherwise. You would be surprised how far off you can be if you use a tensiometer wrong. I've seen it in other builder's work many times. The result is either premature rim failure or a wheel that goes out of true when spokes go slack (more of a rear wheel issue).

You have two wheel builders on here and one is using 30 and the other 65-70. That's a pretty drastic difference in resulting tension. I'm not familiar with the Wheelsmith so I can't comment on what is correct. A CX-Ray isn't a similar spoke to the Laser with regards to using that kind of tensiometer because it uses a very strong sideload on the spoke. The FSA I use and the current Wheel Fanatyk uses far less pressure on the spoke so it's more accurate. That tensiometer is effected by both the cross sectional area of the spoke as well as it's thickness where measured.

If someone can verify CX-Rays after having a known tension from another tensiometer that's proven to be accurate you should have a good number to work with but be prepared for about a 10% margin of error with the Wheelsmith.

I don't use '30', I use a DT dial tension meter which has a chart for Aerolites, same dimension spoke. Just trying to give the OP a rough place to start.
I'm also able to use the tension meter all around the wheel...faster doesn't enter into wheel building for me. I'm not a musician either. Not sure why this has become an argument. I agree, ask Fairwheel that builds with cx-rays a lot( I don't) or compare to a properly built wheel using CX-Rays.

[ergott]

I don't use '30', I use a DT dial tension meter which has a chart for Aerolites, same dimension spoke. Just trying to give the OP a rough place to start.

Didn't realize you are using 30 for the DT. Reading the Wheelsmith chart there are a few spokes that are "close" to the CX-Ray, but not quite. Each column will result in significantly different results.

[dcama5]

You are talking to a musician here. I can run around the wheel plucking the spokes far faster than using a tensiometer on each spoke. That's how I even up the tension on a given side of a wheel.

Of course uniform tension is important. I never said otherwise. You would be surprised how far off you can be if you use a tensiometer wrong. I've seen it in other builder's work many times. The result is either premature rim failure or a wheel that goes out of true when spokes go slack (more of a rear wheel issue).

You have two wheel builders on here and one is using 30 and the other 65-70. That's a pretty drastic difference in resulting tension. I'm not familiar with the Wheelsmith so I can't comment on what is correct. A CX-Ray isn't a similar spoke to the Laser with regards to using that kind of tensiometer because it uses a very strong sideload on the spoke. The FSA I use and the current Wheel Fanatyk uses far less pressure on the spoke so it's more accurate. That tensiometer is effected by both the cross sectional area of the spoke as well as it's thickness where measured.

If someone can verify CX-Rays after having a known tension from another tensiometer that's proven to be accurate you should have a good number to work with but be prepared for about a 10% margin of error with the Wheelsmith.

If you are a musician and want to use pitch, that's fine. I don't have that ability, so I use a spoke tensiometer. Although Wheelsmith does not list values for cx-rays, sometimes you can get to the right value with experience, that's why I asked Peter his opinion (and I assume it's why the original poster asked the question). Anyway, I learned from Peter's comments as well as the poster that mentioned the 65.

[oldpotatoe]

Didn't realize you are using 30 for the DT. Reading the Wheelsmith chart there are a few spokes that are "close" to the CX-Ray, but not quite. Each column will result in significantly different results.

I'm not using '30' on the DT. The guy said he had a WS meter, I trundled out to shop to look at my backup tension meter, the WS, which has a column for bladed spokes, .9mm thickness and 120kgf is a number around '30'. If I had a Aerolites or Cx-Ray wheel, I'd use the DT meter and the chart for Aerolites.

Yeegads.

[fuzzalow]

Yeegads.

:o HaHa! I kinda expect some readers not to follow what I write but this happening to you is a whole different kind of disconnect.

All kidding aside, the tip ergott dropped earlier about using pitch to identify and target equalizing tension in zones across the wheel is a kernel of golden wisdom. Lotta ways to solve a problem and there was life before tensiometers.

Also in fairness, using pitch will help identify imbalance in tension across the wheel but it won't correlate to a tension pressure so you might still need a tensiometer to validate the amount of tension pressure currently wound into the wheel. You musicians will know the different length of the spokes used in each build vary the pitch for a given tension so A-440 means nothing on another wheel. You then wind more or less tension into the wheel to meet specification on the build.

I play guitar but I'd never dare call myself a musician. You don't need perfect pitch to build a wheel, relative pitch will do and that's not too difficult.

[parallelfish]

I have both the Wheelsmith and Wheel Fanatyk tensiometers, as well as wheels built with CX-Ray spokes. My spokes measure .095 mm.

Measuring one spoke with the Wheel Fanatyk indicates 95kgf. The same spoke gives a reading of 35 on the Wheelsmith tool. So somewhere in the range of 35-40 would seem reasonable on my Wheelsmith tool (certainly calibration varies among examples of the tool).

Cannot imagine 70 - it is off the chart.

[buldogge]

Dunno...I'm no wheelbuilder...but...I just ran to the basement and checked a variety of wheels using the Wheelsmith tool. All F or R DS read ~70 and the R NDS ~35.

Reynold DV46T UL/factory built/ DT Aerolite/F, NDS R
HED Belgium T/factory built/dunno if CX or DT Aerolite F
Corima 42mm/builder unknown, checked/trued/re-tensioned locally/Wheelsmith bladed spokes F

???

-Mark in St. Louis

I have both the Wheelsmith and Wheel Fanatyk tensiometers, as well as wheels built with CX-Ray spokes. My spokes measure .095 mm.

Measuring one spoke with the Wheel Fanatyk indicates 95kgf. The same spoke gives a reading of 35 on the Wheelsmith tool. So somewhere in the range of 35-40 would seem reasonable on my Wheelsmith tool (certainly calibration varies among examples of the tool).

Cannot imagine 70 - it is off the chart.

[parallelfish]

Dunno...I'm no wheelbuilder...but...I just ran to the basement and checked a variety of wheels using the Wheelsmith tool. All F or R DS read ~70 and the R NDS ~35.

Reynold DV46T UL/factory built/ DT Aerolite/F, NDS R
HED Belgium T/factory built/dunno if CX or DT Aerolite F
Corima 42mm/builder unknown, checked/trued/re-tensioned locally/Wheelsmith bladed spokes F

???

-Mark in St. Louis

Bladed spokes vary greatly. For instance my Wheelsmith calibration indicates a reading of 45 = 146 kgf for a 15 gauge Wheelsmith bladed spoke, and a reading of 60 = 151 kgf for a 14 gauge Wheelsmith bladed spoke.

The measurements I took were on a CX spoke. Yours, on a variety of unidentified spokes. Perhaps yours are all of a lighter gauge? Can't make an association if what is being measured is unknown.

[foo_fighter]

Did you know you could send it in for a new calibration/chart?
http://www.wheelfanatyk.com/blog/never-too-late-to-calibrate/


Does anybody have any experience measuring spoke tension on the Sapim CX Ray spokes with the Wheelsmith tensiometer? This is my first wheelbuild with CX Rays, and I have a couple issues. Most of the wheels I build have been Sapim Lasers.

I have the calibration chart, but it is from 2003, long before these kind of aerospokes were common, so I am basically flying blind. I am not expecting anyone to come up with a calibration curve, just curious how others handle this.

The other issue is that CX Rays are so flimsy that I am not reaching the minimum reading of the tensiometer on the non-drive side spokes. For those not familiar with the Wheelsmith tool, it has marks from 10 to 100 that are read like a Vernier scale. The non-drive side spokes do not even make a reading. I am building with a carbon rim and cannot take the drive side spokes over 120 kgf.

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions?

[oldpotatoe]

I have both the Wheelsmith and Wheel Fanatyk tensiometers, as well as wheels built with CX-Ray spokes. My spokes measure .095 mm.

Measuring one spoke with the Wheel Fanatyk indicates 95kgf. The same spoke gives a reading of 35 on the Wheelsmith tool. So somewhere in the range of 35-40 would seem reasonable on my Wheelsmith tool (certainly calibration varies among examples of the tool).

Cannot imagine 70 - it is off the chart.

Huzza..asked and answered, finally-thank you.

[dcama5]

Dunno...I'm no wheelbuilder...but...I just ran to the basement and checked a variety of wheels using the Wheelsmith tool. All F or R DS read ~70 and the R NDS ~35.

Reynold DV46T UL/factory built/ DT Aerolite/F, NDS R
HED Belgium T/factory built/dunno if CX or DT Aerolite F
Corima 42mm/builder unknown, checked/trued/re-tensioned locally/Wheelsmith bladed spokes F

???

-Mark in St. Louis

Yes, me too. Without any objective data, I checked my front wheel with cx-rays against my Wheelsmith, and just as you say, 70 all the way around. So, here is my mentation about this: Lyle Strickland built many cx-ray wheels and he built this one. It is over ten years old and I have never trued it once. I broke a spoke recently, but after 10 years... So, what do I do? Going with my instinct about the probablity due to all the opinions on this thread, I am reducing the tension in this wheel, but, not by much. Maybe down to 60 or 65 on the gauge. It's an educated and biased guess, we will see.

[dcama5]

That's just as easily done with relative pitch of the spoke. Once you achieve the correct tension and hear the pitch it's faster to pluck the spokes for uniformity. A couple of verifications with the tensiometer as you get close and you are done.

What good is uniformity of you are uniformly too high or low?

Eric, I finally get it! For some reason, probably because I do not have your ability with pitch, I could not figure out why anyone would use pitch if they had a reliable tensiometer. Now I understand your system and it sounds like a great approach.

I learned a lot from your comments, as well as Peter's, buldogges, and the others and I hope the original poster did as well.

I can tell you that I cannot drop tension in this wheel down to 35 on the Wheelsmith gauge because that would make the wheel unrideable. I did go down to 65 on the gauge and when I hand-squeeze the spokes, the tension feels (subjectively) similar to what I have in other wheels. Thanks for your comments, those are some great wheels on your website.

[Jeff Borisch]

Getting used to using pitch makes it much easier to work on a wheel that needs truing. It's not always the spoke closest to the top of the bump that needs tightening.

Also it helped cure me from chasing perfection in trueness. If tension is high enough and even and it's true enough that it looks perfect on the bike, I call it good.

[ergott]

Glad I could help. 👍

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[staggerwing]

Some make this way too complicated. It isn't that difficult to calibrate a tension meter, even if you don't have a table for it. From what I've seen, they all operate on a 3-point bending principle. It is not difficult to make a simple fixture, which hangs the spoke, and apply a 100kgf as a dead weight. To start, note that 1 liter of water 'weighs' 1 kgf. It would take 100 liters of H20 (basically 220lbf) to generate a 100kgf load on the spoke. You could use a 10:1 lever arm to make this whole ordeal a bit easier. Ping back if you want a schematic on this.

Note 'kgf' is in quotes, because kgf really isn't a proper measure of force. In the engineering/physics world, force is measured in Newtons and kilograms is a measure of mass.

[Mark McM]

It is perfectly legitimate to use kgf (kilogram-force) as a force measurement. It has a long history and has a well defined magnitude (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilogram-force). It is just as legitimate as using lbm (pound-mass) as a mass measurement.

[TimD]

I recently compared readings taken with an older Wheelsmith tensiometer with those taken with a brand new Park TM-1.

There was a difference of about 30%, with the WS unit reading low.

So either the WS meter was under-representing the tension or the Park was reading high. I'm inclined to believe the Park, simply because it is new.

The WS documentation made mention of factory recalibration but I think the manufacturers may have exited the business.

[foo_fighter]

Wheel Fanatyk will do the recal.



The WS documentation made mention of factory recalibration but I think the manufacturers may have exited the business.

[dwb]

Yes, me too. Without any objective data, I checked my front wheel with cx-rays against my Wheelsmith, and just as you say, 70 all the way around.

Which way are you orienting the tensiometer? From my interpretation of the manual, the tensiometer should push against the flat side of the spoke, and not against the bladed edge. I tensioned the spokes up to about 30, which measure about 70 the wrong way.

[oldpotatoe]

Wheel Fanatyk will do the recal.

I sent an email to Wheel Fanatyk and asked them, Rick there was on the bottom floor at Wheelsmith onceuponatime. ..plus if anybody has a used Morizumi spoke cutter/threader for sale....I want one.

And for right above..yes, flat part of spoke, tension meter perpendicular to wheel.

[TimD]

I sent an email to Wheel Fanatyk and asked them, Rick there was on the bottom floor at Wheelsmith onceuponatime. ..

Might I ask if you received a response and if so what it was?

Thanks.

[parallelfish]

Which way are you orienting the tensiometer? From my interpretation of the manual, the tensiometer should push against the flat side of the spoke, and not against the bladed edge. I tensioned the spokes up to about 30, which measure about 70 the wrong way.

You may have resolved the conundrum. Magically, if I take the reading incorrectly with the Wheelsmith tool, as you describe, 35 becomes 70.

[oldpotatoe]

Might I ask if you received a response and if so what it was?

Thanks.

Haven't yet.

[dcama5]

Which way are you orienting the tensiometer? From my interpretation of the manual, the tensiometer should push against the flat side of the spoke, and not against the bladed edge. I tensioned the spokes up to about 30, which measure about 70 the wrong way.

Yes, that may be the case.

[parallelfish]

I didn't try it yet, but if you orient the gauge perpendicular to the flats, the spoke will bend easier and the reading will be dramatically reduced.

It will not take Carnac to predict where that reading is going to fall.

[dcama5]

It will not take Carnac to predict where that reading is going to fall.

What does that mean?

[dcama5]

dwb,

It's interesting that you posted the original question in this thread and then supplied the most reasonable answer to the most debated question in the thread. Thanks.

The comment that Fish seemed to dislike (and so I deleted) was that I was wondering if I had the gauge on wrong but never tried the other orientation because my gauge has two little divets in the arms that fit perfectly into the edges of the spoke and tend to (at least in part) dictate the orientation. I guess I wasn't persistent enough.

I have also decided that after 10 years, this wheel has served me well, so if I break more spokes I will just ask Peter or Eric to build me another one. It looks like they are both excellent wheel builders.

[parallelfish]

What does that mean?

Only that you had confirmed how the reading of 70 was obtained. The results are not going to be a surprise once the measurement is taken properly.

[parallelfish]

The comment that Fish seemed to dislike

Just the opposite - I was glad you made that post. It closed the loop on how the measurement was obtained.

The question now is that, based upon the faulty measurement, did you reduce tension on a wheel that was already properly tensioned?

[dcama5]

Just the opposite - I was glad you made that post. It closed the loop on how the measurement was obtained.

The question now is that, based upon the faulty measurement, did you reduce tension on a wheel that was already properly tensioned?

Thanks, I am always willing to reword a post if it's confusing in any way. No, it still reads 70 all the way around in my usual wrong tensiometer configuration. I was just about to reduce tension but waited just a little while because I had one problem that I could not answer: Lyle Strickland built the wheel and he built numerous cx-ray wheels, so if it lasted 10 years with no problem, then how could the tension be that far off? Anyway, I guess that's been answered now: the tension isn't off. It's me!:)

[oldpotatoe]

But I got an answer from Ric, formerly 'Mr Wheelsmith', and he said

"Thickness is 95% the variable so a column for an 0.9mm thick spoke works whether the spoke is round, partially, or extremely bladed. This is true for all tensiometers that use deflection to determine tension."

So, look at the far right column, put tension meter perpendicular to wheel..read tension...

[dcama5]

Thanks Peter!

[ergott]

Thanks!

[Jeff Borisch]

But I got an answer from Ric, formerly 'Mr Wheelsmith', and he said

"Thickness is 95% the variable so a column for an 0.9mm thick spoke works whether the spoke is round, partially, or extremely bladed. This is true for all tensiometers that use deflection to determine tension."


So if you measure the tension of an extremely bladed spoke the wrong way, the wheel is obviously going to appear to be be very evenly tensioned.