What tension should spokes be?
Before measuring spoke tension, it’s a good idea to determine what ideal tension should be. Consulting with your rim’s manufacturer is a great place to start. Most rims have suggested ranges from 100 to 120 Kilograms-force, or 980 to 1177 Newtons.
How do I know if my spokes need tightening?
If your spokes are so loose they rattle, they’re providing virtually no strength to the wheel structure. It’s no better than if that spoke were missing or broken. It’s a big indicator that your bike wheels need truing.
How important is even spoke tension?
Spoke tension is important to ensure your wheels are strong, reliable and long lasting. Spokes that are too loose will continue to loosen and require constant wheel truing. Spokes that are too tight will cause damage to the rim, spoke nipples and hub flanges.
Can you ride with a loose spoke?
Never ride with a loose spoke. The friction created will cause the rider to burst into flames and may even cause the Earth to slip off it’s axis.
How often should I tighten my spokes?
Generally it is preferable to tighten spokes rather than loosening them – spokes may loosen themselves over time if they are run too loose, but they will not tighten up on their own.
How to check spoke tension on a wheel?
Check spoke tension on a wheel which is reasonably true. On a radially-spoked wheel or one whose spokes are not laced, you can pluck one spoke at a time. If spokes are laced, pluck them where they cross. You will then be listening to the sound of two spokes at once. If the tension of two laced spokes is very different, you will hear a dull thud.
Why are under Tensioned spokes especially susceptible to fatigue?
Under-tensioned spokes are especially susceptible to this strain. While there is nothing that can be done to avoid spoke fatigue per se, even spoke tension ensures that it develops at the same rate for every spoke.
Why are spokes important to a wheel builder?
Most riders will judge the quality of a wheel by how round and true it is, however, a wheelbuilder’s primary concern is spoke tension. As a wheel turns, the spokes are loaded and unloaded and it is the repetition of this strain that takes its toll, especially at the head of the spoke.
Why does spoke tension have to be the same on both sides?
Since it’s generally asymmetric (let’s leave track wheels aside), bracing angles won’t be exact same for both sides, therefore tension must differ also. This is all because of a process, called dishing, where at the finished wheel, the rim should stand in the middle of the hub’s centerline.