MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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After riding the Quantocks and having a few sideways moments I decided that there was something wrong with my back wheel rather than my ability. It was definitely lacking some tension or something.
I tightened up every spoke by exactly 1/2 a turn of my spoke key and it definitely felt stiffer.
A) Should you be able to easily tighten every spoke by 1/2 a turn?
B) Can you explain why all of the drive side spokes seemed slightly tighter than all of the non-drive side spokes?
C) Am I going to die horribly as my wheel explodes next time I ride?
A) Sounds like it was a bit loose to me!
B) The driveside flange is usually closer to the centre of the hub
C) No but it probably needs truing
It is still straight. I was surprised how little effect tightening the spokes actually had but I guess that suggests they were too loose
tension should be even across all spokes DS and NDS.
Play a tune on them with an allen key if you dont have a tension meter.
After tensioning, de-stress the spokes by flexing the wheel across the plane of the spokes. You should hear the odd ping. Then re-tension again.
Crude technique, hardly pro-style, but it's served me well - none of my wheels have gone out of true, and they're all big-rimmed 29ers.
you need to put the axle on a firm surface and with the wheel horizontal, press the rim down at intervals all the way round - it'll help it settle in.
best way to check for tension is to 'ping' the spokes with a finger nail or plectrum - they shouldn't sound flat and should all be roughly the same noise on each side.
have you got a 'known good' wheel to compare with?
I have done the pushing the wheel sideways to get rid of the 'pings' and the wheel is true.
my only concern is that all of the DS spokes were tighter than all of the NDS spokes. It seemed strange. They all make roughly the same note when it twang them with an allen key now though.
I would have thought that if all spokes on one side of the wheel were tighter than all spokes on the other, the rim would move towards the tight side to even things out.
in the bad old days of v brakes - youd build a drive side tighter than the non drive to combat drive stresses - these days with disks - i tend to build near as dammit the same tension
what rims are they ?
stans rims dont like high tension - as a result i find they come loose and require more TLC than mavics or Dt rims
DS spokes are always tighter*... because they do indeed need to move the rim towards the tight (drive) side, so as to leave room at the hub for the cassette.
Tighter is good, to a point, which is why the most common spoke breakages are rear non-drive side.
* except possibly for 150mm hubs, or some SS-specific hubs, or with some rims that have offset spoke holes.
Thanks to the last 2 posters. I think that answers my query. Mavic rims BTW
WCA - I have a (cheap but works) wheel jig and a park tools tension meter you can borrow if you like. I'm only down the road from you.
Can't claim to be an expert but my wheels seem to be staying up ok!
Cheers DT but I am fine. I was just puzzled by the difference in tension side to side. The wheel is straight and less flexy now.
DS spokes will have a higher pitched 'ping' cos they are shorter....
No?
WCA; get hold of the jig, and I'll show you how to build a wheel next weekend, innit? Don't need the tensionometer.
And your wheels can qualify for an Elfinsafety Certificate.
Might want to check dish after tensioning one side only (even if they were loose!)
Elf - check your email about next weekend.
I am happy playing with wheels and have even built them in the past but only using trial and error rather than knowing what I was doing.
I was wondering if the difference in tension explained why the wheel seemed to flex and slide more one way than the other when hurtling down the hills
Well let me know if you change your mind and want to borrow the kit. From what I've been told having even spoke tension is the key to a strong wheel, I was quite surprised how all over the place one of my more 'flexy' wheels (built by SS) was when I bought the tension meter. Seems to be holding up fine now I've spent hours getting it as close as I can.
Btw I'll be in lordswood this evening for a little ride 6-7.30ish.
Any news on the bikepark?
WCA; wheelbuilding is not the black art some would make out. Lots of nonsense waffled to make it seem that it can only be done by certain clever folk with certain equipment. Nonsense. Anyone can do it, without any special equipment other than a spoke key. I've done all mine using a bike frame as a jig, and they've all bin fine. Stay true for ever.
Messing about with tensionometers and tuning forks and other paraphernalia is just silly. Some mechanics do this to try and make their work look more valuable than it actually is. I had no training, used another wheel as a guide to do me first, and have built loads since. Never had a failure or even a broken spoke with any of 'em. I'd trust my own built wheels over anyone else's.