How-To/Mechanics: Wheelbuilding without tensionmeter?

is this possible or ok? I've heard of tensioning by sound, but dunno if I'd be skilled enough to do that. As I am in the middle of no where, there are no bike kitchens or DIY places which would have tools to use.

the cost it seems to get a wheel built (for one wheel) is 50 bucks + spokes.

Is it worth forgoing this cost by building it myself without any sort of tensioning tools? or would the possibility of being under tensioned not be worth forgoing that cost?

Truing stand can be improvised with zip ties and the frame. But the tension I'm worried about.

Posted By: socal3renshodepends on the quality wheel your willing to take a chance on, improperly tensioned wheels can go from rolling along, to pile of crap in no time. With the result being an un-rebuildable hoop.

sigh. . . its a mavic track hub to Open 4 Cd's

prolly not worth the risk . . .

Hmm, didnt think about that, checking tension at a shop before riding, Duh . . . shoulda thought of that.

i guess I can build it at home after all! :)

When I laced up my tb-14s all I had was a nipple tool, I did take my sweet time building it though. Took them to a shop a few days after I felt I was done with it, checked out ok.

Posted By: veggieI have honestly never used a tensionmeter.

I would recommend that you have a go at it...set aside a week or two for your first wheel and work on it perhaps an hour at a time. bit here and a bit there.
The park tool tensiometer is a good investment if you think you will be building more wheels in the future.
Once you know what 50kgf, 80kgf, 100kgf, 120kgf etc etc feels like, you probably wont pick up the tensiometer that often.
Perhaps start with a front wheel...and lube your spoke threads and nipple shoulders/seats well.

Posted By: veggie

• veggie
• CommentTime11 hours ago

quote

I have honestly never used a tensionmeter.

I judge spoke tension by hand feel comparing to other hand-built wheels. If you're too low, might start to work loose while you ride; too high and the nipple will begin to get mangled and strip. I did have one wheel start to come loose early on in my wheelbuilding "career" but it was no big deal and I was able to re-true it at higher tension when I got home.

On radial builds you can pluck the spokes like guitar strings, but DON'T try to "tune it" 100%. Just get them all in the neighborhood. A well-built wheel will always have some tension differences due to stress variation in the rim from curve-rolling out of the extruder.

If you're dropping money, get a real wheelbuilding stand first. Park TS2. You'll use it for life. I see them pretty often used on CL.

I haven't done that much wheel building but I use the sound of the spokes as a guide and it works quite well. I also use an old frame or a fork in a vise as a truing stand. Unless you just want to be able to say "I built this wheel" then I'd let the folks who know build your wheels. The only reason I mess with it is because I've got parts and I just want to do it myself. Wheel building is also one of those tasks that gets much easier after a few wheels so why not start learning, I just wouldn't practice on some hi dollar stuff.

It's not a black art.

There are a few tricks to doing it right.

Use some sort of a guide for wheel lacing, either a book or an internet website.

The most important is lubricating the nipples, both the threaded part and where they seat into the rim.

When you lace the wheel screw on the nipples so that one thread is showing. Always start at the valve stem hole (so you know where you started and where to end) and tighten the spokes gradually, same amount for each spoke. This will give you uniform tension and give the wheel roundness.

When the wheel get tension on it and you are done truing and getting it round (no up and down) make your tension adjustments 1/4 turn per spoke at a time. This will keep you from getting halfway around the wheel and having it be too tight already and now egg-shaped.

You can judge tension off an existing wheel, but many factory wheels are way too tight. If you have a buddy at a shop take your built wheel to them and have them check it with a tensiometer. Ask them how to use it, and what the number values are all about and to see the Park chart that the numbers come from. Front wheels have lower tension, and rear wheels with multispeed freewheels or cassettes will have more tension on the drive side.