Spoke Wheel

0

Posted by admin | Posted in Parts And Stuff | Posted on 20-07-2011

Tags: bicycle, bike, cycling, diy, spoke wheel brush, spoke wheel cleaner, spoke wheel weights, spoke wheels, spoke wheels for harley davidson, wheelbuilding

Spoke Wheel

Spoke Wheel
How to check spoke tension on a wheel?

My front road wheel make a ping sound when I stand up (more weight to the front). It seems like the tension for one of the spokes is too little, or at least off. Is there a way to check or do just have to wait until the wheel to start becoming untrue?

It could be something other than spoke tension causing this...if your rim has eyelets sometimes they ping, or if you have a low-spoke performance wheel it could be that your extra body weight when you stand is simply causing the wheel to flex (in either direction) and the spokes to rub where they cross (or the nipples to shift in their seats). There's the chance that the rim joint could be flexing as well if the rim isn't welded, although that's much less likely if it happens every time you stand.

So....first, use a guitar pick or your fingernail to pluck each spoke on one side of the wheel a few inches down from the rim (about in the middle of the nipple and the spoke crossings). Listen to the tone, and pluck the next spoke on that side of the rim. Go around the rim....in a new, properly built wheel all of those spokes should be close to the same pitch. If you find a spoke or group that is noticeably higher or lower in pitch, then you have some tension issues that may be able to be corrected. Keep in mind that oftentimes due to damaged wheels or imperfect hoops (which is most of them, in reality) the spoke tensions won't be all the same....that's just how wheel truing goes. Do this for both sides and make the call.

They do sell spoke tensiometers, but they're expensive tools and really their best advantage is for an already-skilled professional wheel builder to help make their job quicker. They aren't necessary for most wheels and you can certainly do a professional job without them.

If the spokes seem ok, then put a very tiny drop of light oil on each spoke nipple where it exits the rim....you can do this on both sides of the rim if you want to and if you don't mind removing your rim tape from the inside to do this. Try to get some of that drop of oil around the eyelets, too, and then wipe everything up so that you don't attract a bunch of dust. In the first ride or two, that should show you if it was just a clanky nipple making the noise.

Hope this helps you out some....if you still have the problem then post up again here or run the wheel by a shop to have them take a look at it (as well as rule out any hub/bearing related problems). Good luck! )