Bicycle Mechanics - Spoke tension tricks?

Are there any tricks to checking that spoke tension is even? I am poor, so can't afford new tools (this is why I am now having to do this myself). Worse yet, I have spoiled myself by training on my race wheels (this is a mt bike) and have been breaking spokes like mad. :rolleyes: Thanks for the help, now that I have found this forum I'll be here quite a bit.

Cheers :beer:

I believe they should be firm if you squeezed a pair of spokes. Go around the entire wheel this way. I'd say if it feels like you might round off the spoke nipple then you should consider another method like loosening the opposite side. I've just mastered the art of straightening my back wheel which seems to get bent often enough. Maybe you need a heavier duty wheel. I know on my dirtbike I can almost never tighten a spoke too much.

Cannondale

Thanks, I am running a ceramic Bontrager Mustang (a tough rim). But .... they are, i think, 0 guage spokes. Does that make sense? If so, are these suckers prone to breaking? I got these wheels through a complicated trade with a friend (they also have Nukeproof hubs ... which have a tarnished reputation).

Originally posted by Rotifer
Are there any tricks to checking that spoke tension is even? I am poor, :beer:
What struck me with your posting is the one above your are poor only when you think your poor, beleive me Rotifer, your not poor, coz, you can still enjoy riding your bike and that isthe one luxury we have that they can not deny that to us

Very true my friend. Many times I look down at my bike and marvel at what a cool machine it is and the pleasure it allows me. But, this can be hard to remember when I am repairing another broken spoke! :cry:

Pluck the spokes (http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm) near the nipple (http://yarchive.net/bike/spoke_tone.html), and listen to the tone.

Cool, thanks for the link.

Originally posted by roadbuzz
Pluck the spokes near the nipple, and listen to the tone.

You could say you are giving your wheels a "tune-up."

ha ha ... very true. Sing to me baby.

Originally posted by Rotifer
Cool, thanks for the link.
There are two, did you see both? Plucking spokes, even if you have a good ear, is only so-so.

Yes, I saw both ... it seems that you would need to have quite the ear to hit the notes they mention. Hmmmm maybe it would be worth picking up an osciliscope?