I like the Wheel Fanatyk meter. It's better and cheaper than a DT, and half the price of the digital version of the DT.
YOu need to measure tension to build a reliable wheel. back when we had 5 speed wheels, everyone went by feel and we broke a lot of spokes. The margin for error when tensioning a 10 speed wheel is so thin that no one can do it reliably with measuring.
A Park TM-1 is ok for amateur wheel builders, but the Wheel Fanatyk is good enough for quality control even for the best builders. The electronic dial is a little easier to use and cool, but maybe it's also overkill for amateurs.
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Last edited by eddy m; 01-23-12 at 10:13 AM.