Originally Posted by
Jeff Neese
Here are a few:
Linked above, has charts for different types of spokes. Uses the Park Tool TM-1 readings but includes conversion tables.
The Complete Guide To Wheel Spokes Tension
A bit more comprehensive and includes readings for several common tensiometers, for different spokes.
Spoke tension tables - A database of tension meters and spoke tension charts
And for those that just don't want to buy a tensiometer, Sheldon Brown produced this chart detailing specifications by musical pitch. I have heard of people using a guitar tuning app. Obviously professional wheelbuilders have a tensiometer, but this could be helpful for the home DIYer that wants to perform a rough check.
Check Spoke Tension by Ear
These were all from the first page of Google results so these charts and tables aren't hard to find.
Many people go to great lengths to check things on their bike, especially a new mail-order bike, a used bike, or as part of their preseason checkout, but wheels don't seem to be part of that. Folks check tire condition and air pressure, shifting performance, braking, and all sorts of other things before getting on the bike and riding it. It seems that a lot of people don't check spoke tension as part of that, and are then shocked when they start breaking spokes.
well, alot of us grew up riding bikes, never considred that a wheel would not be manufactured to carry someone's weight. Even when I was heavier and got a department store bike, never considered that it would give me a problem (which it didnt and because of that I got started cycling again)... but these were the 70's style of department store bikes: hey had more spokes, the wheels were 26 inch rather than the 700c. Eventually, I did start to break spokes on those wheels but not really because of weight, it was because I was used to not really caring for the bike, I rode it in rain, and treated it like I did when I was younger. In fact, I didn't know how to get another wheel for it, so I sold it looking for another one but at that time there was a shift from the "strong department store bike" to the "bike shaped objects" that walmart or target now sells. I was and still am kind annoyed by that shift and I have to say I was astonished how much a drop bar bike cost at that time at an lbs...