Spoke tension
 

I have just invested in a spoke tensioner. I tightened all the spokes to the same tension but now the wheel is wobbling all over the place. I thought I’d put too much tension on the spokes so released each spoke to the same lower tension but the wheel is still wobbly. It wasn’t when I started.

is this fixable??

Assuming that you're using the tensiometer correctly, you are discovering that we can't always have both equal tensions and perfect true. Wheel building and maintenance is often a compromise between the two.

You get the wheel true then take the tension and see variance. Tension within 10 % on each spoke great. Around joint of rim in can and usually varies the most. Front wheels no dish possible you can get near even.

In the real world too many variables to simply say even tension and the wheel done. The tension meter can even vary too.

As said, front wheel can be very close.

Getting the wheel true, then measuring tension, is key. If you see varying tensions, adjusting the spokes around the outlier is how you get them all close to even.

Minor variations in the rim extrusion and spoke diameters will affect tension readings, the higher the tension, the more pronounced they become. As others have noted, you compromise to minimize both variations in tension and wheel trueness and roundness.

And if you're working with a older wheel, there may have been some damage in the past that was fixed by changing original spoke tension.

The answer to "is it fixable" depends on how true it was, or how damaged it was, when you started. Were you trying to fix a problem when you got the tensiometer?

This is perfectly fine, just true from here and make it round again and recheck the tension. You'll find the tension isn't exactly perfect between the spokes but closer than it was. If the tension is a little low from the loosening you did thinking you over tensioned, you can do it again, get all the spokes to within the same spot. Another thing is I find best results is to do drive side first, then non-drive, then recheck drive side. When there are some spokes further out from the rest, getting the tension in line does effect the tension of the spokes on the other side of the wheel some. So giving the drive side a second look over before truing lets you catch that nd keep the tensions more even as you true it back up

Spoke tension
 

Feel a bit of a clown, the wheel was fine before I started, I just thought I’d use my shiny new toy (tensioner) and get it perfect but it’s backfired!

Spoke tension
 

Anyone know what the tension should be on an Apollo transfer hybrid?

If you bought the park tool tensiometer, it should come with a chart to determine tension based on spoke gauge and lacing.

https://www.parktool.com/assets/doc/...conv-table.pdf

What was your reason for buying the tool? I usually use one for building wheels and sometimes for repairs when a wheel needs to be retensioned but for normal maintenance or shouldn’t be necessary.

Nah. I had to build a few wheelsets to understand the tension meter's limited role in the process.

Nah. I had to build a few wheelsets before I understood the tension meter's limited role in the process.

Like tuning a stringed instrument--a good tuner gets close enough pretty fast by ear, but a machine makes it nearly perfect faster. Being able to tune by ear is a good skill to have anyway.

Cm69.gb,
It's pretty amazing but, we can move a rim centimeters left or right by tightening one side and loosening the other with a spoke wrench. Definitely check out some videos. You only need a spoke wrench and patience to get started.

Spoke tension
 

Well after a bit of patience and a spoke wrench, I’ve fixed my problem! Need to test ride it now to make sure it doesn’t collapse!

You put the spokes through a lot of gyrations. Make sure you stress relieve the wheel first.

John

park has added a bunch of stuff on wheel building and truing and even has an online gizmo to see tension variance

remember wheel building and truing is art and experience

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...-build-a-wheel

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...l-truing-works

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...and-rim-truing

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...on-measurement

What machine? Gibson robot tuners?

There’s a good book here that may help you understand what’s going on and how to use your tensionometer- https://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php

Hey... New tool needs to be proven and often along with it is the personal training in its use. BRAVO! on excepting the challenge. When you get that wheel fixed and set you will be so satisfied.

I find my spoke tension tool a real gem but it is usually used after I do the Ping Thing and find changes. FUN Fun fun!!!

This is the method I use on old wheels.
I determine an average tension per side by going around the wheel with the tension meter.
Spokes that are higher than average get a RED clip for each division (typically). 3 Divisions get a YELLOW.
BLACK = 1 low & Green = 3 low.
Sometimes you have to adjust values for wheels that are way out of wack.

I now see the forest AND the trees.
You can see how sometimes a few trees can be out of tension, but work well enough to give a true wheel.....until you hit something.

I simply cannot tune by pitch. I don't know if it's my Aspergers or one of my attention disorders.
I can tell the tone is different, but I can't remember which is higher. That drives ME up a wall because how can I NOT remember something that occurs seconds before?

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c58ef17618.jpg