Spoke tension
 

I have a wheel on a folding bike that wobbles at fast speeds. Only on long downhills really cranking, and not bad but I don't feel like it should be happening at all.

I've taken the wheel to two places and nobody gets it right. They just throw it on the truing stand and spin it against the braking area on the rims. I've never seen them check for round along the outside.

Also I have another rim on another bike that the spokes loosen up on.

What's the best spoke tension and do you tension low and tighten or tension high and loosen? Best tricks of the trade if you will.

While I'm waiting on the tools I'll read up and try to get smart. Might as well do this myself rather than pay somebody and not be happy with the results. I'm aware to the tire can have something to do with it. I had one bike that wobbled but it wasn't rim but rather tire. Schwalbe Big Apple.

John

You're probably talking about speed shimmy, doesn't really have anything to do wit spoke tension.

What size wheel is it? You won't be able to get a tensionmeter in on wheels <= 20" usually. # Of spokes? Type of spoke? Diameter? Rim? Hubs?

Folders are often more susceptible to shimmy than standard frames. This may be something you'll have to live with for the convenience of having a foldable bike.

Folding bikes are utility bikes like all bikes - of the storage kind. Gotta remind yourself of that at all times.

I really like them alot - but I am under no illusion. They're not time trial bikes, downhill bikes, or BMX stunt jumpers. And gawd they are crappy hill charging bikes...

And the folks I know who own them for their utility - compact storage for private and public transit love 'em - and are very loyal to them. I've met quite a few folks who folks who own 20 year old Dahons and keep 'em and running and absolutely refuse to part with 'em.

First one I rode if I remember correctly came out of a Whole Earth Catalog. (I think Faber's in San Jose was a retailer as well late 80s, early 90s.)


=8-)

If a Park tensiometer won't fit then keep putting in tension and stress relieving the spokes until when you stress relieve the wheel it comes out of true. Loosen the nipples a half turn and retrue and stress relieve the wheel. Thiis should leave you with the maximum useful tension.
http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/8c.1.html
http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/8h.5.html