Hit 100 spoke tension jobs before I finally bought a real tension meter

I was using the old pluck-and-guess method for years on wheel builds, but after number 100 I splurged on a Park Tool TM-1 and realized my first 25 builds were probably all over the place, anyone else take way too long to get the right tool?

2 comments

2 Comments

oscarcooper1mo ago

And the thing is, the pluck method can get you close on basic builds, but it completely falls apart once you start mixing spoke lengths or rim types. I did the same thing for about 60 wheels, then borrowed a friend's TM-1 for one build and realized my spoke tension was way off on every single wheel I'd built before that. The left side of my rear wheels was always way tighter than it should have been because I couldn't hear the difference between a high-pitched pluck on a short spoke versus a longer one. Now I won't even lace up a wheel without a gauge, it's like trying to set tire pressure by squeezing the tire. That first 100 builds though, that's some serious dedication to the wrong way of doing things.

kai_west1mo ago

Grab a used Park Tool gauge off eBay. Game changer for less than half retail.