What would be typical spoke tension target ranges to seek when tensioning up spokes on a 700c wheel? I have started building my own wheels. But in reading several online articles, and a couple of books I bought on the subject the actual spoke tension needed seems be be missing info. I have a Park Tension Meter, and I tensioned my rear wheel to 20 on the meter (drive side spokes, non drive side less), which is about 62kgf or 620n. This is using a Shimano hub and a Mavic T224 rim with DT spokes.
I have another wheel I built up using a Shimano 7 speed Nexus hub with a Mavic MA3 700c rim and DT spokes and I used the same spoke tension of 20 (park tension meter) for all the spokes. This is for my project bike I am building.
Anyway one book's authoir talked about tensioning upwards 1100N or higher, but he was using deep dish aero rims, so I don't know if it would apply to the wheels I built up.The 620n ternsion I used seems pretty tight and I was reluctant to taco a wheel tensioning that sucker up that tight. Thanks Earl
I haven't found it necessary to use a tension meter. I use a good brand of straight 14 gauge spokes and try to use a stiff rim that is either inherently strong, or well-reinforced, at the spoke holes. Then I lube the spokes and nipples and get them all as tight as I can on the freewheel side. On a front wheel, I get them almost as tight as I can on both sides. This way, your spoke wrench sort of acts like a torque wrench: too much torque and you start to round off the nipple. I seem to be having good results. If I build the wheel carefully this way, it will stay true for a long time. But if you try this on a rim that's too weak, it will rip the material around the spoke holes.
What would be typical spoke tension target ranges to seek when tensioning up spokes on a 700c wheel? I have started building my own wheels. But in reading several online articles, and a couple of books I bought on the subject the actual spoke tension needed seems be be missing info. I have a Park Tension Meter, and I tensioned my rear wheel to 20 on the meter (drive side spokes, non drive side less), which is about 62kgf or 620n. This is using a Shimano hub and a Mavic T224 rim with DT spokes.
I have another wheel I built up using a Shimano 7 speed Nexus hub with a Mavic MA3 700c rim and DT spokes and I used the same spoke tension of 20 (park tension meter) for all the spokes. This is for my project bike I am building.
Anyway one book's authoir talked about tensioning upwards 1100N or higher, but he was using deep dish aero rims, so I don't know if it would apply to the wheels I built up.The 620n ternsion I used seems pretty tight and I was reluctant to taco a wheel tensioning that sucker up that tight. Thanks
The value differs for different rims. The range is usually given by the manufacturer. Mavic recommends 90-110 kgf. The deflection value from the Park tensiometer depends on the spoke diameter, but no value has 62 kgf associated with a deflection reading of 20; the only place that value appears is for a deflection value of 19 and a 2.0mm diameter spoke. Either way, you need to tighten that wheel up a bit more - to a deflection reading of 22.5-23.25 to meet Mavic's recommendation.
