Last week I finally got around to building a wheel from parts I ordered last year and eventually got my hands on in February (the courier screwed up). In doing so, I've discovered a handy gadget to use when checking the spoke tension by ear.
This is a "Farley Pocket Tones" keyfob tone generator that can generate the notes of the chromatic-C scale. Small, battery powered and much easier to use than the "beep" program I was using on my PC to fulfil the same role. Also, if you explain to the assistants in the music shop what you want it for, you are rewarded with suitably raised eyebrows...
At about eight quid, this tool was much cheaper than a spoke tensiometer.
Last week I finally got around to building a wheel from parts I ordered last year and eventually got my hands on in February (the courier screwed up). In doing so, I've discovered a handy gadget to use when checking the spoke tension by ear.
This is a "Farley Pocket Tones" keyfob tone generator that can generate the notes of the chromatic-C scale. Small, battery powered and much easier to use than the "beep" program I was using on my PC to fulfil the same role. Also, if you explain to the assistants in the music shop what you want it for, you are rewarded with suitably raised eyebrows...
At about eight quid, this tool was much cheaper than a spoke tensiometer.
Regards,
-david
Can you explain how you use this to tension spokes? I'm very intrigued, because I know they will ring with different pitches depending on tension (as well as a dull plunk if they're really out) but do you adjust them so they're all the same pitch, or one side is one pitch and the other (of the hub) another pitch... and does the properties of the rim have any bearing on the spokes?
Never trued a wheel in my life, but I can twang spokes and tweak slightly if they're plunky rather than pingy. Don't know enough about it to do any more than that, but the musical idea appeals.
Can you explain how you use this to tension spokes? I'm very intrigued, because I know they will ring with different pitches depending on tension (as well as a dull plunk if they're really out) but do you adjust them so they're all the same pitch, or one side is one pitch and the other (of the hub) another pitch... and does the properties of the rim have any bearing on the spokes?
This article (bikexprt.comtension.htmOpen ↗) explains how. I don't trust this method entirely, instead I prefer to use the pitch as a guide to tension and then continue to wind the tension up until the wheel starts to go out of true during stress relieving as described in the Bicycle Wheel. I find the stress relieving after each trueing cycle quite wearing on the hands (even through gloves) and try to reduce the number of times I have to do it by using the pitch as a guide.
If I had Potsa Money(TM) I'd buy a tensiometer though.
Can you explain how you use this to tension spokes? I'm very intrigued, because I know they will ring with different pitches depending on tension (as well as a dull plunk if they're really out) but do you adjust them so they're all the same pitch, or one side is one pitch and the other (of the hub) another pitch... and does the properties of the rim have any bearing on the spokes?
This article (bikexprt.comtension.htmOpen ↗) explains how. I don't trust this method entirely, instead I prefer to use the pitch as a guide to tension and then continue to wind the tension up until the wheel starts to go out of true during stress relieving as described in the Bicycle Wheel. I find the stress relieving after each trueing cycle quite wearing on the hands (even through gloves) and try to reduce the number of times I have to do it by using the pitch as a guide.
If I had Potsa Money(TM) I'd buy a tensiometer though.
Regards,
-david
Cool, thanks for that link, very interesting reading.
Velvet <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
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David Nutter wrote:
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Quoted message said:
This is a "Farley Pocket Tones" keyfob tone generator that can generate the notes of the chromatic-C scale. Small, battery powered and much easier to use than the "beep" program I was using on my PC to fulfil the same role. Also, if you explain to the assistants in the music shop what you want it for, you are rewarded with suitably raised eyebrows...
Quoted message said:
Never trued a wheel in my life, but I can twang spokes and tweak slightly if they're plunky rather than pingy. Don't know enough about it to do any more than that, but the musical idea appeals.
The art of truing wheels by adjusting the musical pitch of the spokes was beautifully illustrated in the animated film "Belleville Rendezvous". All you need are a spoke key, a tuning fork (or a "Farley Pocket Tones" tone generator), and a model of the Eiffel Tower. :-)
The art of truing wheels by adjusting the musical pitch of the spokes was beautifully illustrated in the animated film "Belleville Rendezvous". All you need are a spoke key, a tuning fork (or a "Farley Pocket Tones" tone generator), and a model of the Eiffel Tower. :-)
Tension your spokes appropriately, attach a plectrum to the seat or chain stays and you can have your bike play music as you cycle. Out of tune notes would immediately alert you to a spoke losing tension. The Bum of the Flightlebee would be a good choice as it would go well with everthing from a leisurely speed to cycling furiously.
The art of truing wheels by adjusting the musical pitch of the spokes was beautifully illustrated in the animated film "Belleville Rendezvous". All you need are a spoke key, a tuning fork (or a "Farley Pocket Tones" tone generator), and a model of the Eiffel Tower. :-)
Ooh I'd forgotton that. Wish I'd mpegged it on the pc, but I do have it on video. Must watch it again sometime soon :-) I just wasn't convinced it really was a good accurate way to true a wheel - but if indeed all spokes on one side should be the same tension to achieve a trued wheel, then yes, it does make sense.
The art of truing wheels by adjusting the musical pitch of the spokes was beautifully illustrated in the animated film "Belleville Rendezvous". All you need are a spoke key, a tuning fork (or a "Farley Pocket Tones" tone generator), and a model of the Eiffel Tower. :-)
Ooh I'd forgotton that. Wish I'd mpegged it on the pc, but I do have it on video. Must watch it again sometime soon :-) I just wasn't convinced it really was a good accurate way to true a wheel - but if indeed all spokes on one side should be the same tension to achieve a trued wheel, then yes, it does make sense.
While I can see the theory this does leave me with a concern. The front wheel on my fixer is radially spoked and (as near as dammit) true. There is a noticeable difference in pitch between most of the spokes. If I didn't suspect that it would take my bike off the road, I'd try tensioning by pitch alone and see what it did to the wheel.
The art of truing wheels by adjusting the musical pitch of the spokes was beautifully illustrated in the animated film "Belleville Rendezvous". All you need are a spoke key, a tuning fork (or a "Farley Pocket Tones" tone generator), and a model of the Eiffel Tower. :-)
Ooh I'd forgotton that. Wish I'd mpegged it on the pc, but I do have it on video. Must watch it again sometime soon :-) I just wasn't convinced it really was a good accurate way to true a wheel - but if indeed all spokes on one side should be the same tension to achieve a trued wheel, then yes, it does make sense.
I found you can get fairly close to true by equalising pitch and comparing it to a reference tone, but to get a wheel completely true you will need to deviate from that, which I do by using the method in the Bicycle Wheel. This is due to two things: rims are not perfect circles and the crossing pattern of spokes will affect the pitch. John Allen's article deals only with bog standard cross-3 wheels, AFAICT. Since that's all I build, no matter.
The other thing the tone test does is to identify any unduly slack spokes, as you do at the moment by listening for "pings" and "plunks". Brandt recommends plucking the spokes at the nipple rather than near the cross to check this, ensuring you get the note of an individual spoke rather than the harmony of two or more spokes at the cross.
While I can see the theory this does leave me with a concern. The front wheel on my fixer is radially spoked and (as near as dammit) true. There is a noticeable difference in pitch between most of the spokes. If I didn't suspect that it would take my bike off the road, I'd try tensioning by pitch alone and see what it did to the wheel.
I think it probably would send it out of true. I use the noises as a guide and switch to Brandt's method (true/tension up, stress relieve and repeat until wheel starts to go out of true during stress relieving) once the pitch indicates I'm getting close. If I had hands of steel I'd use his method throughout. Unfortunately, my mortal flesh does not like repeatedly squidging bits of high tensile wire! Once the wheel is finished then there is indeed a noticeable difference in pitch between spokes.
The tones listed in the Allen article are probably lacing- pattern specific too. They seem to work as a guideline for the cross-3 wheels I've built. I've never built a radial wheel, nor am I likely to.
