How to check spoke tension on a wheel?

Question

My front road wheel make a ping sound when I stand up (more weight to the front). It seems like the tension for one of the spokes is too little, or at least off. Is there a way to check or do just have to wait until the wheel to start becoming untrue?

Answer 1

you can pluck the spokes, they should all sound about the same.  if they dont the tension isnt even.  a pro shop and a gauge to correctly tension them, and you can buy one.  the problem is if you go too high the wheel will fold on you and you will get hurt.  tweeking a few spokes to true a wheel is one thing, if it needs retensioned, i would recommend letting a shop do it.

Answer 2

I'll 2nd what Ride!Urban has to say.

In addition, you may have a cracked rim.  I suggest you very carefully examine the rim to see if it it is cracked, separating at the weld or having a spoke pull through at one of the nipples.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

It could be something other than spoke tension causing this...if your rim has eyelets sometimes they ping, or if you have a low-spoke performance wheel it could be that your extra body weight when you stand is simply causing the wheel to flex (in either direction) and the spokes to rub where they cross (or the nipples to shift in their seats).   There's the chance that the rim joint could be flexing as well if the rim isn't welded, although that's much less likely if it happens every time you stand.  

So....first, use a guitar pick or your fingernail to pluck each spoke on one side of the wheel a few inches down from the rim (about in the middle of the nipple and the spoke crossings).  Listen to the tone, and pluck the next spoke on that side of the rim.  Go around the rim....in a new, properly built wheel all of those spokes should be close to the same pitch.  If you find a spoke or group that is noticeably higher or lower in pitch, then you have some tension issues that may be able to be corrected.  Keep in mind that oftentimes due to damaged wheels or imperfect hoops (which is most of them, in reality) the spoke tensions won't be all the same....that's just how wheel truing goes.  Do this for both sides and make the call.  

They do sell spoke tensiometers, but they're expensive tools and really their best advantage is for an already-skilled professional wheel builder to help make their job quicker.  They aren't necessary for most wheels and you can certainly do a professional job without them.

If the spokes seem ok, then put a very tiny drop of light oil on each spoke nipple where it exits the rim....you can do this on both sides of the rim if you want to and if you don't mind removing your rim tape from the inside to do this.  Try to get some of that drop of oil around the eyelets, too, and then wipe everything up so that you don't attract a bunch of dust.  In the first ride or two, that should show you if it was just a clanky nipple making the noise.  

Hope this helps you out some....if you still have the problem then post up again here or run the wheel by a shop to have them take a look at it (as well as rule out any hub/bearing related problems).   Good luck!  :o)

Answer 4

Unfortunately, the only way to check a spoke tension is to wait for it to snap. There is a tool that takes a spoke off, so you could use it to remove a spoke and try bending it and pressing it to see if it is holding up. If it is, replace it with a new spoke, and keep the old spoke to clean sprockets of the bike(saves buying sprocket cleaners). And also, be careful when removing a spoke, as you do not want to snap it if it is still in good tact.

Hope i helped

Good luck

Answer 5

take the tire and rim strip off and put the wheel back on the fork.  Doing this you have made a truing stand.  true up the wheel.   you can ping the spokes, they make the same sound when they are tightened the same..  oh yes I forgot you can ping the spokes b.4. truing them up to see if they are about the same tension.