Spoke tightening

[Tristan23]

Hey guys, just wondering if buying a spokes key and tightening my spokes myself is a bad idea? of course im not gonna freakin break the wheel trying to get it super tight or whatever, but is it easy to buckle a rim if you do the wrong thing? how should i go about tightening my spokes?
cheers in advance

[djdom]

just do it really sllooooowwwwlyy. and you should be right dont rush it:)

[fleshbone]

yeh,it's not a thing that can be rushed,but you might as well give it ago.reminder that it is a thing of grace :p (truly though)

[|Matt|]

Hey guys, just wondering if buying a spokes key and tightening my spokes myself is a bad idea? of course im not gonna freakin break the wheel trying to get it super tight or whatever, but is it easy to buckle a rim if you do the wrong thing? how should i go about tightening my spokes?
cheers in advance

Just don't tighten the ones that aren't loose.
Only tighten them till they aren't too easily moved with your fingers. If you do that, then you won't pull your wheel out. If you make it really tight, obviously its gonna pull your wheel across.

Just do it in half turn intervals.

[tanlicouz]

Just don't tighten the ones that aren't loose.
Only tighten them till they aren't too easily moved with your fingers. If you do that, then you won't pull your wheel out. If you make it really tight, obviously its gonna pull your wheel across.

Just do it in half turn intervals.


Just the half turns interval is correct...... everything else is well debatable.

Moving spokes with your finger :confused:

If turning a nipple *hehehe childish giggle* is really tight *hehehehe* it doesn't always mean that the spoke tension is tight. Depending on who built the wheel and so forth, "spoke glue" well what ever it is called, basicaly a form of loctite is used to prevent the nipple from un screwing itself. Because of this substance, and dirt and so forth, a tight nipple doesnt always mean that the spoke tension is too great.

To tension your wheel you need to make some form of trueing device. You can do make shift ones. For example put your bike upside down and attach a rod or flat head screw driver that aligns with the rim, so you can see side way movement of the rim as you spin the wheel.

remeber to loosen before you tighten..... nipple nipples......:o

[n plus one]

Putting a cut off zip tie on the frame/fork is a good cheap truing tool. Just go real slow like the other guys said -softly softly chatchee monkey

[Tristan23]

sweet thanks heaps guys. i shall try that. ill use a the zip tie method as a truing tool.

[dain2772]

v-brakes always were so much easier to true a wheel off. you can see how true or not the rim is very easily.

I found getting a slightly bent wheel to near true an enjoyable experience.

[bransly]

its actually is relly relly easy! just go slowly

[luke.b]

sweet thanks heaps guys. i shall try that. ill use a the zip tie method as a truing tool.

Mmm, zip-tie ghetto trueing. I love it. Practise on an old BMX wheel or something, just for the first time. It'll help you get used to which way to turn the spoke and such. It can get confusing when first starting out.

Good-luck, and as said before, take it slow, your not really gonna break anything unless you decide to use a hammer.

[Tristan23]

bit ghetto huh.
although im not actually trying to true the wheel, more just tighten the spokes, i guess in the process though ill true it if i put my mind to it, so yeah, ill take it slow and hopefully succeed.
thanks for all the help guys.

[-Elliot-]

Also remember that the spokes on the drive side of the rear wheel have to be tensioned more than the other side to keep the wheel dished correctly.

[Tristan23]

oh ok hmm wasnt aware of that. ill keep it in mind. cheers.

[skwiz05]

Check out a few web sites on the topic...like .....Sheldon Brown or a few others that have wheel building/trueing info..just to get an insight before you start....

[justinb]

Check out a few web sites on the topic...like .....Sheldon Brown or a few others that have wheel building/trueing info..just to get an insight before you start....

What if spokes keep loosening themselves? note : I am not sure if it is the same spokes behaving like this or not...

but in general.. does that mean there is potentially something else wrong that needs attention?

Cheers
JUsitn

[kidafa]

a drop of lubricant per nipple is always recommended prior to adjusting spoke tension... just your normal chain lube will do, but tri-flow is excellent.

[Customjimmy]

Go in with sheldon brown's wheelbuilding page sitting on your lap.

Remember that if you are tightening with a spoke key, turning to the LEFT will tighten them.

Don't tighten anything more than a quarter of a turn at once until you are pretty confident.

Remember that each adjustment affects left/right, up/down and dish.

[Cave Dweller]

Tristan23, my dodgy building technique.

*Half or even quarter turns on the nipples. Use a good spoke key.
*Zip ties are ok, but brakes are better. Have you got an old canti you could just bolt on?
*I always take the tires off
*I always by a six pack of beers and take my time ;)
*A spoke tension meter helps alot
*Take it for a ride to settle it after you have finished
*Re-check
*Finally, a drop of loctite in the nipple heads and spin the wheel so it sets in. This works best if the nipples are new.

There is no "magic" to building wheels. As long as they are laced the right way and you take your time getting even tension on all the spokes.

*edit* just saw your post was a month old.

[Stacks!]

man, the key to building an awesome wheel is to use the right tools. as well as the spoke key, you'll need a wheel jig and dishing tool. otherwise your wheel can end up with the rim off centre.
also i would recommend you use the best spokes you can get, ie. DT Swiss champions, because they are super strong. i've built all my wheels for DH and DJ and had none buckle or break on me yet!

[Ty]

Getting someone to show you the ropes is probably the first step in figguring out wheels, though they won't be able to teach you the ZEN to it , you'll at least get the idea.

and as posted above, if your going to be fixing/building alot of wheels, a dish guage and a spoke tension meter are a worth while investment, i'm currenly building my 8th wheel* for the year, and it i know that the money i've invested it wheel tools has totaly paid for itself.





*mavic A119 on a 126mm 36 spoke dura-ace track hub, mmm commute-tastic

[-Elliot-]

*edit* just saw your post was a month old.

More like 1 year and a month. :eek: