Spoke Tension

Tension is simply the load applied to spokes by tightening the nipples. Consider each spoke to be a long slender bolt connecting the hub to the rim with a fastening nut called the nipple.  Spokes behave similar to bolts in that they stretch and use the energy held in the material to resists the complex dynamic loads created by the rider and the road. Spoke tension cannot be determined by visually inspecting a wheel and is often independent of wheel trueness.  Evaluation and balancing of spoke tension with a Tensiometer can be time consuming and add very little to the aesthetic trueness of a wheel.  For this reason spoke tension is neglected by many bicycle mechanics.  Wheelbuilder carefully monitors spoke tension during our build process to ensure an even distribution of load through the entire wheel structure.  During the final truing process all spoke tensions are input into our own software for a statistical comparison.  We do not ship wheels with spoke tension variations outside of our close tolerance.  A well balanced hand built wheel will outperform and outlast any machine built wheel.  Additionally it will feel more responsive and stay true for thousands of miles.