Over tightened spokes

[Mr Tom]

Oh wow, sorry to have caused all this confusion. It seems to be something I'm good at! I must be doing something wrong when I'm using the gauge. I'll have a proper think tomorrow and see if anything comes to mind. I've put those photos of me using the gauge earlier in this thread, so maybe double check if I'm doing something strange there.

I rebuilt the front wheel over the last few days, and as I didn't have the tool, I used the iPhone app and got the tension to around 100kgf. I got all the kind of noises I remember from before when building a wheel a few years back, little creaks and things as it got tighter. I don't remember any of that when accidentally using the wrong spokes (see start of the thread), so I don't think I got that tight.

I must be using it wrong somehow.

[Mr Tom]

Maybe the wheels on my tourer just happen to have been built especially tight for some reason. As far as I can see the front ones are 1.8mm spokes and are 138kgf. I just don't know enough about wheelbuilding to know if that's normal.

The back looks like 2mm and 139 kgf on the drive side. That's going on the pics I posted. It's possible that I happened to test one of the spokes I replaced due to breakage and I overtightened it.

Maybe I can compare the iPhone app and the Park Tool and see what happens.

I'll have a look at the other spokes I used too.

[rogerzilla]

138kgf would probably be above the rim manufacturer's recommendation (they tend to be ludicrously conservative) but not impossible.

[531colin]

I'm getting nowhere with this.
I tried to make Tom's gauge give me a false reading.

This is how I normally use the gauge

IMG_5619 by 531colin, on Flickr

The gauge is just resting on my hand after I have released the handles. Gauge reads 21 which is 100 kgf for a 1.8mm spoke in the front wheel. Measured spoke is more or less horizontal.

Next 2 pictures I'm pulling or pushing the gauge to the left or the right. Hard enough to flex the spoke, which was obvious from where I was sitting but may not be obvious in the pictures. Gauge isn't very different from 21.

IMG_5620 by 531colin, on Flickr

IMG_5621 by 531colin, on Flickr