Finally got my spoke tension gauge technique down after 8 years

I used to just guess at spoke tension by feel and then wonder why my wheels kept going out of true after a few rides. Took a class last April at the local co-op in Denver and the instructor showed me how to actually use the Park Tool TM-1 the right way. Now I check every spoke on the drive side before I even lace the rest. Anyone else take way too long to learn a basic tool?

2 comments

2 Comments

william_carter26d agoTop Commenter

Solidarity man, took me a solid 10 years before I figured out I was using the tension gauge backwards half the time. Felt like an idiot when a buddy finally showed me the trick at a group ride.

danielr9426d ago

@william_carter Man I feel that SO much. It's crazy how many little things in bike maintenance can trip you up like that. I spent a good chunk of time building wheels before I realized I had been tensioning spokes in the WRONG pattern entirely. Felt like such a dummy when a friend pointed it out mid ride. But hey, at least we eventually learned, right? Better late than never with this stuff.