Doubtful but convinced
I have two physical spoke tension meters but have retired them in favour of this app. The app is able to measure a wider range of spoke types and is more consistent in repeated measurements. I set up a test weight on a single spoke and the app tested spot on.
If I keep track of which side and which spoke, it works
If I pluck with my thumbnail, if I hold the cross-over spoke tight against the spoke I am testing, if at each spoke I hit the SET button to remember that reading before moving on to a different spoke, and if I only try to get between 80% and 120% of the average spoke tension for that side of the wheel, it works awesomely.
I was surprised it remembers the front wheel spoke lengths I set on the iPad, when I open the app on my iPhone. It also remembers the rear wheel spoke lengths, but I first noticed this feature on a front wheel. Keeps track separately for both, I just had not noticed.
I was surprised it tunes differently than a piano string. When the tension is too high, and I hear a lower pitched clunk mixed together with the musical note, the tension is too high just like the app says. With my deformed wheel, I had to loosen a surprising amount to get it back between the 80% and 120% where it again sounds nice.
With my slightly deformed wheel, which I last tuned many years ago, I cannot get a perfect circle graph of all sixteen spokes on one side, although I can consistently get a very round circle on the other side.
Once I started pushing the cross-over spoke against the spoke I am testing, I got essentially the same reading every time I plucked that spoke. I wanted to just set all the tensions on that side almost exactly the same. Almost exactly the same tension, does not work with my deformed wheel running true left and right and up and down. I studied the specifications for a popular hand-held tension meter, and found out why it can get the same reading, while the app cannot. With the popular hand-held tension meter, when you look up the chart, the very next hand-held number reading may actually be 15 kg tension different. The hand-held gives the same number, across quite a bit different tensions.
The popular hand-held comes with a gauge you can measure the spoke thickness. Unless there is some feature I have missed, with the app you have to know which thickness of spoke you are using.
I was surprised it remembers the front wheel spoke lengths I set on the iPad, when I open the app on my iPhone. It also remembers the rear wheel spoke lengths, but I first noticed this feature on a front wheel. Keeps track separately for both, I just had not noticed.
I was surprised it tunes differently than a piano string. When the tension is too high, and I hear a lower pitched clunk mixed together with the musical note, the tension is too high just like the app says. With my deformed wheel, I had to loosen a surprising amount to get it back between the 80% and 120% where it again sounds nice.
With my slightly deformed wheel, which I last tuned many years ago, I cannot get a perfect circle graph of all sixteen spokes on one side, although I can consistently get a very round circle on the other side.
Once I started pushing the cross-over spoke against the spoke I am testing, I got essentially the same reading every time I plucked that spoke. I wanted to just set all the tensions on that side almost exactly the same. Almost exactly the same tension, does not work with my deformed wheel running true left and right and up and down. I studied the specifications for a popular hand-held tension meter, and found out why it can get the same reading, while the app cannot. With the popular hand-held tension meter, when you look up the chart, the very next hand-held number reading may actually be 15 kg tension different. The hand-held gives the same number, across quite a bit different tensions.
The popular hand-held comes with a gauge you can measure the spoke thickness. Unless there is some feature I have missed, with the app you have to know which thickness of spoke you are using.
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Spoke Tension Gauge
I’m very impressed with this app suite. A bit of a learning curve to negotiate but really very well thought out and presented.
Over 45 years of building and several thousand built wheels informs my evaluation.
The app will not replace well executed technique. If you are just starting out, read some of the wealth of published documentation and check out Joey Mesa’s videos.
Employed properly, the app will provide a high degree of accuracy and verification of the objectives sought by skilled wheel builders: measured and confirmed uniformity of tension within tightly held limits of radial and lateral deviation.
Instructions are clear, with an additional set of contextual hints.
And it’s fast. Left open on your workbench the app will report instantly on any spoke you care to investigate without having to stop, pick up your manual tension gauge, test (maybe more than once) swap the gauge for a spoke wrench, adjust and repeat, and repeat again. The advantage gained from this simple bit of continuity cannot be overstated.
The accompanying spoke length calculator is robust and extremely well provided for with dimensional data of hundreds of hub and rim types and an editable template for custom or otherwise unlisted hub models. Graphics are excellent. Full and comprehensive instructions as well as automatic updates to the databases and other information are included.
All in all an impressive amount of real and useful information as well as a vetting tool that will help achieve accepted, high level, quality control parameters.
Over 45 years of building and several thousand built wheels informs my evaluation.
The app will not replace well executed technique. If you are just starting out, read some of the wealth of published documentation and check out Joey Mesa’s videos.
Employed properly, the app will provide a high degree of accuracy and verification of the objectives sought by skilled wheel builders: measured and confirmed uniformity of tension within tightly held limits of radial and lateral deviation.
Instructions are clear, with an additional set of contextual hints.
And it’s fast. Left open on your workbench the app will report instantly on any spoke you care to investigate without having to stop, pick up your manual tension gauge, test (maybe more than once) swap the gauge for a spoke wrench, adjust and repeat, and repeat again. The advantage gained from this simple bit of continuity cannot be overstated.
The accompanying spoke length calculator is robust and extremely well provided for with dimensional data of hundreds of hub and rim types and an editable template for custom or otherwise unlisted hub models. Graphics are excellent. Full and comprehensive instructions as well as automatic updates to the databases and other information are included.
All in all an impressive amount of real and useful information as well as a vetting tool that will help achieve accepted, high level, quality control parameters.
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Shockingly good
This tensio app is really unique. Measuring the spoke length and dimensions are critical - read the instructions! But used properly, it really works. I find the values within 10% of my $400 ‘real’ tensio. More importantly, the values are consistent and repeatable. Great back up tool, plus it works on small wheels (16-20”) where you may not be able to use a trad tensio on the spokes. I haven’t found serious issues with crossed spokes, as some reviewers have, but I tend to pluck spokes a lot during my build. I think with time you develop better technique for getting clear, pure tones from your plucks. Banjo picks are helpful for some folks, but I prefer a soft pluck from my finger pad.
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Doesn’t work very well
This app shows the high tension side of a wheel reading lower on every spoke than the low tension side, compare to using a real tension gauge, which show correct results. Something wrong with the app.
