DT Swiss Analog Spoke Tensiometer
An analog tension meter for reading spoke tension. It is the tool that separates a wheel that looks right from a wheel that is right, because truth and tension are two different things and only one of them is visible.
What it does
A wheel can be perfectly true and badly built. If half the spokes are at high tension and half are slack, it will run straight on the stand and then go off the first time it is loaded properly, because the slack ones do nothing and the tight ones take everything. Evening out that spread is what makes a wheel last, and you cannot do it by feel at the accuracy that matters.
An analog meter reads deflection against a calibrated scale and you convert to tension with DT's chart for the spoke in question - the conversion depends on the spoke's section, which is why the chart matters as much as the tool.
DT Swiss is a Swiss company whose reputation was built on spokes and then extended to hubs, and its components share one habit - they are designed to be opened. That is why there is a catalog of service tools at all; a sealed part would not need one.
Fit and compatibility
Reads DT's spokes against their published conversion; other spokes need their own figures. Tell us what you are building and we will say which chart applies.
How we use it at ProWheelBuilder
We keep this on the bench rather than ordering it in when a job needs it, which is why the notes above are first-hand.
ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia. DT Swiss designs and manufactures this; we use it, we stock it, and we are happy to say whether it is the one you need before you buy it.
Warranty
DT Swiss's warranty. DT Swiss covers its products against material and manufacturing defects for 24 months from purchase, excluding wear parts such as bearings and tubeless tape. Carbon rims and carbon wheels bought new since 1 January 2020 carry an extended guarantee to the first owner against defects in material and workmanship, and DT Swiss runs a paid crash-replacement scheme on carbon wheels for up to ten years from purchase.
ProWheelBuilder. ProWheelBuilder's one-year wheel warranty covers the wheels we build and does not apply to tools and accessories, which carry their manufacturer's cover.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
DT Swiss spoke tensiometer questions
Do I need one if my wheel is true?
True and well-tensioned are different things. A wheel can be dead straight and still have a tension spread that will shake itself apart.
Analog or digital?
Both read deflection and convert through a chart. Analog has nothing to run flat and nothing to go wrong, which on a bench tool is worth something.
Do you tension-check the wheels you build?
Every one. We read the whole wheel and even the spread out before it leaves - it is part of the build, not an extra.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the DT Swiss Analog Spoke Tensiometer?
No - that is DT Swiss. We are an independent wheel builder in Georgia; we buy this, use it on the bench and sell it.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
