Spoke tension balancing utility

Select your tensiometer:

Readout

pre-conversion

Units

post-conversion

DT Swiss Tensio

A variation on the Brandt design that keeps the dial indicator but sacrifices the benefits of the spoke support bearings and single-sided measurement system. Also available with a digital indicator.

deflection in mm (dial indicator with 0.01mm graduations)

N

FSA

Jobst Brandt's famous design. This style of tensiometer offers very accurate and repeatable readings due to its unusual mechanism. The light spring creates an uncommonly small spoke deflection, resulting in virtually no impact on the spoke's tension as it is measured.

deflection in mm (dial indicator with 0.01mm graduations)

Kgf

Hozan C-737

These meters come with individually-calibrated conversion charts. They seem to have only a single conversion formula, which isn't labeled for what spoke diameters it is compatible with. Probably not a good choice if you're shopping around for a tensiometer...

deflection in hundredths of mm (dial indicator with 0.01mm graduations)

N

Park Tool TM-1

Likely the most common tensiometer encountered today. Each unit is calibrated to work with one standard chart, which is a great improvement over the Wheelsmith. Unfortunately, the design has some unavoidable technical shortfalls due to the fairly large deflection when compared to Brandt designs, but this is not an issue for the vast majority of users.

0 to 45 (unitless)

Kgf

Wheelsmith

The first mass-produced tensiometer. Unfortunately, calibration of the mechanism is not possible, so every conversion chart is custom matched to the variations of that tensiometer. This means that no single formula will give exact spoke tension, but the relative measurements are still useful for tension balancing purposes.

0-100 unitless vernier scale

Kgf