Yes, compared to another of similar type and I also have a reference wheel which is never ridden and I know what KgF it’s dialed up to on both sides. I use the same wheel to check the symmetry on the truing stand (even if the dishing wheel is used) and have it on hand for checking alignment on frames. A reference wheel is a good thing to have and it doesn’t really matter what the rim is like or how much tension it has as long as you note it’s specs. The park tool is easy to calibrate if needed and mine seems pretty consistent with regard seldom needing adjustment.
Of course there are better tensionmeter’s. They’re just tools and the Park one is something I’m used to using, so it works for me.
Medo’s on drugs at the moment so I’m not sure if he knows what’s going on.
Nice stuff is nice stuff. I like the parts of old that were once high tech and cutting edge a) becuase I like their look and b) it’s practical for me to use and ride with. Kanye’s wheels are high tech and cutting edge now and it’s very cool stuff. Not applicable to my riding needs/uses but it doesn’t mean I can’t see the allure and lust factor.
It’s also fun to work with and by doing so I wouldn’t be honest without saying my reference or idea’s of what’s practical or possible are shifting. That’s normal, no? Nice bikes are nices bikes, doesn’t matter whether they are old or new it’s all good. Very impressed with the rims and spokes, they could handle a lot more tension. Of course, horses for courses … Kayne knows the limits and what’s practical and he certainly has read up and developed quite an understanding for all this weeni’ism.
As with all addiction’s there is no cure, I’m just helping kanye get his fix (vicarious or otherwise).
Which means I’ll be sending Kanye out on a Veloce hub, 32 spoke, Mavic Open Pro. I hope someone gets a pic of him riding such a beardo wheel … he’ll never live it down !!!
Poor boy. He spent a week in hospital on a drip. The reacted badly to the anti-inflammatory drugs he’s on for his arthiritis, resulting in gastro-intestinal bleeding, making him severely dehydrated and possibly damaging his liver/kidney’s. He was touch and go for a while there. Hopefully he’ll come back to strength and we can see if there’s other ways to possibly manage his pain. Being a large dog this is what happens as they get older. Shame though as he was doing so much better with the drugs but such side affects can happen with some dogs, although it’s not very common.
He’s ok, we’ll just see how he goes. He’s nearing 10 and was pretty healthy overall but just struggling to move around. He’s been enjoying the slightly warmer weather lately, matter of fact so have I.
Interesting email from a guy whos built 20000+ wheels
Not a very beardo friendly idea
[i]
Here is a excerpt about tying and soldering from a article that I was writing for our blog that may or may not get published.
"Wheels are structures that are supported by tensioned wires. If a spoke does not have any tension it cannot carry any load. Spokes for the most part are steel threads or wires not steel beams. So you have to think about a wheel as strung together with steel strings and not steel beams. Once you look at the wheel like that what does tying the spoke crosses do? They don’t do anything, actually they do one thing but I will get into that later. I have heard the argument that tying the spokes makes the effective flange diameter the same as where the crosses of the spokes are, that is wrong and here is why. If you take a steel wire it will stretch a certain amount as load and tension is put on it. It is crossing over another spoke at approximately the midway point between the flange and rim. If you clip those to spokes together at that point they will stretch the same amount above and below that clipped together point. So being that the spokes are still stretching the same amount how could the wheel be any stiffer? It can’t and won’t!
Now is when someone will say “I had my wheels tied and soldered and they felt so much stiffer!” and he is right, they “felt” stiffer. Wheels are constantly hitting things, small bumps, large bumps or gigantic holes and all of those impacts are turned into vibrations that is traveling through the wheel. All of those vibrations travel through the rim, into the spokes, then into the hub and finally keep going into the frame. Those vibrations and how they are transferred or dissipated will determine how a wheel rides and “feels”. Wheels are basically round 20 to 32 string guitars that are playing a song you can’t hear but can feel. So you took your 24 string guitar wheel and attached all of the strings together at their midway point, what do you think that would do to the “feel music” that is coming up into the saddles and pedals? It will change the pitch and tone and that is what you are “feeling” after the wheel was tied and soldered. The wheel is not any stiffer, it just now resonates at a different frequency then what it did before."
should have a new set here by friday though 
(vicarious or otherwise).