On a Park Tool TM-1 measuring a 2.0 mm round steel spoke, a scale reading of 20 converts to 70 kgf, not 20 kgf. That's a conversion example, not a recommended wheel tension. Your result changes with the meter, spoke material, and thickness at the measuring point. If your tool already reports kgf, don't run that value through a deflection chart again.
Identify What Your Meter Displays
Start with the identification printed on the tool and its matching instructions. The TM-1's numbered scale needs a conversion table. Even a digital gauge can display spoke deflection in millimeters rather than force, so a screen doesn't automatically mean you're reading tension directly.
Use the chart supplied for that exact tool. A similar-looking meter can use a different spring or measuring arrangement; the same number isn't transferable. Once you have a force value, keep its unit attached instead of comparing a bare number with a wheel specification.
Measure the Spoke Where the Tool Works
Confirm the spoke material, then use calipers to measure the section where the meter contacts it. For a butted spoke, which gets thinner toward the middle, the thick end isn't the diameter to look up. The tool's contact points must sit within the appropriate measuring section, not across the change in thickness.
For a flat spoke, record both thickness and width. Follow the tool's placement instructions without twisting the blade. If neighboring spokes or the hub prevent correct contact, don't angle the tool until a convenient number appears. That reading isn't a reliable basis for adjustment.
Use the Matching Conversion Table
Find the column for the spoke's material and measured dimensions, then follow the row for the raw reading to their intersection. In the TM-1 table, that same reading of 20 means 94 kgf on a 1.8 mm round steel spoke. Choosing the wrong diameter changes the result before a spoke wrench even touches the wheel.
Write down the raw reading alongside the converted force. If the spoke isn't listed or the reading falls outside the chart, don't borrow the closest column or invent a multiplier. Get the appropriate data from the tool maker or have a wheel technician measure it. Don't adjust the meter's spring to make the numbers look right.
Compare Under the Wheel Maker's Conditions
The chart tells you what you measured, not what to tighten toward. Use the wheel or rim maker's specified tension and measurement conditions, including whether the tire should be deflated. A published maximum is not automatically the target.
Record each side separately. Different spoke angles can require different tensions on opposite sides; trying to equalize the whole wheel can move the rim off-center. Even among electric bikes with similar-sized wheels, there isn't one shared tension setting.
Need help identifying the rim, hub, or spokes? Start with the e-bike wheel guide. If the correct specification is still missing, leave the nipples alone and send a technician the wheel details, meter identification, spoke measurements, chart, and readings.
