spoke wrench

The spoke wrench is a very essential tool to the cyclist who knows how to replace their own broken spokes, perform a basic wheel true, or build their own wheels. If you don’t know how to do these things then you haven’t watched enough of our videos. It is a very simple tool consisting of a handle of some type and a with a small open ended gap at the base. Many spoke tools are color coded according to size for different nipples and others are all-in-one tools. Often circular or triangular tools with many different size gaps lining the edges to fit the majority of nipple sizes. The all-in-ones are great for one-off repairs but they can be frustrating when building a wheel to have to refind the correct size wrench on the tool. It’s a good idea to find out what nipple size your wheels are and buy a tool accordingly. Alternatives to the spoke wrench include a very tightly adjusted crescent wrench or well-handled pliers. These alternatives should be considered a last resort. Nipples are easily stripped when using the improper tools. Not to sound like a broken record but just buy one.