_ForceD_

Generally, I don't have a problem truing wheels. I have a Park Tool truing stand. Easy peasy. But on my wheels with bladed spokes...the blade twists and so I have to go back and take the twist out with pliers...which affects the truing. So what I try to do is to use the pliers to hold the blade in place while I twist the nipple. But that kind of messes up my view of the truing stand caliper in relation to the rim. Just wondering if there is an easier way to do this, and keep the blade from twisting so that it doesn't impact the adjustment???

Dan

Ghrumpy

There's a tool for that, in case you hadn't checked. Several, in fact.

A needlenose plier with a 90 degree bend to the jaw works better than regular pliers.

A friend of mine made me such a tool years ago. He cut a 1-1/2" diameter x 1/4" thick aluminum disc in half, and cut a slot down the middle of the flat side. Still works great. If you can get the piece of aluminum, you can do the rest with a hacksaw. And make one for a friend with the other half.

If you don't want to spring for a tool, you just have to lube the spoke threads well and unwind each time you turn the nipple. Which you should be doing anyway, because the bladed spokes are only showing in an exaggerated manner what happens to every spoke on every wheel no matter the spokes.

dsbrantjr

As Ghrumphy mentions, it should not be difficult to obtain or make a suitable tool; it could be as simple as a coat hanger wire bent into a tight "U" at the end, to a piece of metal with a slot to fit the spoke.

CliffordK

My method is to get the hub end of the spokes right, the best I can, but ignore twisting at the nipple end of the spokes (slotted or J spokes might help).

True up the wheel.

Then at the end, use the spoke wrench to untwist the spokes. No holding the spokes.

Untwisting doesn't substantially affect truing, because the number of threads in the nipple remains constant.

fietsbob

4" crescent wrench will also hold the blade, oiled threads help too ..

LBS has a tool with a slot.. I use it .. customers have bladed spoke wheels , I don't.




....

cpach

https://www.amazon.com/DT-Swiss-Aero.../dp/B00CTSBK1E is my favorite blade holder, works on aerolites, cxrays, and the majority of oval bladed spokes. Doesn't always work on flat bladed spokes. There are also a bunch of inexpensive blade holders made out of plastic discs with a variety of width--nice to work on everything, but hold the spoke a bit father from the wrench and can be slower to work with. https://www.amazon.com/Competition-C.../dp/B001PTEN62 or similar is nearly necessary for serious wheel work in a professional context and also holds bladed spokes well.

_ForceD_

Can you post a pic of that homemade tool? I like that idea but I'm not completely clear on the description. Otherwise I like the DT Swiss tool suggested.

Dan

davidad

Turn the nipple past the point you want and then turn it back.

Bike Gremlin

You can find a suitable object and cut it yourself. Here are the tool pics:

rm -rf

I cut about an inch off the handle of a $1 screwdriver, then threw out the screwdriver itself. I cut a slot across the cut end with a fine toothed hacksaw blade. I think I had to widen the slot a bit with a folded piece of fine sandpaper -- just see how it fits on the spoke blade. I probably tested the widths by slotting the throwout piece first.

It won't keep the spoke from twisting, I use it to straighten a twisted spoke. It's not effective to hold the spoke a few inches above the spoke tool.

When fine tuning a completed wheel, I make small corrections of a few grouped together spokes, then straighten their blades. I don't wait until the end of the session.

That "L" shaped DT Swiss tool holds the spoke while it's being turned with a spoke wrench, but my tool is more like the other plastic tools listed above. One advantage of my tool is a single slot that fits my spokes. I don't have to rotate a general purpose tool to it's right width slot. (And it's $1! )

I like ovalized spokes (Cxray) since it's simple to see that there's no windup in the spoke.

Ghrumpy

Sure thing.
I also measured it more carefully. It is 7/8" radius, 5/16" thick, with a slot 1/16" wide by 5/32" deep.
For you metric folks, that's a 22.2mm radius, 8mm thick, with a slot 1.6mm by 4mm deep.

The slot is wide enough to use with oval spokes. Because of that it will let a true bladed spoke twist a little bit.

Bike Gremlin

Nicely made. For bladed spokes, of course, make a properly tight fit, with a bit taper at the beginning of the slot to make mounting to the spoke easier and quicker, requiring less time and concentration. As for the taper - I'm tempted to file the "start" of my spoke key for the same reason.

davidad

Be careful not to kink the spoke when you turn the nipple.

Kimmo

I find wheels with bladed spokes easier to work on, because you can see the twist. It eliminates the step of putting the wheel on the floor and applying lateral load around each side of the wheel.

Kimmo

Actually yeah, that's one difficulty unique to bladed spokes; something fine like a CX-Ray can twist at the transition if you have a seized nipple, ruining the spoke.

CliffordK

Hmmm.... I've wondered about that. As I mentioned above, I'm in the camp of ignoring the twist while truing, and then simply untwist the spokes as the final step. No need for special spoke holders (other than getting the spoke heads straight if using round head straight-pull spokes).

Kahrpistols

As many have replied, there are many tools on the market for this. I personally use Park Tool BSH-4 and it works a dream.

Dan Burkhart 

Yup, and it happens with very little force if you're not careful. Ask me how I know.

dbg

Use a hacksaw to cut a slot across a piece of PVC...