Hoang

I just built a radially spoked front wheel. I'm not sure as to how to go about destressing this wheel or whether destressing a radially spoked wheel is even necessary. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

corrado33

I'd suggest buying a nice spa day for it.

No, in reality, you'd de-stress it like any other wheel. Lean on it a bit/squeeze the spokes together. De-stressing a wheel is really just letting the spokes turn back to their natural positions. This often messes with the trueness a bit. If you were careful when you build the wheel and used properly lubed threads, de-stressing shouldn't do much.

Tunnelrat81

First thing required is is clarification of what you are talking about. I assume you mean stress relieving the wheel, which is almost 100% of the time confused with removing spoke twist (as was somewhat addressed by the first response [above]).

The answer to your question, of course, is yes. You want to stress relieve every wheel you build, doing it multiple times throughout the building process. If you're in the habit of using Sheldon Brown's method of using an old crank arm (or some other soft metal tool) near the spoke cross, you'll have to change up your method. Personally I use leather gloves and squeeze the (nearly) parallel spokes to stress relieve. Using this method, you want to squeeze two pairs (one pair per hand) of spokes together as hard as you can simultaneously. Even with gloves, it may hurt your fingers, but it's much less so than without. It's a bit more awkward doing this with a radially built wheel because the spokes are even less parallel, but the result is the same. It is every bit as important on a radial wheel as it is on one with cross lacing. Be sure to re-check the spoke tension balance and wheel true after each time you stress relieve, since the tension will drop, and balance may change by a small bit.

-Jeremy

fietsbob

I put the axle against the floor, then lean on the rim rotate the wheel, a bit, do it again, then repeat flipping it over .

then recheck it in the truing stand.

corrado33

Interesting. Glad to be part of the 100%. (Had to google what it actually means.) Technically I still gave the right answer, so partial credit?

davidad

This explains the procedure and the need for it. Stress Relieving Spokes by Jobst Brandt

Hoang

Thanks for your replies. I guess I somehow thought that stress relieving was about correcting the spoke line which to me did not seem particularly relevant with a radial spoking pattern. Time to break out the leather gloves.

noglider 

Removing spoke twist, which you are describing, is different from stress relieving.

AlexCyclistRoch

First, I always back the spoke off after slightly over-tightening it first.

Secondly, I squeeze all the spokes, a handful at a time.

Lastly, I fill the tire, and bounce it off the floor for a few minutes. Then I re-true it.