Spoke key

[Wayners]

Any recommendations for a spoke key.
I'm going to try myself to take rear wheel buckle out at weekend. No idea what I'm buying.
Thanks

 

[pedalfettal]

I use a Spokey 3.25mm...

Spa Cycles - Spokey 3.25/3.40

the circular hole is really useful for orientation (quarter-turn hole left, half-turn hole right, etc)

You'll need to fathom which size to buy - depending on your existing spoke nipples.

 

[Wayners]

I'll try and measure it then. Might be able to look up the wheel online for size

 

[saneagle]

The most important thing is that you get one where the square that grips on the spoke is diagonal and not square, like this one, but it obviously needs to be the right size for your spokes, typically 14g or 13g:

Wrong type with square not diagonally orientated:

 

[AndyBike]

+1 for spokey.

Plus its bright red*, which means losing sight of it is going to be hard.

*Chances are it will be the red one, as that seems to be 90% of all nipples

 

[guerney]

This looks spokey, will order next Halloween (badda-boom!)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202663161688

 

[pedalfettal]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202663161688

Your one looks quite useful - especially for Chinese-built hub-motored wheels with heavy-gauge spokes:

5 IN 1 SPOKEY SPOKE BIKE TOOL ADJUSTER 13 GAUGE 14G, 15G NIPPLES + 2 SCREWDRIVER

 

[Nealh]

A red spokey for my 14g spokes.

 

[AndyBike]

This looks spokey, will order next Halloween (badda-boom!)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/202663161688

That is quite an interesting take on the spokey one. I particularly like the insert idea.

Not sure why they've included a pozi-drive screwdriver bit though, as pozi-drive is primarily for wood screws.

 

[Bikes4two]

+2 for Spokey (different colours for different sizes) although I can see the advanages of the 'diagonal' type from Topeak which I've now added to my Crimbo list.

 

[guerney]

Saw these - a bit thin at 3.8mm, but they're so cheap I suppose I could superglue two together?

Dual Head Bicycle Nipple Repair Tool Spoke Wrench Shimano Mavic Splines Type 12G/13G/14G/15G 4.3mm 4.4mm Square Nipple Fitting - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

vi.aliexpress.com

I sometimes use this, but it's a bit of a wrench. You wouldn't believe how many computers I've fixed using this. Mine is about 26 years old.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315815921081

 

[Bikes4two]

Saw these - a bit thin at 3.8mm, but they're so cheap I suppose I could superglue two together?

Dual Head Bicycle Nipple Repair Tool Spoke Wrench Shimano Mavic Splines Type 12G/13G/14G/15G 4.3mm 4.4mm Square Nipple Fitting - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

vi.aliexpress.com

I'm guessing you've never done any serious wheel building or re-truing as using such spanners would drive you insane - their shape/design would make the task endlessly long/labourious/tedious - just saying.

The Spokey and Topeak spoke key designs (and there are many other brands) whereby you can turn the spoke nipple without detaching the wrench are what's needed.

 

[guerney]

I'm guessing you've never done any serious wheel building or re-truing as using such spanners would drive you insane - their shape/design would make the task endlessly long/labourious/tedious - just saying.

The Spokey and Topeak spoke key designs (and there are many other brands) whereby you can turn the spoke nipple without detaching the wrench are what's needed.

View attachment 60574

Yep fiddly and unpleasant, and only when I couldn't locate the Park Tool type mentioned earlier, or the horrible circular roulette type. I have rim brakes, and thats the reason this far I've needed to true. Ordered these the other day to try, which should be an upgrade to zipties... but I may spring for a truing stand at some point...

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005006354758587.html



...maybe the West Biking:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145782980939

 

[Wayners]

@guerney

If you look at the customer review pictures of those spoke keys they look thick.

Good buy those

Dual Head Bicycle Nipple Repair Tool Spoke Wrench Shimano Mavic Splines Type 12G/13G/14G/15G 4.3mm 4.4mm Square Nipple Fitting - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

 

[guerney]

@guerney

If you look at the customer review pictures of those spoke keys they look thick.

Good buy those

View attachment 60579

Dual Head Bicycle Nipple Repair Tool Spoke Wrench Shimano Mavic Splines Type 12G/13G/14G/15G 4.3mm 4.4mm Square Nipple Fitting - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

Hey that's thicker than the dimension I saw on ebay. The similar to Bic biro I just measured = 7.4mm.

 

[Wayners]

They are sold separately.
I need to measure mine and order one.

 

[Bikes4two]

Ooh, that West Biking truing stand looks good value if it's any good that is and much cheaper than Ali Express too - maybe another item on my Crimbo list?

On the other hand, I only build or true a wheel a couple of times a year and I currently use a home made truing stand the design of which I got from a downloaded PDF book (link HERE) which is well worth the £9.00 of anyone's money who fancies a go at wheel building, although I do understand its not for everyone.

 

[Wayners]

Yose power front hub wheel is 12g
My rear wheel is 13g

I have these spoke keys but not recommended correct?

 

[saneagle]

Yose power front hub wheel is 12g
My rear wheel is 13g

I have these spoke keys but not recommended correct?

View attachment 60581

The one on the left is better than the one on the right. I've used both types many times. The ones on the right seem to vary in size. when I've selected the 13g slot for my 13g nipples, sometimes they're nice and snug, other times they're too loose so they round the squares.

13g nipples are around 3.5mm, which is the largest slot in the one on the left. The one on the right will have a 12g slot, but you have to try it to see how well it fits. 12g spokes often give problems - mainly coming loose. Are yours OK?