Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

I have a set of wheels i need to unlace but the nipples are all seized on to spokes
I want to unlace without damaging rims (buckle or make them out of round) as they will be relaced
Any help on best way to cut spokes would be awesome
Thanks

A half decent set of linsemans pliers will see you right.

+1. I've used pliers

Thanks for the responses
Is there a method of which ones to cut each time so i dont wreck the rims and buckle or make them out of round

What I've done is start at 12 o'clock then 3, 6 and 9. Move one spoke to the right and repeat until done.

Cool thanks for the input

mxmort wrote:I have a set of wheels i need to unlace but the nipples are all seized on to spokes
I want to unlace without damaging rims (buckle or make them out of round) as they will be relaced
Any help on best way to cut spokes would be awesome
Thanks

I use a grinder (with safety glasses)

Can you get a big screwdriver to the outer end of the nipple? Grab the spokes with a pair of vise-grips and see what you can do. If you absolutely have to cut them, do what mulger says. Are you planning on saving the hub, too? Cause cutting will put odd stresses on the flanges.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... elace-hubs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jim

familyguy wrote:Cause cutting will put odd stresses on the flanges.

Can you substantiate this at all. Releasing tension (even a sudden release) on the flange doesn't seem likely to cause "odd stresses".

I've been told by a reliable source not to reuse spokes which have been fully detensioned - +1 for wire cutters.

human909 wrote:

familyguy wrote:Cause cutting will put odd stresses on the flanges.

Can you substantiate this at all. Releasing tension (even a sudden release) on the flange doesn't seem likely to cause "odd stresses".

I also find that very hard to believe. As that would suggest that if a spoke is broken during riding that the hub will also be damaged. Also back to the OP the rim.

Just cut them all with a big pair of wire cutters or the likes. Wheels really are not that delicate.

- David.

The source was a reputable and knowledgeable source, more with regards vintage parts. Granted, not something that wouldn't happen if you popped a couple on the road. Do with it what you will. I always unwind a few turns.

Jim

Dan wrote:I've been told by a reliable source not to reuse spokes which have been fully detensioned - +1 for wire cutters.

I've got diametrically opposite advice from a source that we can all look at if we have the e-book - Roger Musson's treatise on wheelbuilding.

My experience (which is probably not over a large enough number of wheels and kilometers to be statistically significant for proof for any of us) is that I've been building wheels with stainless spokes I've garnered from good quality wheelsets that have had worn out rims or freehubs, with no discernable different failure rate.

I find a 45cm set of bolt cutters to be good where I want to keep the rim or hub but not the spokes, and the wood splitter on a big stump with 6 blows spaced at 60 degrees where I am fitting the whole thing in the wheelie bin. Wear safety glasses for both these operations - old spokes may fly out from rims without rim tape, and the first blow of the wood splitter detensions the wheel in a way that may release stored energy in unexpected ways.

wqlava1 wrote:

Dan wrote:I've been told by a reliable source not to reuse spokes which have been fully detensioned - +1 for wire cutters.

I've got diametrically opposite advice from a source that we can all look at if we have the e-book - Roger Musson's treatise on wheelbuilding.

Indeed, I'd forgotten about that. Reuse if you can, and if you know the history of the wheel.

Just watch out when you cut the spokes. The first ones will be under some tension and the nipple end will fly out of the wheel and the end attached to the flange will flick in or out depending on the lacing.

If your quick enough then you can just cut every spoke 1 by 1 without damaging the rim. Don't need to bother about moving around the rim and cutting in different spots, it just takes more time.

And how quick is that? I'd assume that the correct answer for the time gap between spoke release events will be given in milliseconds.

You may well get away with it, but the assumption behind being "quick enough" is that the rim will indeed distort.

My experience is that taco-ing the rim to some degree will probably only happen for spoke tensions around the rim manufacturer's specified max and shallow section soft rims - but I would still be careful to avoid extra time truing the rims when rebuilding it.