operator

I asked at the LBS what size spoke wrench I needed for my wheels. He replied 15. Thinking that this would be a piece of cake I go online and look for a spoke wrench. To my dismay I see serveral choices not mentioning 15 anything.

Do any of these fit? https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_l...=1119205440547

briancady413

I use a round spoke wrench that includes slots for many different sized spoke nipples.
15 is the most common size, but why not go to your LBS and try one before buying it there - They can't be charging too much, can they?
Also, you might oil the nipples a few days in advance of wheel truing - those threads can stick.

edf825

15 gauge. That's 1.8 mm.

MudPie

Correct, the diameter of the spoke is 15 gauge (1.8 mm). However, that has no correlation to the nipple size. You need to match the wrench to the nipple size/type. For example, I use DT Spokes and their nipples take a "black" coloured spoke wrench (made by Park). There are some ring nipple wrenches to fit many nipples, as Briancady says. If you're doing the occasional truing, those are sufficient. If you're building wheels or lots of truing, I find the dedicated wrenches much easier to use (they fit the hand better).

operator

When I asked, the guy only measured the nipple size, not the spoke size. Is it still 15 gauge/1.8mm?

MudPie

No, I'm pretty sure he reported the diameter of the spoke.

Just about all common, round spoke is either 14 or 15 gauge (2.0 mm, 1.8 mm diameters, respectively). Since the nipple is really a nut, it has to be bigger than the spoke. I saw your link to mec.ca and those 3 spoke wrenches offered probably cover 98% of the market. (I'll reserve the other 2% to exotic/custom applications). To be safe, you can get that multi-spoke wrench Park SW-7.

(Note, some spokes are double butted - the diameters towards the ends are 14 gauge, while the middle section is 15 gauge. There are higher stresses at the ends of the spoke.)

chilly

Do what I did, measure the size of the nipples and then get the right wrench. Mine was the red one, 8 bucks from MEC.

michaelnel

I have the black and red versions of the Park spoke wrench



... but on Sheldon Brown's recommendation I got one of these "Spokey" wrenches and I find it FAR easier to use than the Parks

phantomcow2

15 is 15 guage which is 1.8mm. Simple.

phantomcow2

Oh and the correct park tool wrench is green. thats the one for 3.3mm which is what DT spokes are, as well as wheelsmith

operator

Well I only say it wasn't the spoke gauge he told me is because, the only thing he busted out was the spoke wrench, and he tried it on the nipple.

Al1943

Yeah, get the Spokey wrenches, I use the red and the yellow. The red one is perfect for alloy nipples and grips them better than the Park wrench.

Al

kritter

why didnt you buy it from the LBS after they took the time to measure your spokes?

operator

I didn't have enough money on me ATM.

Black Shuck

These handle most sizes, pretty compact too.