Noticed that the one loose spoke on my rear wheel is now about 6 loose spokes. 🙁 Although the wheel is still perfectly true I am guessing this is not ideal. However, I do not seem to be able to put any tension on them at all by simply tweaking the nipple with a spoke key and guess there must be a trick to it. Anyone care to enlighten me? They are straight pull spokes BTW

Spokes are turning. You’ll need to hold them while you tighten the nipples.

Is it really that simple? I was worried there might be another part to the nipple that needs holding rim-side, i.e, buried under the rim tape.

If that is all it is then cheers. Will give it a go

A lot of them use alu nipples so if they’ve had a bit of use you might also find they’re seized, so fingers crossed on that. I always grip the spoke with molegrips wrapped in cardboard, this could possibly be a terrible idea but I’m yet to die

lol, been doing some searching and a rubber pad in vice grips seems to be an accepted method. I will give it a go. My fear is that the threads may have pulled through though/stripped, in which case it is new spokes time!

Bl**dy bikes, one thing after the other…

All my nipples began to break/sheer around the same time (the wheels were just over 3 years old) so i’d advise caution when tightening. I got both wheels relaced with nipples that aren’t crap recently…and just last week all the chainring bolts snapped too (same age as wheels). I don’t think the big S use quality alloy or their red ano weakens them or i’m very unlucky or their alloy is shite or… 😉

Well happy to report that all spokes went back tight without problems using the rubber in a molgrips technique. Nothing scientific, just enough to get a ping rather than a flap! Will maybe get them trued and done properly next time I am in town, but hopefully some tension is better than no tension 🙂

Cheers for the help guys.