I’ve got a set of Campagnolo Zonda wheels and have to replace a spoke on the front.

I was having a go at adjusting a couple on the rear to true out a little wobble and found that the spokes just seem to turn with the nipple as you try and tighten in? Is that normal? Is it just a case of them being at the end of their thread or corroded into the nipple? Or does this happen with normal J spokes and you just don’t notice it because they are round?

Basically, has anyone got any tips for replacing bladed spokes on campag wheels? pls.

You need to buy, find or make something to stop the spoke twisting. You can use anything from an adjustable spanner to molegrips (but I wouldn’t advise it) Some people simply get a block of wood and cut a small slot. You can get a proper tool I think. In my experience though mine have always been seized and end up twisting a spiral into the spoke.

Think Superstar have one of those tools.

Block of wood with a slot FTW. A hacksaw blade is a sensible width for CX-Ray type spokes, you may want the real thing for Magic Ksyrium type proprietary jobs.

Hardly breaking the bank 🙂

Doofry

I managed to put a campag mech into my back wheel last year , broke 4 spokes , mech and blew the tyre … wheel still not bang on as I went through 7 spokes , 4 replacements for the broken ones and another 3 for ones I snapped trying to get wheel true , think it was 6 mm open ended spanner and a shifter to hold the spoke , was bitch of job one small turn and another one snaps , good luck but thought myself do the nipples corrode a bit ….

Adjustable spanner ftw

Pain in the butt.. (see what I did there?!)

When I busted a few aero spokes due to a derailleur making a bid for freedom, I just had the whole wheel rebuilt on regular DT Swiss spokes, more availability and less messing about in the long run.