I got some 26 hope hoops I’m putting 29er rims on. What’s the quickest way to take these apart? I shall also be rebuilding them then taking to the bike shop to get done properly

Wire cutters

Just snip through all the spokes

Angle grinder.

Why not sell on old wheels and buy new set. Are you saving that much doing it your way?

If you’ve for something to quickly and cleanly cut the spokes this will be quickest. If not you’d better get twiddling those nipples.

ill see your Angle Grinder and raise you a Lightsabre!

Depends if you want to keep the spokes for another 26 build or not. Snip if you don’t, undo the nipples one by one with Nipple driver and/or electric screwdriver if you do.

I shall also be rebuilding them then taking to the bike shop to get done properly

Save yourself the bother…..and the lbs the pain.And just get them to do it.
Got people all the time bringing wheels for ‘just tensioning’ who’d done the same and expecting to pay for just a wheel true.

Take the cassette off first!

You can undo the nipples using an electric drill / driver with a flat head screw driver bit. Takes a few seconds for each.

Rorschach – I am just lacing the wheels. Cheers I’ll snip them

Just a little warning – if the rim is lightweight, it can be deformed by snipping the spokes, releasing the tension in one place only. I’ve only seen that a couple of times though.

Pro tip: leave the rim tape on otherwise the spoke ends fire across the room 😉

Pro tip: leave the rim tape on otherwise the spoke ends fire across the room

That’s the fun bit!

Electric screwdriver/drill driver and a flathead screwdriver bit with a notch out of the middle (in case of spokes protruding through the nipple). Not as fast as cutting them but doesn’t destroy everything. (whether you care or not is a different matter but I figure I’ll never regret having spare spokes in the garage even if I never use them)

That’s the fun bit!

Getting them out from under the workbench afterwards isn’t 😉

It’s not difficult or lengthy to dissemble the wheels while not destroying £30+ of spokes. Loosen them all off so you can use a screwdriver on the nipples, then undo the pulling or pushing half, then unscrew remaining nipples by hand.

Getting them out from under the workbench afterwards isn’t

Neither is pulling them out of the workshop door. but the fun bit makes up for it 😉