Spoke nipple measurements, spoke wrenches and spoke rulers

Contents

• Spoke nipples measured
• Spoke rulers, how well do they work?
• Spoke wrenches, how well do they work and how well do they fit?

Spoke nipples measured (Sapim, Alpina, others)

• 13G spokes (ca. 2.3mm spoke diameter at the nipple and at the head end, these spokes are usually not tapered, so not thinner in the middle as with 2.0-1.8-2.0mm spokes):
  • Brand? 13G (2.3mm spokes): ca. 3.81mm - 3.82mm (2 sides of multiple nipples measured, each combination was actually 3.81/3.82). 4.81mm at the rim
  • Sapim leader 13G (2.3mm spokes): 3.96 - 3.97mm, 5.03mm at the rim. These need rims with 5.5 mm holes.
  • Bought several loose to repair a wheel, not sure which brand: ??
  • Repaired a bike for a friend, this wheel has weird spokes/nipples that I've not seen before. Spokes are 2.22 mm, not ca. 2.3mm, far more of a deviation than a measurement error (2 digital calipers give the same result). Also this wheel is built with spoke nipples that are ca. 3.65mm at the square end, and ca. 4.35mm at the hole so it will barely fit through 4.5mm holes in rims that are used for nipples for 14G spokes.
  • Spokes for 13G that have a narrow nipple that fits through 4.5mm holes in rims:
• 14G spokes (2.0mm spoke diameter at the nipple, often 1.8 mm at the centre, etc.):
  • Alpina standard 14G: 3.25/3.26, small variation of sides from 3.25 to 3.26, so combinations of these values), diameter at the rim 3.95-3.97mm
  • Alpina extra long 14G:

Spoke rulers, how well do they work in measuring used and new spokes?

• DT swiss aluminium ruler. Made from quite thin flimsy feeling aluminium. It is currently listed at ca EUR 34 which is very expensive and looks like a fantasy number... I bought it many years ago, I paid far less, I think it was around 15 euro at most (but likely less) which is already too much. Is it accurate? I measured a used spoke at 298mm, whereas a bike shop with an old steel Cyclus gauge measured 300mm. Hmm, so trying to change the place of the measurement from the curve to the head gives perhaps 1mm, but still not 300mm. This Cyclus ruler is only available these days in aluminium, black with white inscriptions, I don't like that, but perhaps it will work well?
• XLC TO-S68 stainless steel ruler. Feels more sturdy, gives 1 mm difference in spoke length compared to the DT swiss ruler, almost the same as the bike shop's ruler.
• To come: Katana spoke ruler. Looks identical to the XLC ruler except for additional nipple measurement holes.

Spoke wrenches, how well do they work and how well do they fit common brand nipples?

• Spokey professional (4 edge grip) black, red, blue.
• Park tool red/black 4 edge grip (SW-40, SW-42).
• To come: Park tool green SW-1 (3.3 mm) and blue (4.0mm)
• Radon multi-spoke size wrench [ I lost this in 2024 in Kiev when I lost my toolbag... ]
• Old spoke wrench, 4 way, probably from the 1960s.
• 2 sided spoke wrench that came with a Simson tyre repair kit.[ I lost this in 2024 in Kiev when I lost my toolbag, but I have a another one... ]
• Ca. Sept./Oct 2024 I bought a spoke wrench to replace the tools that I lost, from: Super B, 3.2mm, fits perfectly on the spokes of my Stevens P18. Also small/lightweight. I selected this in a shop in Kiev after trying out which one fits best.

Perhaps I will add some others.

Last modified: 2025-7-20