How To Tighten Spokes Without Spoke Wrench. How to install and tighten spokes on a bicycle. To tighten the spokes you need a tool called a spoke wrench.
If you have a caliper its easy to measure nipples on your wheels. Then skip two nipples and tighten the third. Remember you need to turn the spoke wrench in a clockwise motion to tighten the spoke nipple and counterclockwise to loosen it.
Do this for a complete lap around the wheel.
Thats where you want to make the notch so you can use the length of the key for leverage when truing wheels. This method works when the spokes are rounded out. You could easily overtighten the spoke and pull the rim out of round by using the tap and ring method. Follow this pattern all the way around the rim three times and youll have hit each spoke.
