Bladed spoke twisting

[mangid]

Have Mavic Ellipse wheels, on the rear one spoke keeps twisting out of alignment. I realign it and tighten things up, but after a couple of hundred miles it will twist out of alignment aga wheel is still true, but it upsets the natural balance of things. How do i stop it from twisting out of alignment?

 

[Globalti]

Is this one of the wheels where the spokes are actually threaded into the rims? The spoke nipple is bigger than usual and is grooved to accept the Mavic spoke key.

 

[User6179]

Both my Mavic Aksiums and Mavic Cosmic Elite do this on the non drive side , nothing you can do about it .

 

[mangid]

Is this one of the wheels where the spokes are actually threaded into the rims? The spoke nipple is bigger than usual and is grooved to accept the Mavic spoke key.

Nope, normal nipples

 

[Globalti]

So why is the spoke wanting to twist? I'm trying to work it out in my head and not succeeding. Has the wheel recently been damaged or rebuilt?

I have Ksyriums and they've never done this.

 

[lpretro1]

There is a special tool available to hold bladed spokes in place whilst the nipple is tightened to avoid just this

 

[mangid]

So why is the spoke wanting to twist? I'm trying to work it out in my head and not succeeding. Has the wheel recently been damaged or rebuilt?

I have Ksyriums and they've never done this.

Nope, new wheel, maybe 7k on it. No damage, still true.

 

[mangid]

There is a special tool available to hold bladed spokes in place whilst the nipple is tightened to avoid just this

Yep, got the tool, and good quality spoke wrench ....

 

[lpretro1]

7000miles means it is NOT new anymore - that's a lot of miles...

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Nope, normal nipples

A possibility is that there was some residual twisting left on the spoke so after riding the wheel the spoke goes back to its natural position and that is when the spoke is not straight. Having the DT Swiss spoke wrench with its corresponding bladed spoke holder make this job a doddle. If not then try to hold the spoke as close to the top of the spoke wrench as possible and when finished apply tension to the spoke in question by squeezing the spoke together with neighbouring spokes. Correct alignment as needed.

 

[mangid]

7000miles means it is NOT new anymore - that's a lot of miles...

Previous Ellipse's where good to 46K, replaced because of front braking surface being thin, and bearings being a little ropey. It's less than a year old, that's new in my mind ;-)

 

[mangid]

A possibility is that there was some residual twisting left on the spoke so after riding the wheel the spoke goes back to its natural position and that is when the spoke is not straight. Having the DT Swiss spoke wrench with its corresponding bladed spoke holder make this job a doddle. If not then try to hold the spoke as close to the top of the spoke wrench as possible and when finished apply tension to the spoke in question by squeezing the spoke together with neighbouring spokes. Correct alignment as needed.

The DT Swiss Spoke Holder looks like a far better tool than the Park Tool I have. Okay, red handled one ordered, I think that's the one for 0.8mm>1mm, can never have enough tools ....

 

[accountantpete]

They normally only untwist when the thread has bottomed out or is damaged and you are twisting as you tighten - can you pop a washer on the spoke to give you a bit more thread to play with or try a bit of oil or threadlock as a lubricant.

As a last resort you could simply turn the blade straight with the tool (without touching the nipple) and adjust the other nipples.