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I'll be rebuilding a DT Swiss wheel soon for a mate. It's got straight pull spokes which I've never worked with. From my reading so far I've learnt that measuring the hub is a little different to normal hubs and that tightening the spokes can be fun if they spin.
It's DT Swiss E1700 Spline 2 rear wheel. I'll be using new spokes and an EX511 rim. In theory it should be the same length spokes but as we don't know the history of the wheel I'm going to measure everything up and double check.
Are there any tips of measuring up straight pull hubs or gripping the spokes?
Never had them spin putting them on whilst holding with fingers, but if i did i'd just use a soft faced pliers or clamps to hold and tighten, just oil the threads a little and i doubt you'll need anything more than a finger pinch whilst tightening.
https://spokes-calculator.dtswiss.com/en/calculator
I will only build straight pull with bladed spokes (it then puts them off and they go Jbend), as find that they spin and are generally more of a faff to build.
Avoiding spoke wind-up with straight-pull spokes can be tricky - attach little ‘flags’ of insulation tape to each spoke so you can keep an eye on then whilst you tension them.
The E 1700 used the E532 so they have almost the same ERD as the EX511 you will be able to to re-use the spokes assuming they're not damaged.
All spokes, j-bend or straight pull, should ideally clamped near the nipple when working on them, I use a Park CSH which works very well and doesn't mark them but a plier wrench also works at a pinch.
Email DT Swiss' UK support with the serial number off the hub and ask which hub in their spoke calc you should use to calculate for a rerim. Saves any hassle measuring the hub.
Avoiding spoke wind-up with straight-pull spokes can be tricky
In my experience there is less wind-up as the spoke just spins in the hub.
gripping the spokes
There is a tool for that :D. Or a bladed spoke holder when using bladed spokes.
https://uniortools.com/eng/product/1753-2B-straight-pull-spoke-pliers
I just built my mates straight pull wheel, 240 hub and ex511 rim. I used molegrips with tape on the teeth to prevent spoke damage and spokes didnt turn. They build very easily as the holes in hub align to correct hole in rim (assuming you get first one correct). Also same length spokes each side which is handy (I think due to the hub flange being smaller diameter on one side).
The 240exp SP onto xm481 were the easiest set of wheels I've ever built.
Knipex Pliers are great for holding the spokes still, with the added benefit of having loads of other practical uses too.
Great thanks. I've got a decent set of pliers and molegrips.
I've used knipex plier wrench in the past and found that whilst they're great for flat spokes, they tend to mark round ones.
Theyre also not sprung so slower to work with.
Hence getting the Park jobbie.
They're brilliant for a myriad of other tasks though
Because I'm an absolute hack, I use molegrips and a bit of old (noncorrugated) cardboard to protect the spoke. It's a bit slow but it works just fine. Once there's some tension in things get easier. Bloody hate straightpulls though, what a rubbish idea.
Straightpulls build into a stiffer overall structure with 2 key areas of flex and failure (the spoke/hub interface and the J-bend of the spoke itself) either massively reinforced or removed entirely.
From a pure engineering perspective they are the superior system, which is why the wheel engineers working for brands continue to spec them.
The downside is that when used with heavy duty components (I.e. DH wheels) they can end up overly stiff and there's a perception that spare spokes are harder to come by, although you can get Straight Pull Sapims and DT's are pretty much anywhere these days.