Straight Pull Spoke Pliers

Spoke wind-up is the same problem on straight-pull spokes as it is on bladed spokes; when the nipple turns, the spoke wants to twist with it, and a twisted spoke will rotate back to its rest position the first time the wheel sees load, knocking the carefully-built wheel back out of true. The Straight Pull Spoke Pliers grip the spoke firmly enough to prevent that twist, while remaining gentle enough not to scratch or distort the spoke's surface.

The 1753/2B handles round straight-pull spokes from 1.4 mm to 2.2 mm in diameter, the official range. The plier's serrated grip distributes contact over the spoke's length, which gives the firm hold without the point-load that would mark the spoke or weaken its surface.

For workshops servicing straight-pull wheelsets, this is the companion tool to whichever spoke wrench fits the nipples on those wheels (typically the Professional Spoke Wrench 3.45mm 1630/2P or the Tx20 Professional Spoke Wrench). The pliers hold; the wrench turns; the wheel comes true without the spoke storing twist as residual stress.

Compatibility

• Spokes: round straight-pull spokes, 1.4 mm to 2.2 mm in diameter.
• Wheels: straight-pull wheelsets that use round spokes.
• Companion: any spoke wrench in the size matching the nipple.

Specs

• Spoke diameter range: 1.4 to 2.2 mm (round straight-pull).
• Serrated jaw face with a spoke-locking mechanism for a firm grip.
• Length 180 mm; weight 228 g. Trivalent chrome plated; lifetime warranty.

Built in Zreče, Slovenia

Unior has been forging hand tools in Zreče since 1919, and sponsors professional road and mountain-bike race teams. The Straight Pull Spoke Pliers solve a problem that's specific to the modern wheel-construction era. Straight-pull spokes have become common as wheel manufacturers shifted away from J-bend spokes on premium builds; the wind-up problem came with them, and the dedicated pliers are the workshop answer to a problem that didn't exist on J-bend builds.

Pro tip from our mechanics

Grip the spoke as close to the nipple as the rim profile allows. Holding the spoke farther down its length gives it more length to twist along, which means less wind-up gets prevented. The closer to the nipple, the cleaner the rotation; the cleaner the rotation, the less re-trueing the wheel needs after the first ride. The full wheel-truing workflow is in How to true a bike wheel →

FAQ

What spokes do the 1753/2B-US pliers fit? Round straight-pull spokes from 1.4 mm to 2.2 mm in diameter. That is the official range stamped on the jaw (Ø1.4–Ø2.2). They are not the tool for bladed or aero spokes; that job belongs to the Aero/Bladed Spoke Holder 1632.

Why hold a straight-pull spoke while the nipple turns? A straight-pull spoke has no J-bend to resist twist. When the nipple turns, the spoke wants to wind up with it; the first ride lets that twist unwind and knocks the wheel back out of true. These pliers lock the round spoke so only the nipple rotates, during building or truing.

Will they hold J-bend or bladed spokes? Unior specifies them for round straight-pull spokes. Bladed and aero spokes take the 1632 holder, whose slot matches the blade. A J-bend spoke is usually held at the elbow, not in these jaws.

How big are they, and what finish do they carry? 180 mm long, 228 g, trivalent chrome plated, with Unior's lifetime warranty. Handle spread 59 mm, jaw height 15 mm, jaw reach 35.5 mm, head thickness 10 mm. Article 1753/2B-US, SKU 628712.