How to Tighten Your Bicycle Spokes

A step-by-step guide on how to easily tighten the spokes on the wheels of your bicycle or E-bike. Produced by Pedego Electric Bikes for public use in bicycle maintenance. Instructions:

The best tool for tightening your spokes is a 12 gauge spoke wrench.

We recommend tightening both the front and rear spokes to make sure that your wheels keep a balanced level of tension in their components.

it is best to start with a spoke next to the tire valve. This will give you a clear stopping point once you've made your way around the rim.

With each spoke be sure to turn the wrench as tight as possible. A small turn may be enough, but very loose spokes can require extra tightening. Always remember that it's better to have spokes that are extra tight than it is to leave a spoke too loose.

As you make your way past the reflector, simply push it in toward the center of the spokes, allowing space for you and your spoke wrench to work.

Once you have tightened past past the reflector, push it back towards the outer rim and into its original position

You will know that you're finished tightening all of your tire's spokes when you have completed a full circle around the rim and made your way back to the tire valve.

[MrStevegibb]

My spokes had gotten loose on my hub motor followed your guide and it worked a treat thanks a lot for this guide.

[davidsheets]

Start with one skip two until you get ba k to the one you started and then do the same for all four spokes then you will not untrue your wheel

[GH-wtww]

Is the bike turned upside down, or in a bike rack? My bike will be upside down on the floor not sure which way to turn spokes to tighten.

[Marzer-dobi]

Can a leatherman also be used? Or just a spoke wrench?

[Soop]

You fail to mention to turn COUNTER clockwise.

[taitheguy]

type in bicycle spokes, cuz my electric bike's spokes are loose (didn't know to twist left or right), & the first suggestion is a video of an electric bike

[matthewwalters]

What if I don't have that tool what els could I use?

[henry]

this is a starter procedure, turning counter-clockwise looking into the rim, before you start the harder job of truing, which may require loosening some spokes, and may need to be done on a truing stand

[WyliesPop]

So obviously I can see, relative to the rim that you are turning the nipple what looks like “counter-clockwise”. This does not actually make sense unless one understands that the nipple is the NUT and the spoke is the BOLT, …if you will. Even the briefest of explanations such as the one I’ve just provided would seem to be… important to include in such a video? I’ve give this a “thumbs down” for leaving this out. It seems “most people” are happy with it. Ok. For a technically-minded person, on initial viewing it is quite strange. Yes my 2¢ and worth consideration perhaps

[ReadTheBible]

hahaha reflector.... uh we use Led lights now.