Spoke replacement?

[Tony]

I have a mix match set of wheels and would like the front wheel to match the bladed rear wheel. Can I replace the front wheel round spokes with bladed spokes one at a time paying attention to keeping the wheel true through the process? Or is this a wrong way to go about this?
Thanks

[RichardL]

You can do it that way, but you will need a truing stand and a dishing tool to double check your work after you are done.

[cachagua]

Way too much trouble to keep it true through the whole process -- just loosen all the (existing) spokes, swap 'em one by one, and then true the wheel once, is the way I'd do it.

[lhuerta]

Completely the wrong way. You will need a complete wheel rebuild. Also, depending on what type of bladed spoke you plan to use, you will need to make sure that your existing hub has holes wide enough to accept a bladed spoke. If you have never built a wheel before there are plenty of good books out there that can get you versed in the process, however, truly building a wheel is an art form that will take lots of practice. Lou

[ultraman6970]

+1, if you swap the things one by one you will have the same problem wheels have when a spoke snaps, you have to rebuilt the wheel. The hub can take the bladed spokes? depending on the spoke you want to use, some hubs need to have the files filed to be able to pass the spokes thought out the holes. Some bladed spokes work find in any hub.

[Tony]

+1, if you swap the things one by one you will have the same problem wheels have when a spoke snaps, you have to rebuilt the wheel. The hub can take the bladed spokes? depending on the spoke you want to use, some hubs need to have the files filed to be able to pass the spokes thought out the holes. Some bladed spokes work find in any hub.

The hub is a Neuvation and now looking at it I don't know if its possible to use bladed spokes, maybe. I've never built a wheel before, only lots of truing.
I was hoping to do this myself, one spoke at a time, now I think its best to just live with it.
Thanks

[cachagua]

Have you considered oval-section spokes? Wheelsmith used to sell them, don't know if they still do -- all the aero benefits (~) of bladed spokes, but you don't have to slot the spoke holes in the hub.

But look, do you have another wheel you can ride, for now? I'd encourage you, if you're tempted to try it, to make this a learner wheel for yourself: loosen it all around and swap the spokes, or take it all apart and build ot from scratch, and then -- just true it up! Chances are it won't come out in a condition where you'd ride it, so loosen it up and true it again. It'll come out a little better. Maybe not perfect yet? Do it again, as many times as you like, and you'll find yourself climbing the learning curve. If you've done some truing before you'll have an idea how things feel. Don't hold a needlessly high standard for yourself, either -- "reasonably" true is perfectly okay to ride, in spite of people's digital feeler-gauges on their truing stands.

It may turn out to be something you enjoy doing, and enjoy watching yourself getting continually better at -- or if you discover you just can't stand the process, you can throw in the towel at any time and take the thing to a shop.

[ergott]

You can use Sapim CX-Ray spokes or DT Aerolites without any problem. Don't do one by one. Remove the tension in the wheel and then you can replace the spokes one by one. You might as well replace the nipples if they are alloy. I don't reuse them.

Then bring the tension up evenly. The finishing process isn't too different from maintenance truing. Just make sure you have adequate and even tension.

[Tony]

Good advise, Thanks all! I think I'm going to try this, replace the spokes as advised.