How do I measure spokes? - A guide from Speichenshop24

You can find spokes in our online shop in two different ways. Firstly, you can search for the make and model of your vintage motorcycle and then select the right spokes . Secondly, you can also measure your spokes and then order them in the stainless steel spokes made to measure category. However, since it is not that easy to measure spokes, we will explain below how to do it correctly.

A note on thread diameters

Spokes (like screws in hardware stores) are sold according to their thread diameter and not the actual spoke diameter. This is legally stipulated in DIN 74371 Part 1. The thread diameters are described with M , which stands for metric thread. In the table below you can see which thread diameter corresponds to the respective M dimension.

Metric designation	Thread diameter in mm	Spoke diameter in mm
M3	2.8 - 2.9	2.6
M3.5	3.3 - 3.4	3.0
M4	3.8 - 3.9	3.4
M4.5	4.3 - 4.4	4.0
M5	4.8 - 4.9	4.4

Determining the length of the spoke

Once you have determined the diameter of the thread of the stainless steel or chrome spoke, you now need the length of the spoke. This is a little easier to determine with a straight spoke than with a cranked spoke. With a straight spoke, you simply measure from one end of the spoke to the other end. The length of a cranked spoke is measured from the end of the thread to under the hook. The following diagram makes this clearer.

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Spoke length, angle and hook length - Speichenshop24

Angle and hook length

With a cranked spoke, the spoke head bends at a certain angle. This angle must also be measured very precisely. On some models, the inner and outer spokes are absolutely identical and only differ in the angle, often by just 15 degrees (on the NSU Superfox, for example, one spoke has an angle of 80 degrees, the other one of 95 degrees). You also need the hook length, which varies depending on the length of the spoke and the thread diameter, to guarantee the perfect fit and tensile strength. Please refer to the diagram to see how this is measured.

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We hope that this article has provided some clarity on how to measure spokes of all kinds. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Your Speichenshop24 Team