Ken,
There's a specially made tool for the task. It's not especially expensive, and mine looks like a blue metal ruler with some odd shaped holes in it.
If you don't wish to spend 3-4 pounds for such a thing, I think nearly any bicycle shop would be glad to measure your spoke length and sell you whatever is proper.
Cheers,
John Barry
Mechanicsburg, PA, USA
> From: kfhume@hotmail.com <kfhume@hotmail.com>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR] Clicking Spokes III
\r?\n> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2009, 4:39 AM
\r?\n> Hi,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I have decided to have a go at replacing all the spokes in
\r?\n> my 700C front wheel with new stainless spokes.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> When ordering spokes on the web there appears to be a huge
\r?\n> range of spoke lengths from which a choice has to be made.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> My question is how does one measure the length of an
\r?\n> existing spoke so that the new spokes will fit properly.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Is there a preferred simple proceedure to be followed to
\r?\n> change the spokes and realign the wheel ?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Regards
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Ken Hume
\r?\n> London, England.