Wheel building – ever encountered nipples that are screwdriver-only?

Asked by: Jalen Volkmer

What are wheel nipples?

In biking terms – and just to be crystal clear about it, those are the only terms we are going to cover here – ‘nipple’ is the word used for the small nut that secures the end of each spoke to the rim of your wheel.

Why do spoke nipples break?

Spoke breakage can be caused by a number different things – everything from rocks/sticks to incorrect tension, corroded nipples, or faulty spokes. It’s not uncommon for a single spoke failing to lead to failures of additional spokes, due to the increased tension put on the remaining spokes when a single one breaks.

How do you loosen spoke nipples?

Note that the spokes have nut-like devices at the rim called nipples. When viewed from above, nipples are turned clockwise with the spoke wrench to tighten spoke tension and counterclockwise to loosen it. To ensure that you turn the nipple the correct way, always rotate the wheel to bring the nipple to the top first.

Are all spoke nipples the same?

The most common spoke nipple sizes are 3.23mm, 3.30mm, and 3.45mm. However, you might encounter other spoke nipple sizes ranging anywhere from 3.2mm to 9mm. Many spoke nipples are also square-shaped, including the most common sizes listed above. Some manufacturers use star-shaped or hex-shaped spoke nipples instead.

Are brass nipples better?

Brass or aluminum, which is better? This is a common question asked by beginners and seasoned riders alike. Generally speaking, brass nipples are more durable and heavier, while aluminum ones are lighter and come in many colors.

Can I reuse spokes and nipples?

Is It Ok To Re-Use Spoke Nipples? It’s not advisable to re-use spoke nipples because they’re made of soft material (aluminum or brass) and can therefore be damaged when dissembling an old wheel and building a new one with the same set.

Can you still ride with a broken spoke?

Yes, you can ride with a broken spoke without harming yourself or the bike. The immediate step should be to remove the spoke from the nipple so that it does not damage the other parts of the bike. However, if you have multiple broken spokes, it’s best not to ride the bike.

Should I ride with a broken spoke?

If you have just one broken spoke, it’s perfectly safe to keep riding. However, that one broken part could damage other parts of your bike if you do not take care of it in time. Every spoke in the wheel is crucial to maintaining the right tension and balance in your bike.

Can you replace spoke nipples?

Quote from video: But how do you get the new nipple the replacement nipple back through the valve hole. And back up to here to where you want it.

What happens if you over tighten spokes?

Spoke tension is important to ensure your wheels are strong, reliable and long lasting. Spokes that are too loose will continue to loosen and require constant wheel truing. Spokes that are too tight will cause damage to the rim, spoke nipples and hub flanges.

What do loose spokes sound like?

Spokes often move as they pass under your body weight with each wheel revolution. This can produce a tick or click noise, which comes from where the spokes touch each other at the cross. Squeezing pairs of crossed spokes on his front wheel definitely produced ticking-type noises.

What are brass nipples used for?

A brass nipple is a short piece of brass pipe that is threaded on both sides. Usually, they are used to connect the pipe to a valve, instrument or another pipe. Brass is used widely in plumbing but brass is also used in the automotive industry. There it is used in air brake systems, hose ends, and fuel lines.

Is straight pull spokes better than J bend?

In practice there is no discernible difference in the strength and durability of a properly hand built J bend wheel and a straight pull one.

Can brass nipples be used on natural gas?

In general, however, it is not recommended to use brass fittings on natural gas lines due to the risk of a gas leak. Brass is a simple material to melt because it has a melting point of 900 to 940 C. Copper can be used in gas supply lines as long as it is type K piping, which is thicker and used to reheat or plumbing.

Why Are spoke nipples brass?

Brass is an excellent material choice for nipples due to its superior corrosion resistance and high strength.

What are internal nipples?

Quote from video: Since we handled everything we can use an internal nipple an internal nipple is significantly superior because under that spoke tension the nipple is in compression.

Is straight pull spokes better than J bend?

In practice there is no discernible difference in the strength and durability of a properly hand built J bend wheel and a straight pull one.

How do you use a spoke tool?

Quote from video: You basically want to get the tightest. Fitting spoke wrench or nipple wrench. But start at the top bring it down get a good match. If that's loose go to your next one.

Can you tighten spokes without a spoke wrench?

To make them able to be tightened by mere fingers, you need to release the tension on them so the nipples will spin easily. That’s as simply as pulling the wheel as far to the right as possible, which is very easy by grabbing the wheel and chainstay and squeezing them together.

How do you tighten spokes without a spoke tool?

Quote from video: And connecting the hub to the side of the bow or the more preferred method tied in the spoke nearest to the bow and connecting the hub on the other side of the boat. So the opposite.