KD5NRH

Anybody know a source for yellow spoke nipples? Searching Google Shopping turns up lots of yellow spoke/black nipple combos, but I'm wanting to rebuild a couple Schwinn wheels for my wife's bike in the John Deere colors. Green spokes would be nice, but IMO, the yellow nipples are the main touch I'd like to add. (And if green spokes don't match the frame, IMO, it'll look wrong, while plain spokes don't have that "tried and failed" look.) All I could find that were even close were gold anodized, and that wasn't very yellow-looking.

I might order up some unplated brass ones and DuraCoat them yellow, but that's a lot of extra time, expense and work for something that should be out there and just as cheap as all the other colors.

kycycler

I did a quick search of one of our suppliers and all I could find were green nipples. How about green nipples and yellow spokes?

FBinNY 

Not exactly yellow, but I have some some gold anodized Wheelsmith nipples. They're alloy so you'll have to be sure the spokes reach fully into the heads, and be a bit careful not to mar or round them off when tightening.

You don't want unplated brass nipples, they'll quickly turn either to a dark bronze color or green depending on weather.

Shimagnolo

And I thought this was going to be a medical issue.

KD5NRH

I'm pretty much assuming that at least the initial truing will have to be done from the slotted side. They're 26" MTB wheels and she never goes offroad, so I'm hoping there won't be too much need for adjustment once the tires are on.

The trick is getting the DuraCoat on them before they start to oxidize; over plating, it can only be as strong as the plating, but bonding it directly to the base metal it's just as good as powdercoating. OTOH, it does allow for any color they make, and there's a bright yellow that looks like a good match for the stem. (Or, for that matter, it would be worth pulling the stem off and replacing the Rustoleum with DuraCoat.)

KD5NRH

I might end up having to do that, or paint the rims yellow (obviously masking the braking surface first) and use green nipples on plain spokes.

larwyn

All the John Deere equipment I ever owned/worked with had yellow wheels. I think painting the rims yellow and using yellow spokes would look quite John Deere like to me. The nipples could be yellow, green or black and still look right for the JD theme. Black is the third most prevalent color on traditional John Deere equipment. I like the idea of a JD theme bike, look forward to seeing pictures of it.

fietsbob

It is part of maintainence.. but Im thinking a proper spoke wrench fit will make for less marring..

Wheelsmith has a 3 sided spokewrench, that may help prevent slipping.

as above, they anodize aluminum spoke nips, a golden tone, one of the dyes used.

Looigi

Yellow nipples that you might (or not) find appealing.

mrrabbit 

1. Do a search for Shar Dar Accessories in Google.
2. Hit the Pillar Spoke link.

I import their nipples - however I only grabbed gold, purple and white for brass cause that's all my customer wanted.

Not kidding...brass...not alloy. They have a tan - and the gold is more yellow-orange than it is gold.

=8-)

Maybe you have a friend in Taiwan who can do a little favor for you...