memebag

Through a series of unfortunate events I've ended up with one nipple that's smaller than the others. And now rounded off because I didn't understand that for a while.

I went to two bike shops today looking for nipples that fit the SW-2 Park Tool spoke wrench (0.136”/3.45mm), but neither had anything but SW-0 (0.127"/3.23mm) nipples.

Is there some reason I can't find 0.136" nipples? Do I have to replace all of them now?

JTGraphics

How many did you need I may have some extras laying around.

Drew Eckhardt 

People use quality spokes from DT, Wheelsmith, or Sapim when building wheels and those manufacturers' nipples are .127".

No, you should be able to find some Japanese nipples.

FBinNY 

The only reason you can't find those is that dealers (to avoid exactly the problem you're having) tend to buy nipples only from a single source. Right now the dominant suppliers are selling nipples on the smaller size (what I used to call the DT standard). A shop can't buy just one nipple, and wouldn't buy a box for fear of getting them accidentally mixed with the others.

You have a few choices.

1- leave the existing damaged nipple in place and see if you can work around it, or turn it with sharp pliers. My trick for turning tight or partly stripped nipples is to wedge a cut down broomstick against the hub and lever the rim toward the spoke slightly to ease the tension.

2- replace the nipple and buy the apprpriate spoke wrench for it. Mark it with something for future reference.

3- scrounge a used nipple from a dead wheel a a bike co-op or shop that sells lot's of wheels. The odds favor you here because your size if fairly common on OEM wheels.

4- replace all the nipples and rebuild the wheel, which may be the only option if you're OCD about this kind of stuff.

memebag

Right now I just need one.

This is a 2014 Giant Escape City. It came with 0.136” nipples. Where should I look for those?

FBinNY 

Ironically, you're most likely to find them at a shop that doesn't build lots of wheels. Or there are plenty still on trashed wheels.

JTGraphics

I'll look tonight I may have a few of those laying around and as others have said you can replace that one with a more standard size used you will need to get a spoke wrench for it but its not a problem to change one to it if thats what you want to do.

memebag

I can't understand what you're talking about. I don't understand how a broomstick can be wedged against a hub, or what levering the rim means.

Yeah. Then I have to keep swapping wrenches when truing the wheel, and I'm sure the mark will wear off.

No idea where I would find that. I was hoping to fix this tonight.

I might be OCD about this kind of stuff. Sigh.

FBinNY 

Let's assume the tight nipple is on the right side. You want to flex the rim toward it so take some tension out of the spoke. So you take the broom handle (or anything similar - I use a toilet plunger handle) pass it it through the wheel from left of the rim to the right side of the hub, or to the right of the left flange (either is fine for small flange hubs). Then you can use it to push the rim across slightly. DO not get carried away, this is an easy way to taco a wheel.

I can only offer suggestions. I can't solve life's problems.

memebag

I'm still scratching my head. I can't understand what you're describing or what it will do.



That's OK. I'm going to check one more bike shop for my low quality Japanese nipples. If they don't have any I'll try living with one tiny nipple.

BTW, "Low Quality Japanese Nipples" would make a good band name.

JTGraphics

Ok if you can deal with black I found 10 new ones in my box of junk.
PM me if interested in these.

memebag

Thanks, but I went with mismatched nipples. One of mine now fits th green spoke wrench, while the rest fit the red one.

pdlamb

You might want to dab a bit of paint or nail polish on the mismatched one, so you'll remember to grab the other spoke wrench.

I did the reverse once (put on one big nipple), but I got lucky because it's taller, so it sticks out. It's a learning experience!

fietsbob

Only 1 was pierced for a ring?