Originally Posted by FBinNY

Odds are the spokes are too short.

Take a look and check whether the tops of the spokes reach close to the top of the nipple. If you're breaking nipples I'll bet it doesn't, and that's why your nipples are breaking.


...snip...

As they say a chain is as strong as it weakest link, and the nipple shank which was never intended to be a structural element - whether brass or alloy - will ultimately fail.

In fewer simple words - nipples used properly with spoke heads reaching the top of the head don't fail.

BTW- some time back someone posted 3 nice cross-section sketches of spokes in nipples at different heights, which nicely show the problem of too short spokes. If he sees this maybe he'll be so kind as to post them again.