Spoke Nipple Brands
06-15-23, 12:55 PM
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Spoke Nipple Brands
I' going to swap a rim over and I was thinking that I might change out the spoke nipples. I have 2.0mm spokes.
I see that people generally recommend Wheelsmith. Is there any reason to go with other brands like Sapim or DTSwiss (cheaper?)?
My only worry is that I have read that there can be small variations in thread. Is this true?
I see that people generally recommend Wheelsmith. Is there any reason to go with other brands like Sapim or DTSwiss (cheaper?)?
My only worry is that I have read that there can be small variations in thread. Is this true?
06-15-23, 05:02 PM
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I haven't had any problems mixing and matching any of the major brands (Wheelsmith, DT Swiss, Sapim). I do believe Wheelsmith is out of business, though. I like Spline Drive as well.
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06-15-23, 05:34 PM
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Most of the spoke makers do not actually make their own nipples. Nipple manufacture process and machinery is VERY different from spoke making, so most prefer to have them made by folks best equipped to do so.
In any case there's not a meaningful quality difference brand to brand. Instead, focus on the individual characteristics, like shape of the head, quality of the flats, and (most important) length of thread.
Spokes generally have 10mm of thread length, so I look for nipples with only 7-8mm of thread. That allows me to err to the long side with 2mm+ room for overrun. Confirm this by threading a spoke and seeing how far you can go beyond the head before bottoming. As a rule it's all a matter of preference, but if you're spokes are already on the long side, you MUST buy nipples that allow overrun.
In any case there's not a meaningful quality difference brand to brand. Instead, focus on the individual characteristics, like shape of the head, quality of the flats, and (most important) length of thread.
Spokes generally have 10mm of thread length, so I look for nipples with only 7-8mm of thread. That allows me to err to the long side with 2mm+ room for overrun. Confirm this by threading a spoke and seeing how far you can go beyond the head before bottoming. As a rule it's all a matter of preference, but if you're spokes are already on the long side, you MUST buy nipples that allow overrun.
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06-16-23, 06:55 PM
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Look at the various brands closely, even go to a shop and look. Various brands have different shapes to the head of the nipple. I really prefer Polyax brand as the head of the nipple is more rounded, and the slot for the nipple driver is a bit deeper. The rounded head allows the nipple to seat well and not bind when at a higher angle. (Some builders suggest spoke washers, I have not used them) The deeper head allows you to run in the nipple without stripping the slot out. I have older rims with nipples somewhere between the generic one and the Polyax one shown that also have a bit deeper head.
Any of these will work just fine, it's a matter of how much annoyance you tolerate. I usually screw up at least once on a build (sigh....) and having to deal with stripped out slots is never fun. Multiply by 64 or 72 nipples and you get the idea
Polyax on left
Polyax on left
Any of these will work just fine, it's a matter of how much annoyance you tolerate. I usually screw up at least once on a build (sigh....) and having to deal with stripped out slots is never fun. Multiply by 64 or 72 nipples and you get the idea
Polyax on left
Polyax on left
06-16-23, 09:15 PM
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Brass it doesn't matter much, I got a deal of 500 brass nipples for 20.00 so I lean towards those till the next bargain comes along. Alloy I'm with urbanknight, spline drive all the way and I go with wheel fanatyk, don't know if anyone else is making these, they allow for proper torque with no stripping out of the sides.
06-17-23, 01:06 PM
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Whatever gives you a match on the threads. Stay away from aluminum, though.
06-17-23, 05:18 PM
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I believe the patent is still good for a couple more years and Wheel Fanatyk bought the rights. Not sure if it has caught on enough to copy when it expires though.
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Last edited by urbanknight; 06-18-23 at 11:26 PM.
06-17-23, 07:38 PM
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06-18-23, 12:04 PM
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Where I live, Sapim and DT Swiss are available (mostly sourced from Germany), but Wheelsmith is not.
I prefer DT Swiss classic nipples, because they don't have a conical head (so they distribute the load on the rim over a wider area), and because their threads let the spoke protrude more - so there's less chance of having the nipple's head be unsupported by the spoke, and break off. Sure, if you get your spoke lengths just correct, ideally, that should not be a problem with Sapim either, but with DT Swiss I have a bit more of a margin for error (and, besides, I usually get spokes at 2mm length difference, at best).
Niple thread lengths for Sapim and DT Swiss brass nipples
That bit of "OCD" aside, both Sapim and DT Swiss make good quality nipples.
Relja
I prefer DT Swiss classic nipples, because they don't have a conical head (so they distribute the load on the rim over a wider area), and because their threads let the spoke protrude more - so there's less chance of having the nipple's head be unsupported by the spoke, and break off. Sure, if you get your spoke lengths just correct, ideally, that should not be a problem with Sapim either, but with DT Swiss I have a bit more of a margin for error (and, besides, I usually get spokes at 2mm length difference, at best).
Niple thread lengths for Sapim and DT Swiss brass nipples
That bit of "OCD" aside, both Sapim and DT Swiss make good quality nipples.
Relja
06-20-23, 05:36 AM
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I agree although I often get a lot of flack for suggesting brass. To be, the minuscule weight savings using alloy nipples isn't worth the extra possibility of galvanic corrosion. Brass is more forgiving.
06-20-23, 06:25 AM
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Aluminum nipples are not all created equal. I have built a couple thousand carbon wheels over the past decade almost exclusively with Sapim aluminum nipples. They are anodized 7075, resistant to rounding (better than brass in that regard) and corrosion resistant. I get to service bikes with wheels I built many years ago and corrosion is rarely an issue.
06-20-23, 11:37 AM
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Also, it's helpful to use something that will set the threads (like a threadlocker.. but not) once you have the wheel back together. I like to use linseed oil... it smells great and works well.
06-20-23, 11:38 AM
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Aluminum nipples are not all created equal. I have built a couple thousand carbon wheels over the past decade almost exclusively with Sapim aluminum nipples. They are anodized 7075, resistant to rounding (better than brass in that regard) and corrosion resistant. I get to service bikes with wheels I built many years ago and corrosion is rarely an issue.
Good to know! Thanks!
06-21-23, 01:59 PM
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Aluminum nipples are not all created equal. I have built a couple thousand carbon wheels over the past decade almost exclusively with Sapim aluminum nipples. They are anodized 7075, resistant to rounding (better than brass in that regard) and corrosion resistant. I get to service bikes with wheels I built many years ago and corrosion is rarely an issue.
