stripped nipple
#1
Fresh Garbage
Thread Starter
stripped nipple
How does the threading of a nipple become stripped while ridding?
I just got back from ridding and when I was walking my bike I realized the brake was rubbing the rim. I spun the wheel and saw it was way out of true just in one spot. I checked out the spokes and one is completely not tensioned. So I attempted a quick true just to get the wheel somewhere until I can take it to a truing stand. I kept turning the nipple and nothing happened, so I concluded the nipple is stripped.
[edit] ^^^poor wording, I can turn the nipple but the spoke does not get tensioned.
I guess I'll take it to the bike shop tomorrow after school, but that means a 14 mile commute basically missing a spoke. Is this ok or should I just take the bus? Anyway, how could this have happened?
I just got back from ridding and when I was walking my bike I realized the brake was rubbing the rim. I spun the wheel and saw it was way out of true just in one spot. I checked out the spokes and one is completely not tensioned. So I attempted a quick true just to get the wheel somewhere until I can take it to a truing stand. I kept turning the nipple and nothing happened, so I concluded the nipple is stripped.
[edit] ^^^poor wording, I can turn the nipple but the spoke does not get tensioned.
I guess I'll take it to the bike shop tomorrow after school, but that means a 14 mile commute basically missing a spoke. Is this ok or should I just take the bus? Anyway, how could this have happened?
Last edited by hairnet; 05-31-09 at 09:01 PM.
#2
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Aluminum nipple?
#4
Senior Member
It's possible that the spoke broke at the threads but there is enough of the spoke still inside the unthreaded portion of the nipple that it seems like it's all one piece still.
If you can open the brakes far enough to ride the wheel, you shouldn't do much harm assuming you don't go hopping any curbs or slamming into potholes (not that you should do that anyway). When I first started out, I did plenty of rides with a terribly tensioned rear wheel and it never fell apart on me.
If you can open the brakes far enough to ride the wheel, you shouldn't do much harm assuming you don't go hopping any curbs or slamming into potholes (not that you should do that anyway). When I first started out, I did plenty of rides with a terribly tensioned rear wheel and it never fell apart on me.
#5
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It has never happened to me.
Just guessing-
THAT particular spoke (or even the whole wheel) could have been undertensioned and eventually, after many cycles of loading/unloading, the threads just wore out.
Have the shop check the entire wheel for suitable tension.
Just guessing-
THAT particular spoke (or even the whole wheel) could have been undertensioned and eventually, after many cycles of loading/unloading, the threads just wore out.
Have the shop check the entire wheel for suitable tension.
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"I tell you, We are here on earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." - Kurt Vonnegut jr.
#6
Fresh Garbage
Thread Starter
It's possible, the wheel was a little out of true before. I guess that may have been the spoke that was undertensioned.
At least I'll still be able to commute with it tomorrow. My only problem is that I have to ride through some less than ideal roads.
At least I'll still be able to commute with it tomorrow. My only problem is that I have to ride through some less than ideal roads.