Wheels, Brass vs Aluminum nipples

[The MTBer]

Hallo guys

 

I have a question, my sister broke 3 nipples on her Roval wheelset (stock from specialized) in the last 2 months and therefore we decided that we should rebuild the whole wheel.

 

The question is Brass vs Aluminum nipples on the wheelset, there is a lot of mixed feelings about what to use.

 

R12/16 per nipple is a bit on the steep side if you have to replace all 32? Any ideas where I can get a pack, saw Rapide have a bunch for arround R140.

 

(She rides arround 150km on a weekend and she is a dirt roadie so no jumping and that kind of stuff and she is below 60kg)

Help would be appreciated!

[madbradd]

Hallo guys

 

I have a question, my sister broke 3 nipples on her Roval wheelset (stock from specialized) in the last 2 months and therefore we decided that we should rebuild the whole wheel.

 

The question is Brass vs Aluminum nipples on the wheelset, there is a lot of mixed feelings about what to use.

 

R12/16 per nipple is a bit on the steep side if you have to replace all 32? Any ideas where I can get a pack, saw Rapide have a bunch for arround R140.

 

(She rides arround 150km on a weekend and she is a dirt roadie so no jumping and that kind of stuff and she is below 60kg)

Help would be appreciated!

 

Doesn't sound like she should be breaking anything on the wheel. If the bike is in warranty still I'd kick up a fuss with Spez - Use GPS files if you have to prove use.

[AlanD]

Brass for sure...Alu can corrode and seize up. Brass is far more durable.

[The MTBer]

Doesn't sound like she should be breaking anything on the wheel. If the bike is in warranty still I'd kick up a fuss with Spez - Use GPS files if you have to prove use.

Bought the bike 2nd hand with 32km on the clock, so no warrenty.

[Eldron]

Alu for racing wheels. Brass for training wheels....

[brumby]

Does her wheel set  have straight pull spokes?

[NE1L]

Had the same issue with my Roval rims I chatted to a few guys but in the end I got Dave from spoke and spanner in JHB to rebuild the wheels with brass nipples. (Very happy with his work and price I would highly recommend him) I can't really see the point of aluminum nipples other than being slightly lighter, the brass will give you piece of mind.

[Malpiet]

IMHO brass, try and avoid alloy nipples especially the ones that's anodised as they seem to corrode even quicker.

 

it sounds like that wheel could be incorrectly built,ask them to check each spoke tension as breaking nipples is no normal, could also just be crappy nipples.

[The MTBer]

I can't understand it as well, but something isn't right with previous tension jobs, that is why I want to replace all and start clean.

 

They want to charge me R15 for a brass nipple, after some 5min googling you gan get one for R3 on CWC or arround R100 per pack.

[madbradd]

Ahh... if out of warranty then unlucky.

 

Yup, get a rebuild with brass nipples. Alu on Alu threads are never great and can often seize.

 

Unfortunately a rebuild with brass nipples will be expensive, but definitely worth it in the long run.

[Bobbo_SA]

My neighbors wife has broken 4 so far on both wheels, virtually new Giant, not sure what the rims are. Was going to get Wayne to work his magic, might suggest that they try the warranty route first.

 

Edit: by break I mean the head of the nipple has totally sheared off the nipple, bugger to try fish it out the rim too.

 

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[David Marshall]

Brass nipples are 3 to 4 times heavier than aluminium BUT last much better - to the point that I will replace without charge any brass nipple or DB spoke that breaks on a 32 spoke wheel that I build.

 

When aluminium nipples corrode you often have to replace the spokes as well as the nipples.  That is pricey.  

 

As to the cost of nipples I have silver brass at R1-50 ea, Black brass at R4-00 ea and I only stock aluminium for matching nipples on repair jobs or for serious racers who know the risk.

[droo]

15 rand a nipple is extortion, unless it includes the labour to rebuild the wheel as well.

 

Brass all the way for the rebuild. Aluminium nipples were invented by someone who knows nothing about engineering, or just really wants you to buy a new wheelset every year.

[River Rat]

I heard an interesting angle as to why the alu nipples are corroding. The theory is that the wheel and spokes turning past the frame is making it act like an electrical generator with the spokes being electrically charged and the nipples effectively being ionized as they are at the furthermost extremities.  Hence the corrosion on the nipple head, not my theory so won't find me defending it!

[nick_the_wheelbuilder]

I've repaired a handful of Roval wheels (alu and carbon) where nipples were breaking. Upon analysing the wheels, spokes etc I noticed that the wheels were previously (by the factory or a 3rd party, I'm not sure which) assembled with spokes that were a few mm too long, causing damage to the nipples as the spokes were threaded too deeply into the nipples.

 

Ask whoever rebuilds the wheel(s) to check spoke lengths carefully.

 

And yes, brass nipples every time.

[madbradd]

I heard an interesting angle as to why the alu nipples are corroding. The theory is that the wheel and spokes turning past the frame is making it act like an electrical generator with the spokes being electrically charged and the nipples effectively being ionized as they are at the furthermost extremities.  Hence the corrosion on the nipple head, not my theory so won't find me defending it!

 

Unless there's something magnetic involved, this can't happen. Plus the extremity would be the rim bead/wall, not the nipple (as it is inside the rim).