Nipple quality

[PineappleExpress234]

Hi all,

Simple question about nipple quality. Going to be building a wheel soon and was wondering if nipple quality matters? I'm considering getting a bunch of cheap anodised nips, but am also wondering if I just splurge and get Pillars.

The reason for being a tightarse is I'm reusing spokes and nips (I know, I know) though wouldn't mind adding some colour. I'm too soft to ride in the wet so I'm not fussed about corrosion

Any recommendations on sellers for nips (or spokes for that matter)?

[Da11as]

Short answer is: yes.
If you are buying alloy nipples, buy good ones, as Chinese alloy parts which contains any kind of thread tend to be a garbage. If I would be buying nipples with recycling in mind, I would go for decent brass nipples, as they are much harder and much more resistant, which will allow you to reuse them without risk of rounding or seizure in exchange for a few grams.

[BeR]

Short answer is: yes.
If you are buying alloy nipples, buy good ones, as Chinese alloy parts which contains any kind of thread tend to be a garbage. If I would be buying nipples with recycling in mind, I would go for decent brass nipples, as they are much harder and much more resistant, which will allow you to reuse them without risk of rounding or seizure in exchange for a few grams.

+1 for brass nipples. Slightly higher weight but antioxidant so better durability.

[patliean1]

Came in here excited. Left disappointed...

[BeR]

Came in here excited. Left disappointed...

Show us the way... ;P

[Sebastian]

That didn’t take long.

My short answer on the actual topic is: Brass for dirt and salty winter roads. There the manufacturer doesn’t matter as much. But good brass nipples will be easier to thread onto spokes and will turn better when tensioning up the wheel. If performance matters above all else and you want to use aluminium, use Sapim nipples. The anodising in my experience is superior. Hence, they don’t corrode. Also: Adhesives in nipples are overrated. A well built wheel doesn’t need that and if you do need to retrue, you’re gonna wish there wasn’t any adhesive on the threads.

All of that, of course, is just my opinion.

[Wet Noodle]

I would never ever in my life use brass nipples (probably) ... but I am also of the strange opinion that a wheel should only be built once. That said, I prefer to use sapim ds soaked in linseed oil, which lubricates at first and later turns into a mild adhesive (but may get nasty strong after a long time ... but I don't retrue).

[Tijoe]

Dirty and salty nipples don't bother me.  Means that they are properly exposed to the elements.

- I have been building my carbon rim MTB wheels with brass nipples.
- I still build my road wheels using Aluminum nipples.   Just be sure that your spokes fully penetrate into the head of the nipples.  Per the attached image of 2 nipples. 

[Serge_K]

I would never ever in my life use brass nipples (probably)

Why not?
Statements that dramatic or dogmatic without a stated reason why, and without a qualifier as to why your opinion is at least somewhat qualified, results in people scratching their heads

Afaik, brass nipples weigh more, but last longer and have better serviceability. I'm not aware of any other downside?
So, for example, for someone who expects to keep a wheelset for years, or ride in the mountains where you inevitably catch rain a fair bit, then i'd recommend brass nipples. Or if you commute. Or ride a lot. Or are heavy. Or live by the sea. Just off the top of my head.

[Wet Noodle]

I would never ever in my life use brass nipples (probably)

Why not?

Maybe I should have emphasised the 'I'. That was not meant as life advice, just some 'I do it like that' rant.

Regarding your question - for me it's more like 'why should I". So far, I never had corrosion issues (we do have rain ... and winters and salt). As said, I build once and don't retrue (not that I'm that good at building wheels (far from it), I just profoundly reject the very idea of ever having to retrue a wheel as some kinda expected service thing - no, just NO, when it's done, it's done (and it'd better stay that way)). I do find aluminium nipples more susceptible to chew marks from building/trueing (might also just be easier to see with the colour, not sure) - ds to the rescue, so not an actual issue. I'm easy on my bike (just commuting and light bike touring). All in all, it's "free" weight saving, however miniscule it may be.

[Tijoe]

...more susceptible to chew marks

I really hate it when I discover a chew mark on nipples.  Especially when I thought I was the only person working with them. (I take great care twisting them to the the proper tension.) Especially when I use the proper lube/prep.

[carbonazza]

Hi all,

Simple question about nipple quality. Going to be building a wheel soon and was wondering if nipple quality matters? I'm considering getting a bunch of cheap anodised nips, but am also wondering if I just splurge and get Pillars.

The reason for being a tightarse is I'm reusing spokes and nips (I know, I know) though wouldn't mind adding some colour. I'm too soft to ride in the wet so I'm not fussed about corrosion

Any recommendations on sellers for nips (or spokes for that matter)?

I just unmounted my very first Lightbicycle wheelset (Lefty/Hope hubs) with Pilar spokes and nipples.
To convert them to a new e-gravel.
These wheels saw everything you could imagine, rain, mud, snow, salt, sweat(probably ), in 10+ years of usage, nipples and spokes were still fine and easy to unmount.

[TidyDinosaur]

Do not get no-name nipples off Aliexpress... I did a while ago and they are absolute crap!

[Sebastian]

Brass or aluminium: It’s a weight difference of around 0,7g per nipple. You do the math. I too do ride wheels with aluminium nipples on my gravel bike. If they’re of good quality, like Sapim Polyax for instance, it’s likely that you’ll never have a problem. On my commuter though, I would never use them. I rarely clean that bike cuz I’m lazy. Winter salt builds up on it etc. With brass nipples, corrosion is simply out of the question.
Also, there is the possibility of galvanic corrosion between badly anodised nipples and carbon rims. IIRC Enve had this happen to them quite a while back. The nipples just disintegrated at some point.
But I think none of that is an issue anymore today if you’re using top quality stuff. And there’s really not much money to be saved by going cheap on nipples. 

[Wildh24]

Sapim, DT, or Pillar. Don't cheap out on anything else. I prefer the 'pro' versions with the square or squorx head that you can build with from the rim side. Makes building and final true easier.

I don't use any type of thread adhesive. Hate that crap. I use a small amount of boeshield on the spoke threads and nipple/rim interface. Makes life much easier if you have to make a rare small adjustment later.

Brass is a little better to work with. They have a smoother feel to them. Almost like they are self lubricated to an extent. That said, most of my builds are alloy for the 20-30gr savings.