MTB Wheels - Spoke Advice Please
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paddlingpool
Gold Trader
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For the rear https://leonard.io/edd/ says 265mm NDS, 263mm DS
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TheAntsPants
Devout Dirtbag
Your choice of spoke and nipple really depend on your wheelbuilding skills, riding style, weight, front/rear, what you want out of the wheel etc. Are you after light weight, reliability, rigidity? Good advice in general, but everyone is going for brass nipples, so I'll say that I've been happy with alu nipples in certain circumstances. The weight savings are pretty negligible, but I try not to over engineer solutions, so I use alu nipples:
- on front wheels almost always these days
- sometimes on rear wheels when I want ultralight and it's not a thrasher bike.
- and when I know exactly how long the spoke needs to be, because you need to use all the thread
You just have to be careful not to round the nipples and know when it is appropriate to lube the nipple or use weak thread lock (or do nothing) to keep the nipples from unwinding, but not being too stiff.
I've got a 28h rear wheel with Sapim double butted and alu nipples and I have been snapping spokes like crazy (it'll be going on the kiddie bike eventually), but the nipples are holding fine. For a 36 hole rim, unless you have two left hands and ride off cliffs, alu nipples will work, but then a 36 hole rim isn't a good basis for an ultralight build anyway...
TLDR: brass is foolproof, alu requires finesse.
- on front wheels almost always these days
- sometimes on rear wheels when I want ultralight and it's not a thrasher bike.
- and when I know exactly how long the spoke needs to be, because you need to use all the thread
You just have to be careful not to round the nipples and know when it is appropriate to lube the nipple or use weak thread lock (or do nothing) to keep the nipples from unwinding, but not being too stiff.
I've got a 28h rear wheel with Sapim double butted and alu nipples and I have been snapping spokes like crazy (it'll be going on the kiddie bike eventually), but the nipples are holding fine. For a 36 hole rim, unless you have two left hands and ride off cliffs, alu nipples will work, but then a 36 hole rim isn't a good basis for an ultralight build anyway...
TLDR: brass is foolproof, alu requires finesse.
marc two tone
Retrobike Rider
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One final consideration, for me, would be flexion.
My 1995 steel team has a certain {skrip, skrip, skrip} sound as the chain meets the front mech during forceful pedalling.
Spokes are double butted.
T.i may behave differently though.
My 1995 steel team has a certain {skrip, skrip, skrip} sound as the chain meets the front mech during forceful pedalling.
Spokes are double butted.
T.i may behave differently though.
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Ah, M231 and Shimano hubs (XTR/XT etc all the same)
I'd be going
Rear (36hole 3x)
NDS (left) 265 or 266
DS (right) 263 or 264
you could wing it with 264 on both side for a lazy build.
Front (36hole 3X)
266 or 267
(go a fancier 2x and grab some 261 or 262's or radial with 256's)
Spoke of choice is Double Butted, nothing else
2.0/1.8/2.0
DT Swiss, (Wheelsmith if I could get them) or SAPIM. (in fact ACI are fine too)
Going fancy (but only because I can build a wheel)
2.0/~1.5/2.0 for a light wait wheel.
Alloy nipples in your choice of colour...
but, especially for a first wheel, go brass. I have nothing against them and for a general build would use brass.
Not sure why you got Alpine, they're just fatter at the spoke end, more of a pain to get in and heavier than the standard spoke. Designed for Tandems and heavy load tourers needing that extra bit of reassurance and support.
I'd be going
Rear (36hole 3x)
NDS (left) 265 or 266
DS (right) 263 or 264
you could wing it with 264 on both side for a lazy build.
Front (36hole 3X)
266 or 267
(go a fancier 2x and grab some 261 or 262's or radial with 256's)
Spoke of choice is Double Butted, nothing else
2.0/1.8/2.0
DT Swiss, (Wheelsmith if I could get them) or SAPIM. (in fact ACI are fine too)
Going fancy (but only because I can build a wheel)
2.0/~1.5/2.0 for a light wait wheel.
Alloy nipples in your choice of colour...
but, especially for a first wheel, go brass. I have nothing against them and for a general build would use brass.
Not sure why you got Alpine, they're just fatter at the spoke end, more of a pain to get in and heavier than the standard spoke. Designed for Tandems and heavy load tourers needing that extra bit of reassurance and support.
M-Power
Old School Grand Master
+1. After a quality frame a good set of wheels makes the build. If it going to get hammered in all weathers use brass nipples, if not alloy makes a better handling wheel, less rotational mass.
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SJS have them on their website etc
DT competition, standard mainstay of any MTB wheel.
Sapim Race are their equivalent, I like the sapim for the same reason I like Wheelsmith, a nicer looking butt.
DT Revolution are the thinner Double butted, a bit pointless other than to "just 'cos". These are harder to build with nicely. And if you pack bikes together can get bent easier.
Sapim equivalent is Laser (it's been a while)
If you have the DT Alpine III they'll be a great wheel, enjoy building it up
(Sapim equivalent is the Strong?)
What jig do you have, or is it the good old method in some fork and a rear wheel.
(I use a set of syncros Powerlites for front wheels and a rear swing arm triangle arm bike for the rear. Could be a later proflex*)
*I have no idea why I have it, must have been dumped on me by someone.
DT competition, standard mainstay of any MTB wheel.
Sapim Race are their equivalent, I like the sapim for the same reason I like Wheelsmith, a nicer looking butt.
DT Revolution are the thinner Double butted, a bit pointless other than to "just 'cos". These are harder to build with nicely. And if you pack bikes together can get bent easier.
Sapim equivalent is Laser (it's been a while)
If you have the DT Alpine III they'll be a great wheel, enjoy building it up
(Sapim equivalent is the Strong?)
What jig do you have, or is it the good old method in some fork and a rear wheel.
(I use a set of syncros Powerlites for front wheels and a rear swing arm triangle arm bike for the rear. Could be a later proflex*)
*I have no idea why I have it, must have been dumped on me by someone.
