Nipples

[dbmtb]

But alloy nipples if prepared well in the building should not seize, in preparation I am meaning the lubrication of the nipple with anti seizure grease, which for me is a requisite due to what I know about the likelihood of aluminium alloys seizing when in contact with steel.

Also I am understand the use of the correct tools for the job greatly reduces the possibility of the spoke key rounding off the nipple, to which I understand the unior spoke wrench is pretty good at avoiding due to it working on three faces and three corners of the nipple;


http://www.uniortools.com/product/spoke-wrench-1630-2p

As to spoke length, I also understand it is more crucial when using alloy nipples, as the threaded spoke taking up all of threaded nipple actually reinforces the alloy.

Spoke length: it's always important for the spoke to go all the way out so it's "inside" the spoke hole in the rim.

Unior tool. Looks nice. Added to my shopping list.

Lubrication. Regardless, salt water will eventually get in there. Or someone will overtighten the nipple. Or someone with a poor quality spoke key will damage it.... But remove these 3 variables and you are right.

 

[cannondale king]

Here we go cyfa me lad home made truing stand.....and one wheel finished

Took me about 1 hour because of the deep section carbon rims,if you have alloy double walls should be a lot quicker

give it a couple of months tops before you find out you did something up to tight or to loose pop goes the weasel

 

[silverclaws]

Interesting earlier, I was reading about bike wheels on Wikipedia, and what I found interesting is what it said about wheels, in that;

The tensioned spoke bicycle wheel can also carry around 700 times its own weight before it will give out to gravity[1], giving it the greatest strength to weight ratio of any man-made structure[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_wheel

So around 700 times it's own weight, so given custom wheels, are they designed and constructed with the weight of the rider and bike in mind ?

 

[WD Pro]

I shoud imagine that's a very generalised statement and doesn't take into account the extremes of good / bad design hubs, rims, spoking patterns etc ?

WD

 

[FluffyChicken]

'Carrying it own weight*' is much easier to cope with (assuming they mean at the axle) as the force is spread through a lot of spokes bound together by a rim, with a slight deformation at the rim/ground contact where the rim has to do the hard work.
but that a lot different to point forces on the rim from rocks etc.

You may like
http://www.icelord.net/bike/
First one, a and second from last



*without looking at the reference, that a dubious statement, so paper rims, twigs for spokes and and lead hubs ?
now looking at the reference, that not quite scientific is it. 'from what I remember' and its a reference to a site that quote somebody. So a very dubious reference there, surprised it's not been pulled by Wikipedia

 

[WD Pro]

*without looking at the reference, that a dubious statement, so paper rims, twigs for spokes and and lead hubs ?

Exactly what I was suggesting ;-) but you were a little more direct

WD

 

[marin man]

I am not to bothered how long you reckon it will last brother dan.....considering that the thing hardly goes off road,I may ask you to tension it up before I use it and the back one I am now doing,it looks nice and that is the main thing

I will put them together and you young ck can sort them out when they implode

 

[cyfa2809]

what sort of time frame would i be looking at before they seize?

i wouldnt be all that bothered if 5 years or more down the line a few/all had seized and needed replacing but if it was 1,2 maybe 3 years then thats not feasible
if theyre going to seize..

 

[silverclaws]

Perhaps you do as I do with my old wheels,( Original rear wheel, so 17 years old, one spoke missing on the rear,due to winding it too far till it snapped to pull out a buckle), lubricate the nipples when you do your maintenance. But before I do adjust the spokes, I dribble in dismantling oil, ( Plus Gas ) and let it soak for a bit. Also siezed nipples, sometimes a bit of heat helps if the oil doesn't do it's job. But general maintenance, the nipples get lubbed, as do the terminations in the hub and where the spokes cross spokes and rub against each other.

But to the wheel builders, does anyone tie and solder their spokes ?

 

[dbmtb]

Passed-down knowledge is that tying/soldering only works AFAIK on chromed spokes. Tightest, stiffest wheels I've ever built have been with chrome spokes (the ones on my Gios are VERY tight). But track wheels only is the rule of thumb. If you can find them even.....

But no point for most applications anyway. Only worth doing on wheels that will be sideloaded, like on a velodrome.