Spoke Nipples - Where from?

Gav2000
Gav2000 Posts: 408
edited August 2010 in Workshop
I have an Edinburgh Bike Coop Revolution Courier Nexus bike but have a problem with the rear wheel.

The problem is that the spoke nipples have terrible tolerances and are made of an incredibly soft metal; some fit my spoke key, some are too loose and some too tight. To get rid of a buckle I had to resort to pliers which was OK for one straightening but now means I have some very rounded off nipples which i need to sort out.

I've never built a wheel before but i think I could remove the nipples one by one and replace them with new ones and then retension/true the wheel. To do this I need a load of spoke nipples, where can I buy them at a reasonable price as people only seem to sell spokes with nipples? The wheels have 14G spokes.

Gav.
Gav2000

Like a streak of lightnin' flashin' cross the sky,
Like the swiftest arrow whizzin' from a bow,
Like a mighty cannonball he seems to fly.
You'll hear about him ever'where you go.

Comments

  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    You can't have looked very hard. A quick google provided dozens of shops selling nipples on their own. Try Chain Reaction or SJS Cycles.
  • Gav2000
    Gav2000 Posts: 408
    Mister W wrote:
    You can't have looked very hard. A quick google provided dozens of shops selling nipples on their own. Try Chain Reaction or SJS Cycles.

    I was hoping to get a bulk bag rather than buy them in 6's, hopefully at a lower cost.
    Gav2000

    Like a streak of lightnin' flashin' cross the sky,
    Like the swiftest arrow whizzin' from a bow,
    Like a mighty cannonball he seems to fly.
    You'll hear about him ever'where you go.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    try your lbs (shock horror) it's the sort of thing they sell.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • Monkeypump
    Monkeypump Posts: 1,528
    Gav2000 wrote:
    I've never built a wheel before but i think I could remove the nipples one by one and replace them with new ones and then retension/true the wheel.

    Without trying to be patronising, do you know what goes into building a wheel?

    If not, I see trouble ahead...
  • Radioactiveman
    Radioactiveman Posts: 964
    take it to your local bike shop

    Mine charge £30 for a full wheel build including spokes. It is not worth wasting your time for what it will cost. Especialy when you have to pay it anyway if you fubar the wheel with no experience
    £1.25 for sign up http://www.quidco.com/user/491172/42301

    Cashback on wiggle,CRC,evans follow the link
    http://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/MTBkarl
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    Monkeypump wrote:
    Gav2000 wrote:
    I've never built a wheel before but i think I could remove the nipples one by one and replace them with new ones and then retension/true the wheel.

    Without trying to be patronising, do you know what goes into building a wheel?

    If not, I see trouble ahead...
    very little.
  • Monkeypump
    Monkeypump Posts: 1,528
    rake wrote:
    Monkeypump wrote:
    Gav2000 wrote:
    I've never built a wheel before but i think I could remove the nipples one by one and replace them with new ones and then retension/true the wheel.

    Without trying to be patronising, do you know what goes into building a wheel?

    If not, I see trouble ahead...
    very little.

    Very little?

    Very little knowledge?

    Very little goes into building a wheel?
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    edited August 2010
    yes. its not that difficult.
  • Monkeypump
    Monkeypump Posts: 1,528
    Yes indeed. Very helpful.
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    thread spokes-tighten them-true wheel. pretty simple.
  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    Replacing nipples is as easy as replacing a broken spoke. Remove one nipple. Fit new nipple. Tighten until wheel is true. Repeat until all nipples replaced.

    Time consuming but not exactly rocket surgery.
  • Mister W
    Mister W Posts: 791
    Gav2000 wrote:
    Mister W wrote:
    You can't have looked very hard. A quick google provided dozens of shops selling nipples on their own. Try Chain Reaction or SJS Cycles.

    I was hoping to get a bulk bag rather than buy them in 6's, hopefully at a lower cost.

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=34015 - bag of 36. Pretty colours as well :D
  • Berk Bonebonce
    Berk Bonebonce Posts: 1,245
    What? Alloy nipples on a utility bike? I think you should ask Edinburugh Co-Op for a bag of brass nipples.

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