Nipples are the little screw that hold the spoke into the rim on the wheel. While they may seem like an entirely straightforward selection for you wheels, there is quite a bit more detail to them than you might imagine. Quality nipples come in two major materials. Either brass or aluminium alloy. Manufacturers of spokes such as Sapim, Wheelsmith, DT, ACI all provide nipples with their spokes and in the overwhelming majority of cases you get some sort of nickel coated brass nipples. These are cheap to manufacture and resist corrosion.

The main benefits of alloy nipples are weight saving. However commonly these are made of the 2000 series aluminium which are comparatively weak. They can deform during the build, they can corrode with the elements and seize up to prevent re-truing. Sapim have recently released a new type of nipple. They call it sils. These are made out of 7075 aluminium which is stronger. It also has a unique special anodized coating which resists corrosion. A problem that has plagued alloy nipples in the past.

The new coating also means that these nipples require no lubrication. They are squeal free during the build. Although more importantly they remain tight during use and can be re-trued effortlessly during after-care. Even in high end wheels spokes can work loose leading to a potentially dangerous wheel. Different builders and manufacturers use different approaches to tackle this. Some use no lubricant at all to maximise friction however this can cause damage to the components during the build and inhibits the high tensions required for a stiff wheel. Others, like myself, use linseed oil as an organic substance that lubricates during the build but then acts like a mild threadlock afterwards. More radical solution include the after-application of a spoke freeze which can be used to either permanently hold the spoke in place – preventing any further truing. Or you can use spoke freeze in conjunction with other lubricants to retain some re-truing potential.

Sils alloy nipples really are they answer. High tensions. Low friction. No lubrication required. No corrosion and no loosening. However it is important that they are used with either an eyeleted rim or with spoke washers. To add them to a build will incur a £8 surcharge per wheel. A set of 36 can be sold separately for £15 including postage but they should be used only with a professional spoke key that holds all sides of the nipple simultaneously.

There is a lot more information available about choosing wheelsets, building wheels and selecting component parts as well as information on repairing wheels in Bicycle Wheelbuilding: The Manual an ebook which is available to purchase exclusively here:

http://www.dcrwheels.co.uk/products-page/product-category/bicycle-wheelbuilding-the-manual/