rim/nipple corrosion

[[email protected]]

I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
my nipples are made of aluminium?

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com]

On Aug 11, 1:24 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
> my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
> of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
> my nipples are made of aluminium?

yes...

 

[BigBenBiker]

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:25:59 -0000, "Qui si parla
Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com" <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Aug 11, 1:24 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>> I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
>> my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
>> of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
>> my nipples are made of aluminium?
>
>yes...


I have just about the same problem, on a fairly recent wheel - the LBS
guy who built the wheel for me told me he had used "extra light"
niples, which is something never heard about before, and I now know I
don't want them ever again in a wheel I pay for: the other day I was
trueing this wheel, and the nipples came apart, some literally into
dust...

I had never seen this before, on several other wheels I've trued now
and then. I was shocked.

This problem is hapening on my rear wheel - nice ;-( My front was
built at another LBS, and while they did not use "extra light" niples
- these have the usual lenght - they asked if wanted the nipples made
of aluminum or of any other material ....

Therefore my question, especially since I Iive by the seaside: what
should nipples be made of, instead of aluminum??

Thanks,
bbb

 

[RonSonic]

On Sun, 12 Aug 2007 18:49:04 GMT, [email protected] (BigBenBiker) wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:25:59 -0000, "Qui si parla
>Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Aug 11, 1:24 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
>>wrote:
>>> I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
>>> my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
>>> of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
>>> my nipples are made of aluminium?
>>
>>yes...
>
>
>I have just about the same problem, on a fairly recent wheel - the LBS
>guy who built the wheel for me told me he had used "extra light"
>niples, which is something never heard about before, and I now know I
>don't want them ever again in a wheel I pay for: the other day I was
>trueing this wheel, and the nipples came apart, some literally into
>dust...
>
>I had never seen this before, on several other wheels I've trued now
>and then. I was shocked.
>
>This problem is hapening on my rear wheel - nice ;-( My front was
>built at another LBS, and while they did not use "extra light" niples
>- these have the usual lenght - they asked if wanted the nipples made
>of aluminum or of any other material ....
>
>Therefore my question, especially since I Iive by the seaside: what
>should nipples be made of, instead of aluminum??

Standard brass nipples seem to hold up fine. I don't see any reason to look for
anything else. I'd change your aluminum ones now before they corrode into place
or just start crumbling and falling off the bike.

Ron

 

[A Muzi]

>> "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> I am using steel 'wheel smith' spokes but do not know the material of
>>> my spoke nipples. My wheels are developing a white, powdery product
>>> of corrosion on the heads of the nipples. Is this an indication that
>>> my nipples are made of aluminium?

> "Qui si parla Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> yes...

BigBenBiker wrote:
> I have just about the same problem, on a fairly recent wheel - the LBS
> guy who built the wheel for me told me he had used "extra light"
> niples, which is something never heard about before, and I now know I
> don't want them ever again in a wheel I pay for: the other day I was
> trueing this wheel, and the nipples came apart, some literally into
> dust...
>
> I had never seen this before, on several other wheels I've trued now
> and then. I was shocked.
>
> This problem is hapening on my rear wheel - nice ;-( My front was
> built at another LBS, and while they did not use "extra light" niples
> - these have the usual lenght - they asked if wanted the nipples made
> of aluminum or of any other material ....
>
> Therefore my question, especially since I Iive by the seaside: what
> should nipples be made of, instead of aluminum??

Plated brass. And lubricated during build, too.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971