Spoke nipple

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Nipples 12 and 16 mm
Nipples 12 and 16 mm


A spoke nipple holds a bicycle wheel's rim to each spoke.

The spoke nipple is a headed cylinder with threading through its length. Turning it increases or decreases tension in the spoke and influences the position of the hub relative to the rim. Since spoke threading and nipple threading must match, boxes of spokes usually include a like number of nipples. Weight savings or the need for great strength due to building a wheel with few spokes might call for obtaining more appropriate nipples than those shipped with the spokes. Standard materials for nipples are brass and aluminium. Brass is heavier but more durable and less prone to corrosion; aluminium is far lighter.

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