For once not a brass v aluminium question. Decided on some Alpina double butted spokes for my LB carbon rim build but what nipples?

Stick with Alpina or go to Sapim Polyax in brass?

Alpina are more mushroom like:

Sapim are more ball like:

Just for the record I was tempted to go aluminium for a silly 20g saving and a potential world of pain.

Meh, if it’s a light build I’d take (or have taken) the weight advantage of alu, just build properly.

Wouldn’t pay any extra for Polyax nips, they’re nowt special. Just DT/Alpina brass if you go down that road.

the weight advantage of alu

As long as you’re prepared to be replacing nipples on a weekly basis once the corrosion starts taking hold…

don’t tempt me…I have been thinking alu nipples and just make sure they are well coated in something to stop corrosion. Going for Alpina 2.0-1.7-2.0 spokes so a slight saving (up to 0.8g) over DT comps.

I guess if i go aluminium I need to make sure I round up the odd numbers to the nearest even above what the DT calc says.

Figured spokes would offset the brass and make life easier. Polyax brass are only a few £ more than the Aplina black (around £10) so not a big deal. The spokes come with silver brass but I want black…

The act of tightening alloy nipples will scratch-off any anodising / coating putting bare alloy in contact with carbon – simply add water and you’ve got the perfect recipe for galvanic corrosion. Some carbon rims have quite thick rim beds so 14 or 16mm nipples are less fiddly

Rim beds arent too bad. Test spokes I got for measuring ERDs are 14mm and have a smidge over 3mm of shank showing between the rim and wrench flats so pretty much perfect but could just get away with 12mm but would look a bit silly with the flats right up to the rim.

Alpina ABS2 nipples are really good. I’ve never had an issue with alu in carbon using those, but I prefer brass for long life.

yeah I was looking at those, neat design which is basically a nyloc nut. Rare as rocking horse poop though.

Realised I was using 12mm in my calcs but didn’t think it mattered. Surely you want the thread to reach up into the mushroom but DT swiss calc knocks off 2mm for their nipples so that wouldnt happen.

Ive got some if you want a batch. Yeah, DT is a bit wierd in its calcs. When using DT I prefer squorx nipples, you can add 2.5mm on the DT calculated length and it still has thread to go!

Sorry missed your reply Ben, thanks for the offer, as helpful as ever! Turns out the spokes I ended up with are coming with black brass nipples so may as well stick with those. Those ABS2 are cool though, shame Alpina stuff is hard to find.

As long as you’re prepared to be replacing nipples on a weekly basis once the corrosion starts taking hold

Still waiting for that. Factory wheels. Shit. Handbuilts I’d still use alu on a lightweight build. Not worth it otherwise.