Building a wheel, spoke calc and DT Swiss calc said right side needed spokes to be 259.

AsI had a load of pre used 258 mm spokes I tried to use them (as they’d be stretched a bit anyway) but the build was proving to be tight to get the nipples in etc so Before I got too far into the wheel, I re did the right side with 260mm spokes.

So, spokes with the elbows on the inside are protruding through the nipple by about 2mm, the ones with the elbows on the outside only 1mm.

I’m not happy with the amount of spoke thread poking beyond the nipple (into the rim) so I am now removing the 260mm spokes and putting in 258 as originally planned.

All is well but, the spokes with the elbows on the outside of the hub don’t make it through the nipple and stay inside by about 1mm below the screw driver slot.

So, what’s best for the wheel, mix 258 and 260 on the same side to get the best nipple /spoke interface or stick to one spoke length and accept half the spokes on one side don’t make it to the end of the nipple.

Sorry if this is a bit anal

Use longer nipples?

thats a funny one, what is your rim hub build?

Go with the 258. Slightly below is fine. You’ll find that inside/outside will balance out as you even up the tension and the cross starts to load up.

Speshpaul – Member
thats a funny one, what is your rim hub build?

Hope pro 2 front hub with Mavic 521 rim,

sorry its too early, i’ve just read your post again with tea.
what onza said, 258mm and it should come good when dished etc.

Cheers all, it’s looking ok so far.

I would use longer rather than shorter – as long as they dont intrude further than the rim tape of course. But they would have to come a long long way for this.

Never needed different lengths for different sides of the wheel

Either length; 258 or 260 in my opinion.

I wouldn’t however mix spoke lengths on the same side, I think this is asking for trouble and as stated previously it should balance to give or take 0.5mm.

Had a similar discussion with an ‘expert’ wheel builder the other day. He said he would always rather have the spoke extending into the rim cavity a little way (past the nipple) rather than finishing a bit short. He said that he had known nipples break in cases where they finished short, with the nipple head coming adrift (can’t say I’ve ever had this issue). Also the guy that first showed me how to build wheels said slightly longer as opposed to slightly shorter.
So that’s two experts who suggest 260.

Personally if DT say 259 – 1mm either way won’t make any odds.

If you change the nipple length in the calculator it will change the spoke length, it may be that 14mm will show that 258 is correct. I was researching this the other day when I changed my intended wheel build. It seems that DT Swiss 14mm nipples have a longer threaded section than their 12nmm nipples hence the change in spoke length on the calculator (beware however Sapim and ACI keep the same length threaded section for their 14mm and 12mm – apparently). This seems to go against the expert advice above.

Confused! I know I was.

I’d stick with 258mm and see what happens when its starting to get some tension in.

I always round down (so 258mm), not snapped any niples yet. Maybe more of an issue with alloy nipples.

I would use longer rather than shorter

Which is fine until the nipple binds on the spoke because the thread’s too short.

Maybe more of an issue with alloy nipples.

Golden rule about alloy nipples: never use alloy nipples.