Forum menu
Kinesis cx disc wheel set - started breaking it's alloy nipples. Is this to be expected with alloy not as durable as brass? Build issues to blame? Could it be prevented in future by a bit of regular gt85ing?
It's worse on factory wheels IME, I build with alu, lube when building and have no issues with durability.
Unless it's a lightweight set of wheels though I'd not bother, brass are far lower maintenance. Not sure GT85 will make much difference, but can't see it making anything worse.
What do you use to lube during build?
A wheelbuilder I know uses linseed oil.
According to DT SWISS - their alloy nipples are no less durable - I have no experience with alloy nipples - but I want to believe they're fine because I'd love multi coloured nipples on my next wheelset . .
I think the alloy nipples seizing / breaking on the kinesis cx wheelset is pretty common. Keep putting a drop of penetrating oil on the nipples to hopefully free them up and them swap them for brass ones.. otherwise you'll be cutting the spokes off to rebuild them.
Even when oiling the nipples, I've found that with the higher tension of carbon rims that you can quickly get to the point of nipple rounding with some alloy nipples.
Stick to brass.
Swapped all the Ali nipples on my crosslights for brass once they started breaking
They have various problems, ime good ones aren't really any less strong but they're more liable to seize, and more delicate when truing, which is a horrible combination. I just put them in a new wheelset I'm building, I give it 3 years max til I regret that 😆
After a year or two they just crumble away.
I only use brass niples now.
Yep, replaced all mine once they started going... Great wheels otherwise though.
Also replaced with brass nips on mine as well. Once they started breaking, it felt never ending.
Also replaced all the spokes on my wheelset. Apparently the stock spokes were an unusually narrow gauge presumably to keep the weight low. Wheelset is now stronger and more reliable. A bit heavier no doubt, but not noticeably.