Replacing spoke/removing nipple

[Monsieur Remings]

Okay, had a nasty puncture today which managed to rip my tyre right through. Getting back and taking the tyre off my Mavic Kysyrium Elite, I soon realised that a spoke had also broken, rear wheel, drive side. I actually have a replacement but the first problem I have is nipple removal. The tool that Mavic send with the wheelset only seems good if there is some currency on the nipple, namely, some thread and because there isn't any thread left for the tool to grip at the bottom I'm having tremendous problems taking the nipple off.

Now, should I just snap the spoke off? It's broken on the hub side and I may have something which once the spoke is out of the way may untighten the nipple or am I missing something? Any suggestions? Perhaps my tool is just crap but virtually all the other nipples seem to work left and right because they do have some thread to play with.

Secondly, how difficult is it to replace a spoke and do I need a tension meter? If so, I may as well give up now but would like to have a go at replacing the spoke (once the nipple is out!) if I can do without and am fully prepared for the truing sessions afterwards...?

Whadd'ya all reckon?

 

[Pauluk]

I thought that the nipple just unscrewed from the internal rim side with a screw driver or unscrewed from the outside of the rim with a spoke tool.

I think you can replace a spoke without a meter, just depends how fussy/accurate you want to be. I'd replace one spoke myself without a meter as I can't justify the expense and I wouldn't trust a bike shop to use a meter anyway.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Yep, that's the problem, the spoke tool won't remove the nipple. There isn't any way in at the top...

 

[Rob3rt]

Yep, that's the problem, the spoke tool won't remove the nipple. There isn't any way in at the top...

Sorry if I am teaching you to suck egg's but you have removed the rim tape right?

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Sorry if I am teaching you to suck egg's but you have removed the rim tape right?

There isn't any rim tape and there is nothing at the top to gain entry to...I don't believe Ksyriums are the only wheels that do not need rim tape and have no holes, barring the valve hole, at the top.

 

[amaferanga]

You know that it's a left hand thread right?

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Okay, so presumably that means I go clockwise to undo, right? Either way, the spoke tool is crap and won't turn the nipple either way, I've tried...

I'm just wondering if there is anything else I am missing that may be obvious...? Any other takers have any suggestions? From what I read there may be required the unloosening of nipples either side of the broken spoke/nipple which would need to be undone, leaving invariably a very untrued wheel.

LBS again then...

 

[amaferanga]

Look at the Mavic tech docs. They recommend loosening all spokes before replacing one.

 

[Pauluk]

This seems a bit intriguing as I'm not familiar with the wheels you have. I wonder if the spokes screw into the wheel then. Have you tried gripping the nipple or the spoke with a pair of pliers and unscrewing it.

 

[Pauluk]

Look at the Mavic tech docs.........

The tech docs show that the spoke and nipple screw into a hollow screw that is glued into the rim from the spoke side. Seems like once this hollow screw has been screwed in and glued, the spoke nipple screws in and out of that hollow screw to adjust the spoke tension. So you should be able to cut the spoke and using pliers unscrew the spoke and nipple. Then you will need a way of loosing the glued in hollow screw I guess. Don't know if this is correct, makes sense or if it helps.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Thanks folks. Being very new to the art of truing this is not a job for me. As you say Amaferanga, other spokes require loosening before replacing one, making the whole affair a bridge too far for someone as inexperienced as I am in wheel truing. Not worth the hassle IMO and the tool is crap enough to perhaps warrant the use of pliers Paul, but due the above regarding loosening other spokes which I've also read elsewhere and in the docs, I think I'll give it a miss.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Pauluk]

Can't say I blame you, seems a bit torturous on those wheels.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Can't say I blame you, seems a bit torturous on those wheels.

Yep, and that's without the additional hassle of bladed spokes doing what they should do during truing.

 

[Red Light]

Yep, and that's without the additional hassle of bladed spokes doing what they should do during truing.

a) you don't need to loosen all the other spokes. Just replace the broken one and retension it until the wheel is true and it will be back at the tension of the original spoke. b) as a consequence you don't need a tension meter either. c) I don't know about the nipple arrangement on the Krysium wheels but they sound unusual. However the spokes must be replaceable so it should be just a case of working out how first. d) bladed spokes are great for helping you get your spoke rotational correction right. Just turn it a bit to far and then back off until the blade is straight each time you adjust the nipple. On round spokes you need to put tape flags on them until you get the feel for it. Good luck!

 

[Monsieur Remings]

a) you don't need to loosen all the other spokes. Just replace the broken one and retension it until the wheel is true and it will be back at the tension of the original spoke. b) as a consequence you don't need a tension meter either. c) I don't know about the nipple arrangement on the Krysium wheels but they sound unusual. However the spokes must be replaceable so it should be just a case of working out how first. d) bladed spokes are great for helping you get your spoke rotational correction right. Just turn it a bit to far and then back off until the blade is straight each time you adjust the nipple. On round spokes you need to put tape flags on them until you get the feel for it. Good luck!

Okay, thanks Red Light. As I say, I'd probably give it a go but the spoke tool seems unable to get the old nipple out. I am presuming that this is due the lack of thread I mentioned before, being recessed too far inside the rim.

Thanks anyway...