Replacing spoke on rims without internal access holes

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

Moderator: Moderator Team

Post Reply
apctjb
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:27 pm

by apctjb

20180216_143347[1].jpg
I orders a set of carbon hookless/tubeless ready wheels. Was surprised when they arrived that they don't have holes for accessing the spoke nipples from inside the rim. Nice to not have to deal with tape but wondering how in the heck do you change a spoke?

Hoping that its not as hard as it looks. Can someone describe how its done?

Other than eliminating the need for tape are there other advantages of not having holes in the rim to access the spoke nipples?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
LeDuke
Posts: 2022
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 2:39 am
Location: Front Range, CO

by LeDuke

Seems to me you'd have to try to hold the nipple in place at the rim and then thread it into the new spoke.

Also, tubeless tape is great. Given the choice between tubeless tape and a hole-less rim, I'd choose the former every time. You avoid having to try to play a game of thread the needle if you want to replace a nipple, for example.

apctjb
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:27 pm

by apctjb

Given the choice between tubeless tape and a hole-less rim, I'd choose the former every time.
Ouch; not sure what I was thinking...

User avatar
LeDuke
Posts: 2022
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 2:39 am
Location: Front Range, CO

by LeDuke

You could drill spoke holes in the rim bed. That's how the manufacturers do it, too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

If you need to replace the nipple, cotton thread and a vacuum cleaner are worth their weight in gold.
Other than that just make sure the spoke you are workingon is at TDC. And tape the loose nipple to the rim.

02GF74
Posts: 724
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:04 pm
Location: Sunny UK

by 02GF74

^^^^^how often do you need to replace a nipple, I've never had to do that and have had no spoke breakages in the last 15 years or so, and since going to disc brakes, not had to undo nipples to replace a rim. the undrilled rim is not a problem, it's a good thing .

There have to be some bonded in insertz in the rim that the nipples screw into, has to be left hand thread else you'll never tension the spoke.

I ve undrilled easton rims so will take a look later

apctjb
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:27 pm

by apctjb

^^^^^how often do you need to replace a nipple, I've never had to do that and have had no spoke breakages in the last 15 years or so, and since going to disc brakes, not had to undo nipples to replace a rim. the undrilled rim is not a problem, it's a good thing .

There have to be some bonded in insertz in the rim that the nipples screw into, has to be left hand thread else you'll never tension the spoke.

I ve undrilled easton rims so will take a look later
Not that often, although had it happen twice when riding recently down in Mexico. It was set up tubeless so I tried to replace the spoke without removing the tire and ended up pushing the nipple up into the channel when inserting the new spoke. Not easy. Curious to hear if there is some type of nipple retainer in hole less rims.

mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

02GF74 wrote:
Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:28 am
^^^^^how often do you need to replace a nipple,
these days, not often. I don't have any sealed rims, and no bikes I'm looking after have them either. Used to be a couple of times a year though.
There have to be some bonded in insertz in the rim that the nipples screw into, has to be left hand thread else you'll never tension the spoke.
nope. Some are just drilled on one face. Hence cotton thread and a vacuum cleaner

Pat2A
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:13 pm
Location: France

by Pat2A

Where did you buy these wheels ?

apctjb
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:27 pm

by apctjb

Where did you buy these wheels ?
Farsports. Second set of wheels I have gotten from them, so far very happy with the quality and performance.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply