Need more context on how this happened. Did you huck off something? Did you build the wheel?
boessetoemreren on
200 km. max. Bought a new set of Hunt Trail Wide in november. Rode the bike a maximum of 200 kms. on normal trail terrain. Stored the bike through winter in my outside but roofed shed. Didn’t have any problems on the last ride.
I wanted to take it for a ride a couple of days ago but saw that three nipples had cracked. Are alloy nipples really that shitty? We got 4 other bikes that get ridden hard through winter and i’ve had bikes my whole life and i’ve never seen nipples crack like this.
Possible-Armadillo68 on
It is normal for alloy nipples….eventually. The nipples corrode and eventually just snap. Having so many go at once is not that normal, however, I have seen a few wheels end up like that.
Tends to be worse on carbon rims.
Secret-Assistance164 on
I’ve got similar experience during winter. Got mad, replaced all nipples with brass ones, so far so good.
OpelFruitDaze on
Not normal.
Alloy nipples do eventually crack. My wheels have 6k km on them and the alloy nipples are starting to visibly crack but none have let go like yours.
Seanbikes on
No, not normal
EstablishmentDeep926 on
I’ve had my old wheelset do that, and those were brass nipples. I wonder if it’s corrosion due to contact with ammonia in tubeless sealant
unwilling_viewer on
Only way I can see that happening is either shit nipples left covered in salt through the winter.
Or a terrible build and over tensioned spokes.
BicyclesOnMain on
I see this frequently when people use Stan’s sealant with long term leaks in the rim tape. The ammonia eats the alloy nipples.
Adorable_Wolf_8387 on
Normal if you leave them sit after getting salty, or have an issue with tubeless sealant leaking into the center of the rim.
TJhambone09 on
Alloy nipples are the devil. HOWEVER, am I seeing correctly that the nipples broke near the outer face of the rim and there is no spoke protrusion through the broken spoke? If so then the spokes are too short and that will GREATLY exacerbate most all causes of nipple failure.
Nedersotan on
Unfortunately, yes. Salt and moisture, perhaps some galvanic corrosion too. I have had to have entire wheels replaced with brass nipples (on carbon rims)
winterproject on
I have a pair of Hunt Trail Wide. Whilst my wheels haven’t suffered the same fate, i did get my rear replaced FoC. It was about 3 weeks after I purchased them and a small (and I mean small) branch got flicked into my rear and ripped about 8 spokes out.
I have never experienced that sort of carnage before from a relatively minor event. The wheel was trashed but Hunt took it back and because they faffed with it for about 6 weeks they finally apologised and sent me a new one.
That said, I wasn’t too impressed with the quality and regret not being to concerned with weight and spent a little more one some Hope Fortus – which have taken one hell of a beating on my other bike.
wheelstrings on
If the spokes, which I’m going to assume are made of stainless, weren’t prepped properly it’s likely galvanic corrosion.
The rims don’t look like carbon, but if they are, it’s definitely galvanic corrosion….
The stainless or carbon will steal electrons from the aluminum and cause the kind of corrosion you’re seeing here. Add some kind of electrolyte to the mix (road salt!), and you significantly accelerate the process.
PM_ME_YOUR_KOMS on
I’ll be the outlier. Owned a shop for many years. Tubeless + alloy nipples does seem to damage the nipple over time. Rebuild with brass and you will be fine.
Nervous-Rush-4465 on
Yes. It is why alloy nipples are not worth the weight savings. They fail in a variety of ways.
speedikat on
Not in my experience. I have several sets wheels with aluminum alloy nipples that have been in service for decades with one, perhaps two of this kind of failure.
Jumpy-Birthday8446 on
Normal for Hunt.
To be fair, it’s not not specificaly a Hunt issue, but I only realised after a bunch went on my Trail and XC-Wide that they use alloy nipples. IMO they’re very much a marketing operation rather than a wheel builders. Cheep and cheerful, but you get what you pay for.
I can comment first hand on how often their axles snap if you like too!
Diogenes256 on
Old ones, yes. Especially in corrosive storage. Ask me how I know.
22 Comments
Negative. Not normal.
Of course not.
Need more context on how this happened. Did you huck off something? Did you build the wheel?
200 km. max. Bought a new set of Hunt Trail Wide in november. Rode the bike a maximum of 200 kms. on normal trail terrain. Stored the bike through winter in my outside but roofed shed. Didn’t have any problems on the last ride.
I wanted to take it for a ride a couple of days ago but saw that three nipples had cracked. Are alloy nipples really that shitty? We got 4 other bikes that get ridden hard through winter and i’ve had bikes my whole life and i’ve never seen nipples crack like this.
It is normal for alloy nipples….eventually. The nipples corrode and eventually just snap. Having so many go at once is not that normal, however, I have seen a few wheels end up like that.
Tends to be worse on carbon rims.
I’ve got similar experience during winter. Got mad, replaced all nipples with brass ones, so far so good.
Not normal.
Alloy nipples do eventually crack. My wheels have 6k km on them and the alloy nipples are starting to visibly crack but none have let go like yours.
No, not normal
I’ve had my old wheelset do that, and those were brass nipples. I wonder if it’s corrosion due to contact with ammonia in tubeless sealant
Only way I can see that happening is either shit nipples left covered in salt through the winter.
Or a terrible build and over tensioned spokes.
I see this frequently when people use Stan’s sealant with long term leaks in the rim tape. The ammonia eats the alloy nipples.
Normal if you leave them sit after getting salty, or have an issue with tubeless sealant leaking into the center of the rim.
Alloy nipples are the devil. HOWEVER, am I seeing correctly that the nipples broke near the outer face of the rim and there is no spoke protrusion through the broken spoke? If so then the spokes are too short and that will GREATLY exacerbate most all causes of nipple failure.
Unfortunately, yes. Salt and moisture, perhaps some galvanic corrosion too. I have had to have entire wheels replaced with brass nipples (on carbon rims)
I have a pair of Hunt Trail Wide. Whilst my wheels haven’t suffered the same fate, i did get my rear replaced FoC. It was about 3 weeks after I purchased them and a small (and I mean small) branch got flicked into my rear and ripped about 8 spokes out.
I have never experienced that sort of carnage before from a relatively minor event. The wheel was trashed but Hunt took it back and because they faffed with it for about 6 weeks they finally apologised and sent me a new one.
That said, I wasn’t too impressed with the quality and regret not being to concerned with weight and spent a little more one some Hope Fortus – which have taken one hell of a beating on my other bike.
If the spokes, which I’m going to assume are made of stainless, weren’t prepped properly it’s likely galvanic corrosion.
The rims don’t look like carbon, but if they are, it’s definitely galvanic corrosion….
The stainless or carbon will steal electrons from the aluminum and cause the kind of corrosion you’re seeing here. Add some kind of electrolyte to the mix (road salt!), and you significantly accelerate the process.
I’ll be the outlier. Owned a shop for many years. Tubeless + alloy nipples does seem to damage the nipple over time. Rebuild with brass and you will be fine.
Yes. It is why alloy nipples are not worth the weight savings. They fail in a variety of ways.
Not in my experience. I have several sets wheels with aluminum alloy nipples that have been in service for decades with one, perhaps two of this kind of failure.
Normal for Hunt.
To be fair, it’s not not specificaly a Hunt issue, but I only realised after a bunch went on my Trail and XC-Wide that they use alloy nipples. IMO they’re very much a marketing operation rather than a wheel builders. Cheep and cheerful, but you get what you pay for.
I can comment first hand on how often their axles snap if you like too!
Old ones, yes. Especially in corrosive storage. Ask me how I know.
No. There’s something else going on.