Why are the nipples on the rear wheels different colors?
The rear wheel features brass nipples on the drive side and alloy nipples on the non-drive side. Alloy nipples are lighter than brass, so we use alloy everywhere we prudently believe them to work best. We use brass nipples on the drive side of the rear wheel because skill levels of mechanics vary. When high tension is involved, it’s generally easier to true a wheel that is built with brass nipples. The spokes with the highest tension are on the drive side of the rear wheel (due to dish offset for cog clearance), so it makes sense to sacrifice a little weight for long term serviceability.
Related Questions
- I think the hub bore of the wheels might be different front to rear and this may be the difference the parts book notes. How about the hub bolt circle?
- Can the sensors be ordered in different colors for example two silver for the front and four black for the rear bumper?
- Why are the nipples on the rear wheels different colors?
