Spoke loose, nothing to tighten up.

[merlin321]

Hi,
Had a new rear hub and new spokes fitted last week by lbs. Everything ok, I`ve been checking after each ride and made a few tighten ups as required.
Came back off a longish ride today and when I checked to spokes one of them has come loose but the nut on the end that normally tightens up is missing!
I need to use the bike for work tomorrow early a.m but don`t know
a) if it safe to ride with it as it is, or is the spoke likely to go anywhere? i.e into the tube.
should I cut it right out, ride with one missing and go back to the lbs tomorrow afternoon to get it replaced?
Commute is a 20 mile round trip.

Any advice greatly received. Cheers.

 

[spandex]

The thing that is missing is called the nipple it will be fine for the day but do take it back to the shop and get them to fix it for you FOC.

 

[gbb]

If i'm getting this right, your nipple is missing ? Better hope its inside the rim, in which case i'd want the tyre off to retrieve it before it (maybe) damages the tube.
Or, the heads come off the nipple.
Or if it's not in there, surely the hole in the rim must be damaged to allow it to come out. Potentially you may need a new rim.
I'd check it out either way merlin...

 

[e-rider]

How can you be missing a spoke nipple? It's not possible! The only way a nipple can be removed is by first removing the tyre, tube and rim tape. And, for the spoke to completely be detached from the nipple is very very rare - actually, I've never seen it before! I would guess that the spokes were too short and only a few threads were holding it to the spoke nipple and it has simply pulled off or come undone, and then disappeared into the rim section - shake the wheel - can you hear it in there? There should be about 9mm of spoke thread inside the spoke nipple - this requires many many turns to remove the nipple from the spoke and it really wouldn't just come off when riding.

 

[jpembroke]

Unless they built the wheel using the valve hole for one of the spokes.



No, you're right, that's not funny or helpful.

Does seem a bit weird though. As tundragumski says: where the hell did the nipple go? I suppose it good be stuck to the underside of the rim tape or just rattling around on it's side in the upper part of the spoke hole.

Also, why should a newly built wheel require so much attention anyway? If they rebuilt your wheel properly you shouldn't need to be checking and fiddling with it after every ride.

 

[spandex]

Unless they built the wheel using the valve hole for one of the spokes.

Do not joke I was teaching some one how to build wheels and she did just that.

 

[jpembroke]

Do not joke I was teaching some one how to build wheels and she did just that.

oops

 

[spandex]

The worst thing is I did not spot it until she had finished lacing it up

Now that is oops

 

[jimboalee]

The spoke could have failed in tension at the first ring of thread. The nipple will fall into the rim cavity leaving a shortened spoke with a few turns of thread on the end.

Not weird, - known.

On a single wall rim, the nipple is held in place by the rimtape.
On a double wall rim, the nipple will rattle around the cavity.

No chance of damaging the tube, the rimtape is in the way.

 

[jpembroke]

I considered that but I thought that on double wall rims there was no access to the cavity from the spoke holes. Or is that only the case with double eyelet, box section rims. I guess I could go grab an MA3 and an Open Pro rim out the shed to have a look.

Wouldn't you know about it though, if you had a spoke nipple rattling around in your rim? I'd have thought it'd make a bit of a racket.

 

[merlin321]

Thanks to all.
Completed yesterdays 20 mile commute (how wet and windy?), took the bike back to the lbs who stripped everything down, replaced the spoke, nipple and rim tape and checked the trueness of the wheel.
No sign of the nipple though. Stayed in the workshop while the work was being done and while everything was dismantled carefully and checked thoroughly, neither of us could see it.
It didn`t fall out and wasn`t stuck to the rim tape.

Strange.

Cheers.

 

[jimboalee]

Wouldn't you know about it though, if you had a spoke nipple rattling around in your rim? I'd have thought it'd make a bit of a racket.

Not necessarily.

When the wheel turns, the nipple will be thrown outward and lodge in one of the access holes covered by rimtape. The rimtape is adhesive so the outward forces will stick the nipple to the adhesive fairly well.
Even when the wheel is in a position where the 'stuck up' nipple is at the top, it may not fall off the adhesive.
There might not be any noise,,

 

[jpembroke]

As he says though: no sign of the nipple.

I maintain my 'weird' opinion.

 

[MadoneRider1991]

it will be ok for a day, but if you start to ride it more than that you will ruin the wheel

 

[jpembroke]

Not necessarily.

When the wheel turns, the nipple will be thrown outward and lodge in one of the access holes covered by rimtape. The rimtape is adhesive so the outward forces will stick the nipple to the adhesive fairly well.
Even when the wheel is in a position where the 'stuck up' nipple is at the top, it may not fall off the adhesive.
There might not be any noise,,

Yes, as I said in a previous post:

"Does seem a bit weird though. As tundragumski says: where the hell did the nipple go? I suppose it good be stuck to the underside of the rim tape or just rattling around on it's side in the upper part of the spoke hole."