billyymc

So I broke a spoke on my Spank Oozy 27.5 wheels, and have a question to help me determine spoke length.

If I measure my broken spoke, it's 273mm long. If I insert the broken piece into the nipple it goes in about 5 mm. THe nipple itself is about 16mm long and the threaded end of the spoke sits about 2 or 3 mm below the back end of the nipple (the end that would be inside the rim).

So without taking out another spoke from the wheel, I am figuring the spoke length is probably 280mm.

The nipples appear to be this variety: https://www.jensonusa.com/DT-Swiss-S...-Alloy-Nipples

Going to call local shops to see who has this in stock - hoping it's a common size to carry.

aggiegrads

Your measurement logic is sound. You should be good to within a millimeter or two. It isn’t the end of the world if the nipples don’t match; you will be the only one who ever knows.

It is more important to match the specs of the spoke. You don’t want one spoke that has different properties than its friends.

Andrew R Stewart 

Generally the threaded length of spokes is about 10mm. That's what DT supplies and what the Phil machine rolls. From your description is seems that the OEM spokes are a couple mms too short. Better to be 1mm too long then 3 too short. Too short can lead to broken nipples, especially if the nipple is Al. Andy

billyymc

Andrew - I think if the nipple were a normal nipple instead of the one's I linked,the spoke would extend all the way to the end / back of the nipple.

dsbrantjr

I prefer brass nipples myself.

Andrew R Stewart 

You're correct, I didn't open the link to view the nipple. I do agree with dsbrantjr though about nipple material. Andy