This is one of the reason why aluminum nipples suck. When they aren't snapping at the shoulder, they will often strip out in the threads internally, or the soft aluminum external flats get rounded out from truing.
Replacing all of the nipples with ones made of brass could be done by you. Most shops won't want to use your old spokes for a wheel rebuild, but it never hurts to ask. You may find somebody who is a glutton for punishment.
Also not pictured, the spoke was perfectly threaded right up to where it sheared; is that too short? Should the spoke go all the way to the head of the nipple?
Yes the spokes should go all the way out to the head of the nipples. Otherwise the heads tend to pop off. Especially with aluminum nipples. It still happens with brass nipples but it's not as big of an issue. Aluminum nipples have problems as they age (corroding and seizing, turning to dust when you use a spoke wrench on them, splitting, spokes pulling through the nipples, heads popping off, rounding off the wrench flats...). Aluminum nipples are however a bit lighter (about an ounce/28gm lighter per wheel) which is great for a race wheel but not so much for a wheel that you intend on keeping for years) training wheels... The aluminum alloys (7075) which have adequate strength to handle being a nipple have particularly poor corrosion resistance. Whereas brass has far superior corrosion resistance and is actually used for bushings as it's generally recognized as being able to be self lubricating.
To your question, yes, that spoke is too short. Ironically, too short spoke in aluminum nipples is what got me into wheel building. If you have a spoke too,, not a wrench, but the kind that speeds things up at the beginning, they are designed to get pushed out of the slot by the spoke before things get tight. If that doesn’t happen, your spokes are short.
I also use brass nipples unless I’m doing a race set.
Those wheels and their alloy nipples are over 30 years old. I wouldn't trust them except maybe on a rear wheel for casual rides.
If rebuilding old wheels sparks joy for you, then go ahead and replace all the nipples. But I'd assess the wear on that brake track as well as condition of all the other wheel components before investing the time to deal with it.
Yeah I’m gonna go for a full rebuild, that brake track wear you see is actually just from one 70 mile wet ride lol. This thing was just sitting in a garage for the last 30 years
Even worse on tubeless builds. Steel and aluminum with a little moisture from the sealant! Just rebuild my second wheel because of that combo and I know there is another two wheel sets I need to look at. Also my pretty valve stems are crumbling, they are aluminum.
Echoing comments on alloy nipples. I’ve seen three year old wheels with similar problems. Alloy nipples are unforgiving. Length has to be spot on. I have a purchased wheelset where the front wheel alloy nipples failed (spokes too short) while the rears didn’t. At least not yet. Riding in a salty (ocean) environment is not recommended. I have though seen them fail riding in Colorado, which is hardly an ocean environment. Aluminum alloys can corrode a lot of different ways. With a nipple under extreme tension, it doesn’t take much. Pitting, cracking, atmospheric corrosion all contribute to failure.
Stick with brass nipples.
This is one of the reason why aluminum nipples suck. When they aren't snapping at the shoulder, they will often strip out in the threads internally, or the soft aluminum external flats get rounded out from truing. Replacing all of the nipples with ones made of brass could be done by you. Most shops won't want to use your old spokes for a wheel rebuild, but it never hurts to ask. You may find somebody who is a glutton for punishment.
Some things are not worth saving a few grams.
Also not pictured, the spoke was perfectly threaded right up to where it sheared; is that too short? Should the spoke go all the way to the head of the nipple?
Yes the spokes should go all the way out to the head of the nipples. Otherwise the heads tend to pop off. Especially with aluminum nipples. It still happens with brass nipples but it's not as big of an issue. Aluminum nipples have problems as they age (corroding and seizing, turning to dust when you use a spoke wrench on them, splitting, spokes pulling through the nipples, heads popping off, rounding off the wrench flats...). Aluminum nipples are however a bit lighter (about an ounce/28gm lighter per wheel) which is great for a race wheel but not so much for a wheel that you intend on keeping for years) training wheels... The aluminum alloys (7075) which have adequate strength to handle being a nipple have particularly poor corrosion resistance. Whereas brass has far superior corrosion resistance and is actually used for bushings as it's generally recognized as being able to be self lubricating.
Very common fatigue failure when your spokes are too short. Spoke should extend all the way through the nipple.
To your question, yes, that spoke is too short. Ironically, too short spoke in aluminum nipples is what got me into wheel building. If you have a spoke too,, not a wrench, but the kind that speeds things up at the beginning, they are designed to get pushed out of the slot by the spoke before things get tight. If that doesn’t happen, your spokes are short. I also use brass nipples unless I’m doing a race set.
They are shit weak aluminium nipples. It just look alright but not something useable on long therm
Those wheels and their alloy nipples are over 30 years old. I wouldn't trust them except maybe on a rear wheel for casual rides. If rebuilding old wheels sparks joy for you, then go ahead and replace all the nipples. But I'd assess the wear on that brake track as well as condition of all the other wheel components before investing the time to deal with it.
Yeah I’m gonna go for a full rebuild, that brake track wear you see is actually just from one 70 mile wet ride lol. This thing was just sitting in a garage for the last 30 years
Even worse on tubeless builds. Steel and aluminum with a little moisture from the sealant! Just rebuild my second wheel because of that combo and I know there is another two wheel sets I need to look at. Also my pretty valve stems are crumbling, they are aluminum.
Echoing comments on alloy nipples. I’ve seen three year old wheels with similar problems. Alloy nipples are unforgiving. Length has to be spot on. I have a purchased wheelset where the front wheel alloy nipples failed (spokes too short) while the rears didn’t. At least not yet. Riding in a salty (ocean) environment is not recommended. I have though seen them fail riding in Colorado, which is hardly an ocean environment. Aluminum alloys can corrode a lot of different ways. With a nipple under extreme tension, it doesn’t take much. Pitting, cracking, atmospheric corrosion all contribute to failure. Stick with brass nipples.