DT Swiss Black 14G 12MM Brass Nipple
The DT Swiss black 12mm brass nipple is DT's brass nipple with a black coating: a 14-gauge brass nipple for 2.0mm spoke threads, 12mm long for most rims, in black to match black spokes and black rims so the wheel looks like one piece. It is brass underneath, so it does not corrode, does not round off and is kind to a carbon rim bed. This page covers the DT Swiss Black 14G 12MM Brass Nipple.
We sell DT Swiss nipples only as part of a wheel we build. Choose your rim, hub and spokes in the configurator and the wheel ships from Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
A nipple is a small brass or aluminum nut with a slot or flats for a spoke wrench, a head that seats in the rim and an internal thread that mates with the spoke. DT Swiss machines its brass nipples to a tight thread tolerance so they run smoothly on DT's rolled spoke threads, and offers them with a standard head in 12mm, which suits most rims, and 16mm for deep rims and rims with thick beds. Silver brass is the classic; black is a coating over brass and matches black spokes. DT also makes Prolock versions with a thread-locking compound and the Squorx head, which its own rims ship with.
How it rides
A wheel built with black brass nipples on black spokes and a black rim disappears visually, which is what most riders want, and it stays serviceable for as long as the rim lasts. The coating can mark under a spoke wrench, which is why we use a four-sided wrench that grips the flats squarely.
Specifications
| Material | Brass |
|---|---|
| Type | External 12 |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
What this listing covers: the 12mm 14-gauge brass nipple. Brass is the one to choose for durability, salt and carbon rims; it does not corrode, does not round off and turns in a spoke wrench a decade later. It is the heavier option by roughly 30 grams a wheel, and that is the whole of its downside. Brass also deforms very slightly as it seats, which lets it bed into the rim bed and sit square, and it is far more forgiving of a spoke key that is a size out or an owner who tensions a wheel without much feel. Unless a build is chasing grams or a specific color, this is what we fit, and it is what we fit on every wheel that will see winter.
This is the plain-thread version, without a locking patch. It turns freely, which is what you want when a wheel is going to be tensioned, stress-relieved and re-trued several times, and it is the one to reach for if you expect to adjust the wheel yourself. Pair it with spoke prep if you want some of the same security.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The DT Swiss Black 14G 12MM Brass Nipple fits any 2.0mm-threaded 14-gauge spoke and any rim drilled for 14-gauge nipples; the configurator picks 12mm or 16mm for the rim you choose and recommends brass for carbon rims and heavy-duty wheels.
What goes into a DT Swiss nipple
DT Swiss make their nipples in Biel alongside the spokes, in brass and in aluminum, and in 12 mm and 16 mm lengths. The longer 16 mm nipple is the one to reach for on a deeper rim or where you want a little more thread engagement; the 12 mm is the standard fit on most rims.
We stock these alongside the Sapim nipples. If you are weighing the two, the practical difference is Sapim's Polyax head: it is rounded so the nipple can sit at the angle the spoke actually arrives at, instead of forcing the spoke to bend at the thread. On a low spoke-count or heavily dished wheel that is worth having, which is why most of our builds leave on Polyax - but a DT nipple on a DT spoke is a perfectly good wheel and we are happy to build it that way.
DT Swiss's videos
ProWheelBuilder's part is picking the right nipple for the wheel and lacing it, and we will tell you honestly which one we would use.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
DT Swiss makes the black brass; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Every black brass wheel we build gets spokes cut from the rim's measured ERD, is tensioned in stages with a gauge, stress-relieved and trued before it ships. Tubeless tape and a valve are fitted on request.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
Warranty
DT Swiss's warranty. DT Swiss covers its products against material and manufacturing defects for 24 months from purchase, excluding wear parts such as bearings and tubeless tape. Carbon rims and carbon wheels bought new since 1 January 2020 carry an extended guarantee to the first owner against defects in material and workmanship, and DT Swiss runs a paid crash-replacement scheme on carbon wheels for up to ten years from purchase.
ProWheelBuilder. Built into a wheel by us, this part is covered by our own one-year wheel warranty on top of the maker's. For a year we replace broken spokes whatever caused them, and we cover the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild if it needs one. If a rim or hub fails and its maker covers it, we run that claim for you; if the maker says no, you get an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off retail. You pay the shipping each way. Wheels built from parts you send us are excluded.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Black 14G 12MM Brass Nipple questions
Brass or alloy - which should I pick?
Brass, unless you have a specific reason not to. It is about 30 grams a wheel heavier and that is the whole cost; in exchange it does not corrode against a steel spoke, it does not round off under a slightly worn spoke key, and it will still turn years later when someone needs to true the wheel. Every wheel we build for winter or for high mileage leaves on brass.
Should I take the plain nipple or the locking one?
The plain nipple turns freely however many times you tension and re-true the wheel, which is what you want if you maintain your own wheels or expect the build to be adjusted. The locking version, listed separately, adds a thread-locking patch that resists a nipple backing off by itself - worth it on low spoke counts and on wheels that see constant vibration. We will fit either; tell us how the wheel gets used.
Which spokes and nipples suit the black brass?
For most riders a double-butted spoke such as Sapim Race or DT Competition with brass nipples; lighter riders can go to Sapim Laser or CX-Ray. The configurator recommends a gauge and count for the black brass from your bike type and weight.
Brass or alloy nipples?
Brass for durability, corrosion resistance and carbon rims; alloy for about 30 grams saved per wheel on a race wheel that is kept clean.
12mm or 16mm?
12mm for most rims; 16mm for deep rims and thick rim beds where a short nipple would not reach. The configurator picks the length for the rim you choose.
Silver or black?
Cosmetic. Black is a coating over brass and matches black spokes; silver is the classic look.
Do DT Swiss nipples fit Sapim spokes?
Yes. Any 14-gauge 2.0mm spoke thread takes them.
Do the nipples match the rim?
Yes. The configurator only offers nipple types the chosen rim accepts (external or internal), in the finish you pick.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
