You are reading a single comment by @moth and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@moth
12 mm nipples have 4 mm of unthreaded hole, 7 mm of thread up to the bottom of the slot and 1 mm more to the top of the slot. Spokes usually have 9.5 to 10 mm of thread.
Longer nipples are primarily for deep section rims that short nipples wouldn't stick far enough out of to turn with a spoke key. Depending on brand some have just the same length of thread inside, and some gain 1mm of thread for every 2mm extra length.
So they will leave less spoke thread visible, but they may not increase the length of thread to thread engagement.