Lost Nipple issue

[OperaLover]

Friend broke a spoke at the bend at the hiub on a radially spoked front wheel. Shimano 105 level wheel. Removed the spoke to get home and the nipple promptly fell into the box section of the rim. Any tips for removal? I believe they are brass so a magnet might work (?). How about a shop vac? Remove the rim tape over the broken spoke hole and try to suck it out?

NObody will want to ride with him if the nipple is rattling around in the rim!

Any suggestions?

[CiclistiCliff]

Take off rim strip and shake/rotate wheel until it falls out.

[cachagua]

Try the vac before the magnet. Brass isn't magnetic.

Or, as mentioned, shake.

[cp43]

Friend broke a spoke at the bend at the hiub on a radially spoked front wheel. Shimano 105 level wheel. Removed the spoke to get home and the nipple promptly fell into the box section of the rim. Any tips for removal? I believe they are brass so a magnet might work (?). How about a shop vac? Remove the rim tape over the broken spoke hole and try to suck it out?

NObody will want to ride with him if the nipple is rattling around in the rim!

Any suggestions?

Once you get rolling, the nipple won't rattle around.

There's a loose nipple in one of the rims of our tandem, I only notice it when I'm rolling it around the garage. Never when we're riding.

If you do want to get it out, you can try to get it around to the valve hole, and remove it from there. Small needle nose pliers can help.

Chris