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Sep.2026 08
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Spoke Nipple Holes: What Can Wheel Brands Customize?
Introduction
Carbon rims can be customized in many ways — from carbon layup and rim dimensions to surface finish and component compatibility.
One often-overlooked detail is the nipple hole. Located on the inner side of the rim, the nipple hole forms the connection between the carbon rim and the spoke, making its diameter, direction, position, and pattern important to the overall wheel design.
Details
Nipple-hole geometry can influence spoke alignment, load distribution, wheel-building compatibility, and long-term durability.
This type of customization is not limited to private-mold rims. For our open-mold rims, we typically have 2–3 standard drilling programs for each model, while custom drilling can also be developed to meet specific wheel configurations and product requirements.
Why Customize Nipple Holes?
There are three main reasons for customizing nipple-hole design:
Component compatibility — matching the rim to specific spokes, nipples, and hubs
Wheel performance and durability — optimizing spoke alignment and load distribution
Product differentiation — creating a distinctive spoke pattern or accommodating a specific wheel design
Our in-house engineers are involved from the early design stage to evaluate technical feasibility and recommend suitable solutions.
You don't need to be a carbon engineering expert to develop a customized wheel. Whether your strength is product design, brand development, or wheel building, our engineering team can help translate your requirements into a manufacturable rim specification.
What Can Be Customized?
Nipple holes can generally be customized in four areas:
Hole diameter
Drilling direction
Hole offset
Hole pattern
Let's look at each one.
(1) Hole diameter
Hole diameter needs to match the selected spoke and nipple configuration. For a typical road or gravel wheel using 14G spokes and external nipples, our standard drilling uses a 4.5 mm drill bit.
Other drilling sizes can be considered for different applications, such as:
13G spokes for specific high-load wheel builds
Internal nipples requiring a different nipple-hole configuration
Other spoke and nipple specifications requested by the wheel brand
Round holes are the standard solution, but non-round or specially shaped openings can also be considered where the component interface or wheel design requires them.
The final hole size should always be determined based on the complete spoke, nipple, and rim configuration rather than the rim alone.
(2) Drilling direction
Spoke alignment is not simply about where a hole is positioned on the rim. The direction of the nipple hole also matters. We use high-precision multi-axis drilling equipment to create directional nipple holes that better align with the natural path of the spoke.
The drilling direction is determined by factors including:
hub flange dimensions
spoke length
spoke angle
nipple type
rim profile
lacing pattern
We evaluate both the axial and radial drilling angles to achieve an appropriate spoke-to-rim alignment. Better alignment can help reduce bending and unwanted loads at the spoke and nipple interface, supporting more reliable wheel construction.
(3) Offset drilling
As carbon rim profiles become wider and more rounded, placing every nipple hole directly on the centerline is not always the optimal solution.
Depending on the rim design, we can use:
centered drilling
staggered or zig-zag drilling
off-centered drilling
With traditional centered drilling, the holes are positioned along the mold parting line. Staggered drilling moves the holes alternately to either side, allowing the spoke to follow a more natural path toward the hub flange.
For wheel designs requiring more balanced spoke tension on both sides, offset drilling can be used to fine-tune the tension difference between the drive and non-drive sides. The amount of available offset depends on the rim profile and the surrounding carbon structure, so our engineers evaluate the feasible range for each rim model.
(4) Hole pattern
The standard drilling pattern uses evenly spaced spoke holes around the rim. However, wheel brands can also specify alternative patterns for particular wheel designs.
For example, G3 (Group-3) and G4 (Group-4) patterns can be used to create a distinctive spoke arrangement or accommodate specific hub designs.
Hole pattern customization can therefore serve both functional and visual purposes, depending on the wheel system.
How to Customize Nipple Holes
Nipple-hole design needs to be considered as part of the complete wheel system, rather than as an isolated rim specification. When discussing a custom drilling project with us, please provide as much of the following information as possible:
RIM
HUB
SPOKES & NIPPLES
APPLICATION
Rim model
ERD
Rim profile
Internal and external dimensions
Hub model
Front/rear spoke-hole count
Flange diameter
Flange spacing
Key hub dimensions
Spoke type and model
Spoke diameter/profile
Nipple type and model
Internal or external nipple configuration
Intended riding category
Rider or system weight requirement
Lacing pattern & method
Performance and durability requirements
With these details, our engineers can evaluate the drilling geometry and determine whether the requested configuration is technically suitable for the selected rim.
If you need more than a custom-drilled rim, we can also help with hub and spoke selection, wheel configuration, and complete wheel assembly.
Have a specific spoke, hub, or lacing design in mind? Contact NTP to discuss your custom carbon rim drilling requirements.
