Spoke and nipple compatibility My spokes are described as follows:


  American Classic round spoke (butted 14/15 gauge; 2.0/1.8mm), black 286mm (without nipple).


Does this imply that the correct nipple to go with them would be 15 gauge? I assume that the thicker gauge is at the outer ends, if I've understood butting correctly.
With wire (and spokes) a larger number for gauge is a smaller diameter.

This is why the metric conversion seems the other way around.

14 / 2mm is the larger diameter here, and yes, it's at the ends, or rather, the hub end.

Straight spokes are straight, single butted are thicker at the hub end, double are thicker at both ends, and triple butted are thickest at the hub end, narrow in the middle and slightly thicker at the nipple end. Says Sheldon.