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Forged in Zreče, Slovenia since 1919. Sponsors professional road and mountain-bike race teams.
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Some modern wheelsets; many aero road builds in particular; use internal spoke nipples with a 5.5 mm hex recess instead of the standard slot, square, or Torx geometries. The 629TBI is the dedicated driver for that 5.5 mm hex recess.
The tool has a 125 mm shank, long enough to reach the nipples on the deepest aero rims commonly in service (50, 60, even 70 mm deep-section rims). A shorter driver bottoms out against the outer rim before the hex tip reaches the nipple recess; the 125 mm length closes that gap.
The three-component handle is the workshop-comfort decision. A driver used through a full wheel-build session; 32 nipples driven through engagement, depth-set, and tension; gets used hundreds of times. The handle's grip needs to stay comfortable across that volume.
Compatibility
- Nipples: 5.5 mm hex-recess internal spoke nipples.
- Rims: any rim profile up to and including 70+ mm deep-section aero builds (the 125 mm shank reaches through deep rims that other drivers don't).
- Wheels: most modern aero road wheelsets with hex-recess nipples.
Specs
- Engagement: 5.5 mm hex tip.
- Shank length: 125 mm (clears deep-section aero rims).
- Handle: three-component, sized for workshop comfort.
Built in Zreče, Slovenia
Unior has been forging hand tools in Zreče since 1919, and sponsors professional road and mountain-bike race teams. The 5.5 mm hex nipple has been a Mavic and DT Swiss preference for some of their premium aero wheels, and other manufacturers have adopted similar geometries for their own deep-section builds. The 629TBI is the Unior-built driver that matches the published nipple recess; a generic 5.5 mm hex driver won't have the deep-rim shank length, and a standard nipple driver doesn't engage hex recesses.
Pro tip from our mechanics
When servicing an unfamiliar wheelset, check the nipple recess geometry before reaching for any driver. A 5.5 mm hex recess looks superficially like a small square recess; a 5.5 mm hex driver in a square nipple will turn the nipple briefly before rounding it off. The recess geometry is visible from the rim side once the tire is off; if it's a hex (six sides), use the 629TBI; if it's a square, the Square Profile Nipple Driver 1751/2Q is the right tool. The full wheel-building workflow is in How to true a bike wheel →
