Looking at a new pair of wheels (Hope Hoops), Hope Pro 2's with 355's – but do I go SP or not?

I realise they are lighter, but are there other advantages – and obviously there must be some disadvantages?

Should be stronger as the elbow bit of the spoke is the weak part but often spares are not as readily available.

Also alot stiffer as you don't have the flex in the bend.

Spares are virtually impossible to come by and truing them is a bugger as there's nowt to stop them rotating.

One plus of some of the straight pulls is the slotted option, which would allow you to change a broken spoke without removing cassette/rotor. Could be useful!

One minus is that not all bike shops carry the required spares!

Hit the wheel hard enough, and a spoke can un-hook from the slotted flange. Had this happen twice. Once was a really heavy hit into a trench that the FC had left in a downhill section at about 25mph. **** hurt too!

dave that cant happen with the hopes as they go through holes not slots like crappy mavics

that'll teach me for being cheap then!!

Running Hope ProII's on my other bike.

How often do spokes actually break at the bend anyway?

If a wheel's well built using quality components, spokes shouldn't really break anyway.
I prefer traditional 3 cross patterns, reliable, strong, they just work! Also stiffer afaik as each spoke supports others, unlike radial. I've got some data somewhere if I can be bothered to dig it out about both.

Speaking form experience 'dave_aber' – twice in a month.

Got Pro3 SP-AMs now and they're mint. strong, stiff and light.

And Njee, SP spokes are only a call to any dealer who sells the 'SP' complete build wheelsets away.

The only disadvantages imo are cost.

Ok, so they're lighter which we already knew.

And I ought to ensure that the spare spokes they come with are in my spares box – and TBH I've only broken 1 spoke in the last five years.

But no real downsides?