After my thrilling rim choice thread, I’m back with another zinger 😉 I’ve grappled with a couple of on-line spoke calculators and having had a proper adult to check my maths, am now ready to buy 64 spokes and a few spares.

29in wheels, 30mm ish external rims, boost front, 142/12 rear. Non of that Asymmetrical nonsense.

Only spoke ‘choice’ I’ve ever made were the ruinously expensive but quite lovely Sapim CX-Rays on a set of carbon wheels. I’m not sure we’re in the designer spoke territory for this build.

So strong-ish. light-ish, not bonkers cash, j-bend, black.

Help me out here…

DT Swiss DB. Classic and simple.

sapim strong throughout for me. just driveside for normal sized folk.

I don’t know how discerning I am but I do comps or sapim races for hard use wheels, sapim lasers for lightweight wheels. I can’t tell any difference between the brands so I tend to go on price. The competition race looks like a great option too but it’s harder to find (largely because it’s bloody impossible to google for)

(the laser is literally an unsquashed CX-Ray, they take the same blank and do a wee bit more forging to flatten it- so the laser’s not as strong but it’s way cheaper)

Thanks all. Will look when I’m back from Swindon outlet hell!

Just had a quick look at spa cycles, looks like all spikes have gone up by 10p each since I last ordered some… Bloody Brexit!

If it’s your first attempt I’d suggest Leaders, if you really can’t countenance non-butted then race but don’t spend more than that…

Sapim D-light or Alpina F1 DB for me.

Use the latter on my 29er wheels. Got quite a few left over around 286mm and some other sizes if any use?

A mate is building them for me. I’ll go along and watch and provide useful commentary/beer 🙂

I haven’t asked him how many crossings but I assume it’s 1 if I look at ever other wheel I own.

All of those recommended would seem to work. As NW says, I’ll probably end up going on price

@andyl – once I’ve confirmed lengths, I’ll let you know.

I haven’t asked him how many crossings but I assume it’s 1 if I look at ever other wheel I own.

Really? Are you sure?

No of course not.. I’m probably need to go and have another look then. Or just as the responsible adult who is going to build them!

If they are carbon rims you can get away with Sapim Lazers. The thin guage provides a little compliance in the wheel. Been running this setup for over 3 years now with yearly trips to the alps. Have broke 2 spokes in total.

I’d up them to d-lights if they are alu rims, Race if you are heavy and ride hard.

I haven’t asked him how many crossings but I assume it’s 1

I assume it’s three but I’d have to see them to check and this is very important to your spoke calculator

Sapim D-Light tend to be my go to spoke.

D-lights are about £1 a spoke, Alpina F1’s about 35-40p.

Weight difference is around 0.5g per spoke. I can’t see any DT spoke that makes sense compared to either the Sapims or Alpinas.

D-Light unless I’m going weenie in which case Laser everywhere bar the rear DS where I use D-Light.

Thanks all. Many choices. Appreciate the help.

Best prices for spokes still Germany, despite the £ Euro cluster-f* – you get a good reaming on UK prices for DT Swiss or Sapim and difficulty finding anyone with decent stock at a reasonable price.

Can I hijack this thread please and ask for recommendations on a decent strong spoke for a fat knacker.

I’m 110kg without camelback and i have a back wheel built with 1.8-1.5-1.8 spokes and as such suffering with a bit of flex.

Wtb st i23 rim and pro 2 Evo hub if it helps and 29er.

Thanks.

Gosh darn it, I always forget about the Alpinas, I was going to use those for the wheels I’m building now. Ah well, Races it is

renton – Member 
Can I hijack this thread please and ask for recommendations

That wheelbuilder who tried to tell you those spokes were under spec for you, listen to him. DT comps or similar (2-1.8-2) probably but just listen to what he says

I use DT Comps for 90% of stuff; IMO if the wheel is well built you generally need a pretty good good reason to warrant anything more exotic (or less exotic, if your good reason is spending as little as possible, in which case Halo plain gauges seem decent enough). BTW most wheels are three-cross, Al 😉 One-cross wouldn’t fare well on disc wheels.