Double-butted or Straight-Gauge Spokes?

[joe]

My rear wheel needs to be rebuilt and I am trying to decide between going with 14/15 double-butted spokes or plain 14 gauge spokes.

I'm having someone build the wheel with a Sun Rhyno Lite rim on my old LX hub. I weigh about 210 and this wheel is going on an aluminum hardtail, so wheel strength is far more important to me than saving a bit of weight.

So the question is, which makes for a stronger wheel? Does the added flex in the double-butted spoke really result in a wheel that is less likely to break under a sudden load or does that flex just fatigue the spokes (or is it some of both).

[gungywump]

The wheel will probably be fine with DB.
Go 3 cross.
Use brass nipples not aluminum.

If you are usually hard on eqiupment however (not a smooth rider) go with the straight guage.

[johnnyt]

Stay straight young man...I had the double butted ones and tacoed the wheel in 4 weeks. The weight savings is not significant enough to justify having to buy a new wheel when you break this one.

[knucklebuste]

Jesus, I diddn't realize there was so much rocket science involved in spokes. Hold on, I gotta check what I got. Peace, Knuckle

[Mt.A TODD]

> Oh No, for the love of God! Please don't act like a freak over your spokes! They are probally black, and that is all you need to be concerned about!

Joe, go straight, brass nipples.

[splat]

And they are probably very clean black spokes

[joe]

yes, black spokes, black brass nipples, black rims.

[knucklebuste]

Actually I'm taking off my spokes now. I'm going to have the spokes and nipples powdercoated flat black. Knuckle

[johnnyt]

I have the pbo spokes on the front and boy are they spanky. The only problem is they are too wide to fit my cyclometer magnet onto. They are super strong and light though and do absorb a bit more shock then the steel spokes.

[knucklebuste]

What is a double butted spoke? Knucklefruitcake