MTB Wheels - Spoke Advice Please

[2manyoranges]

Agree with Tooty R completely

THIS

Dt swiss double butted competition spokes with chome plated sapim brass nips

or

Sapim DB spokes from TrueWheels in Brighton - they provide excellent spokes in any length and will advise on length too - never had one break and we have over 20 wheelsets from TrueWheels (Ant and Rich) - and that includes DH, enduro, xc, jump bikes and bmx.

It absolutely is the case that Double Butted make up lighter, stronger, more resilient wheels with just a touch more compliance (in a good way). DT do triple butted Alpine spokes but My Word are they expensive. I did a Klein with them in the 90s - oooooh lovely. But a bit over the top, so now I just use DB.

 

[Matttymm]

Oooohhh. Triple butted. Never knew there was such a thing. OTT ? Unnecessary ? Or just extravagant ?

 

[2manyoranges]

Yep probably both

Although they make a mighty strong wheel.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/spokes/...ess-steel-spoke-12-mm-brass-nipple-pack-of-6/
Expensive. Indulgent. But build a seriously nice wheel and were supplied right through the late 80s and 90s so entirely period.

The specific wheelset I had in these was Mavic M231 cd. DT triple alpine, brass nipples, on Mavic Paris-Daker black hubs. I sold these on here last year at quite a bargain price....

 

[pw_pw_la]

Useful thread already this boys.

Thank you!

 

[hamster]

I have the Alpines on my tourer's bombproof wheelset for heavy work. The rest of the time they are overkill.

2/1.8 butted spokes with brass nipples are my stock choice. Butting is worth it for the extra reliability.

 

[Matttymm]

Thanks chaps. I went with the alpine 3 triple butted from SJS cycles. Expensive but reassuringly so.

For reference I had M900 XTR Hubs 36h and Mavic 231 CD rims and the spoke lengths were 270 front and 274 rear.

 

[hookooekoo]

The 'best' spoke brand in the world isn't actually the best for your particular wheel build if the design of the spokes doesn't suit your particular hub flanges.

You only get super strong wheels if the spoke elbow and spoke gauge fits your hub flange perfectly. There are three possible outcomes:
1. Elbow is too long for the thickness of the hub flanges - The bend at the elbow may slowly straighten, and then eventually snap.
2. Elbow is too short for the thickness of the hub flanges - The spoke doesn't really fit the hub flanges at all. Choose another brand or a different spoke gauge.
3. Elbow and spoke gauge fits the hub flange perfectly - A winner, you'll get a super strong wheel.

If you're not sure which spoke gauge and brand is best, buy single spokes and try them in your hub flange. Signs of a good fit are:
1. The spoke gauge should be a snug but not tight fit in the flange hole.
2. For the spokes that exit the hub flange on the outside, the spoke should lie snug against the hub flange.
3. The elbow should not be so long that the spoke is unsupported after it exits the hole in the hub flange.

If you've already bought spokes, and found that the elbow is too long, the situation can be salvaged by fitting some brass spoke washers.

If you're using older hubs that have alternate chamfering on the spoke holes, remember that the chamfering isn't for the spoke heads. It's so that the spoke elbow has a nice smooth exit from the hub flange, is well supported, and isn't bent around a sharp hole edge.

 

[paddlingpool]

Thanks chaps. I went with the alpine 3 triple butted from SJS cycles. Expensive but reassuringly so.

For reference I had M900 XTR Hubs 36h and Mavic 231 CD rims and the spoke lengths were 270 front and 274 rear.

Are you going for 3 cross pattern? Spoke lengths seem a little long to me. Also for rear, DS is usually around 2mm shorter than NDS

 

[Matttymm]

Yeah thanks. I had the same thought but got a bike shop to advise me and this is what they came back with.

Not sure what else I can do !?

 

[hamster]

Use the spoke calculator online from DT Swiss, or Spocalc (Google search) - an excel that does the heavy lifting.