Originally Posted by
Dampcookie
OK - so I'll try to clear some confusion. It's not an expensive wheelset, with standard "parallax" (Alivio level, I think) hubs. I've been pretty gentle to the wheelset, repacked the cones about 3 times so far, made sure everything was properly tightened and that the spokes were generally even in tension. I have done 1 full tour before on this wheelset, but I'm only 130lbs on a heavy day, and carry maybe 60 to 70 lbs for fully supported touring, so total weight bike+me+luggage would be ~ 230lbs. I've also done a few daytrips with ~30 lbs of gear.
The spokes have *never* given me a lick of trouble, even during/after these trips. I don't see why changing these as-yet problem-free spokes over to new rims should cause them to become more prone to breakage. So, I'll be siding with the contrarians mrrabbit and prathman. I've check my spokes, and they have "N" on the head - Chun Nuan Co. of Tiawan apparently. No surprise here though, as they came from a GT bike of the 90s....
@BikeWise1: I'll be camping for my trip, and generally low budgeting the whole thing. $1 per spoke IS whopping for me, no matter what. If spokes can't be had for less that $1-2m ea, it just galvanizes my resolve to re-use spokes. I may pick up 3 or so as spares, however.
I'm an importer of CN spokes...
If that "N" is dead center...then in all likelihood those are CN's. However if the "N" is off-center:
http://www.mrrabbit.net/docs/spokeheads/main.html
...then it's a "Z" and that is someone else.
It would appear that your wheel has had well-tensioned and high-tensioned spokes to begin with - and has been kept that way - and that helps ensure that they can be reused.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjdKJ...En_PcY4VLuZMgh
That's my video that includes a list of characteristics to consider when deciding whether or not to re-use spokes.
I've re-used entry and mid-range spokes in hundreds of wheels in the past - but it helps to be picky.
=8-)