Touring - Another Wheel Thread....

I'm totalally Confused. 32,36,40,48 spoke,Straight gage,Double Butted,Triple Butted,Double wall,Triple wall,Deep Vee,Mavic,WTB,Veloicty,Sun,Deore,LS,XT,XTR,Chris King, Phil Wood................ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!! TOO MANY FREAKIN CHOICES!!!!

All I want is a Nukeproof 26" wheelset that will handle anything that a Mt Bike Touring Nut/Commuter can throw at them,Curbs,Kids,Trashcans,Potholes,RailTrail,Road,Smooth/not so Smooth Singletrack and the occaional Cell phone yakker in a Volvo who is not paying attention.
I would like them to be able to stand up to the punishment of touring with a Surly Big Dummy,A loaded Big Dummy! (This is what they will be for) I understand the frameset is able to handle a LOT of weight!!

Help me out here ya'll!! If you were goinna buy/Build a handbuilt 26" Heavy Duty On/Offroad Touring wheelset for a Big Dummy what would you buy/Build? And why that set?? Thanks all!!!!

You are either riding solo or tandem. If you are riding a single touring bike with 26" wheels then the starting point is 32-36 spokes. 36 is a special deal because it takes you to strength in the 40 spoke range for 700c with pretty comon components, that's my choice. Once you and your load start to nudge into tandem territory, with 26" wheels you can go 36 spokes, but it rapidly starts to move into 40 spoke territory. Here is some advice on tandem weight rigs:

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/Tandemparts.asp

Keep in mind that tandems start at rider (or rider gear for us) weights probably in the 250 pound range. That's a small lady or youth riding with a normal enough weight adult male. Of course you could have rider weights of 250 per rider also.

Spokes don't really mater get some decent quality 14 g, there are butted spokes that are possibly stronger in a wheel, but that looks only at the strength of the wheel as a rotating part of the machine, it doesn't look at the durability of the spoke as a component subject to assault by luggage hooks, sticks in the spoke, etc... There are a lot of sophisticated options, but a name grade 14 g straight spoke that fits your hub, and is properly installed is all you need.

There are at least three wacky ways of differencially lacing dished hubs (most rear, or front disc) to create more even spoke tension, notwithstanding the different rigging angles. There are ways of lacing your hubs so they all use the same spoke length. There are lots of fun things to do.

You are either riding solo or tandem. If you are riding a single touring bike with 26" wheels then the starting point is 32-36 spokes. 36 is a special deal because it takes you to strength in the 40 spoke range for 700c with pretty comon components, that's my choice. Once you and your load start to nudge into tandem territory, with 26" wheels you can go 36 spokes, but it rapidly starts to move into 40 spoke territory. Here is some advice on tandem weight rigs:

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/Tandemparts.asp

Keep in mind that tandems start at rider (or rider gear for us) weights probably in the 250 pound range. That's a small lady or youth riding with a normal enough weight adult male. Of course you could have rider weights of 250 per rider also.

Spokes don't really mater get some decent quality 14 g, there are butted spokes that are possibly stronger in a wheel, but that looks only at the strength of the wheel as a rotating part of the machine, it doesn't look at the durability of the spoke as a component subject to assault by luggage hooks, sticks in the spoke, etc... There are a lot of sophisticated options, but a name grade 14 g straight spoke that fits your hub, and is properly installed is all you need.

There are at least three wacky ways of differencially lacing dished hubs (most rear, or front disc) to create more even spoke tension, notwithstanding the different rigging angles. There are ways of lacing your hubs so they all use the same spoke length. There are lots of fun things to do.

Solo,But I am looking for Tandem Stoutness.I guess I am looking for a simple solution for a complex problem....A 26"-100mm Front/135mm Rear Mtb Wheelset (Disc Brakes) that will put up with the loads and stress that a Big Dummy and a somewhat agressive Rider would put them thru...What I need to know is what Ya'll are using/would use under these conditions...Big Dummy/150Lb Rider/75Lbs gear on the Back/Nukeproof.
I have toured with Bike and Panniear (Both just rear and Front and rear)/Bike and two wheel tralier/Bike and B.O.B...I am one of those tourers that takes everything including the sink!! and as much as i like my B.O.B. I want to go back to just the bike,I find Trailers a PITA in general,and I like the way a bike handles by itself (Think fast downhills)

Consider the Mavic F519 rim, 36 hole. Designed for freeriding. It sure feels solid.