Bicycle Mechanics - Spoke Recommendation

Mavic Open Pro (32F/R) with Ultegra hubs. This is a for a good backup set of everyday training wheels. Rider is 165 lbs. What spokes would you recommend? What guage or size? Aero/bladed or normal?

Goal is to keep the weight down as much as possible without sacrificing too much on the durability. Thanks.

55/Rad

14/15 guage (2.0/1.8) double butted spokes by
DT. I wouldn't go any lighter than that.

Marty

I vote with Lotek

What about the DT Aerolight or Aero Speed? Are these overkill? Or too light? Will they work with the standard Ultegra hub? I kind of like the bladed look for aesthetics.

Specs are here:

www.dtswiss.com/index.asp?fuseaction=spokes.bikedetail&id=3

Also, what's a reasonable charge for an LBS to assemble these wheels?

Thanks again.

55/Rad

If you want a reasonable set up with good strength try the DT Revolution (dble butted) spokes with alloy nipples. If you want something that's even lighter but stronger but the cost is not an issue try Sapim CX-Ray (bladed) spokes and their Polyax nipples.

OMG - I just saw the price on the DT Aeros over at Harris cyclery. $47 for 18. The Aerolights are $77/20. I need 68. I had no idea. For what it would cost to buy these spokes and get the wheels assembled, I could buy a good used set of Ksyrium Elites ready to go. I'll go look at the Revolutions.

55/Rad

I'd say stick to the double-butted suggestions, to use bladed spokes you'd have to have those hubs slotted to accept the blades. Alternately, you could use the Wheelsmith AE 15 elliptical spokes as a compromise. These should build into a wheel that's plenty strong for you and they don't require any modification to the hub.

The Dt aero speed spoke(edit: and aero light) does not require slotting but as you have seen they are very $$

I'd say stick to the double-butted suggestions, to use bladed spokes you'd have to have those hubs slotted to accept the blades. Alternately, you could use the Wheelsmith AE 15 elliptical spokes as a compromise. These should build into a wheel that's plenty strong for you and they don't require any modification to the hub.

With the Sapims YOU DO NOT NEED SLOTTED HUBS!

I would use the Revolutions but sub standard brass nipples in; aluminum ones break over time.

I would use the Revolutions but sub standard brass nipples in; aluminum ones break over time.

Newer alloy nipples are made better than the ones 8 years or so ago, plus your not adjusting the spokes everyday anyway, but more importantly make sure you buy a quality spoke adjusting tool so it fits the nipple securely and you won't have any problems. The old alloy nipples did have some problems but most problems occured after years of poory fitting spoke tool rounded the heads too much to be of any use any more-they did not actually break. You can still have that problem today if you use a cheap poor fitting tool.