Originally Posted by
juggleaddict
Fair enough point on straight spokes, but the price difference isn't that significant, so I kinda view it the same as you do on spoke count.
Beckmann, who used to be well regarded in the universe of heavy loaded touring is pretty much the only person I know of who made a serious play for straight spokes as a choice on 4K cutom built bikes, with the most expensive wheel parts. I think his view was that there was no real advantage in running butted, while straight spokes were less likely to break when assaulted by baggage handlers or stray sticks in the spokes. That lines up perfectly with my results, but I can't say I ran the whole "test" with butted spokes and could say they were worse. I put butted spokes on my lattest wheels because they were more in keeping with the quality of the build, and to see what I could see.
I should have noted that I have 26" wheels as well. I think 32 up front is plenty, and if you're getting a set built there's no reason to have the same spoke count on front and back.
Yes it's only a few grams, but why when you know the front wheel takes less abuse?
I forget who I recently read who rejected that approach. With me, if I take notice it is normally because Jobst said it, but I don't know. Anyway, I was actually planning the opposite. I have never broken a 32 MTB while touring, but at the same time I felt overkill is the watchword with wheels, so I would like to have 36 front and back or even 40 on a 26. So when I went Rohloff, which is only 32 in the rear, I thought I would go 36 in the front, since after all Rohloff is a zero dish wide base and the rear 32 we are told hits harder than a regular 32. In the end I looked into what others were doing and I think Thorn does 32 front, on their Rohloff bikes, so I fell in line.
In general though, I prefer to have compatible components, and my ideal would be to have front and rear spokes that are the same length, rims that could be used on either wheel so that when carrying a rim build pack only one would be required to back up either wheel. For a credit card bike maybe, but not for the heavy end of a loaded touring bike, which is where I am even if I don't go on an expedition. But that is just me. I have kinda a thing for English touring bikes and they often had a split on spoke count. So I would adopt that on style points if I thought it made sense, but it does not seem that common any longer. Maybe you can get something started.
I went in to building a wheelset with the mindset of a balance. I could have gone with overkill (40 spoke count triple butted with phil wood hubs) but it just isn't necessary. . . . I may have splurged on some velocity CB hubs and I'm glad I did : ) more for my own vanity than anything else.
I find the front hub, at least, is often in my line of sight on long tours. Sure makes for better scenery if it is a half decent looking hub. One of my LX hubs was downright ugly, even though it never let me down. Life is too short...
