Originally Posted by
Al1943
Revolutions are my favorite spokes but I quit using them on the drive side rear because they stretch too much. I have measured as much as 2 mm stretch in Revolutions under approximately 125 kgf tension. The DT Swiss rounds down calculated lengths by more than 1 mm on drive side rear Revolutions. I now use DT Competition spokes on the drive side rear, with no problems.
You are right about the stretch in Revolutions (and the same in Sapim Lasers and CX-Rays), but don't forget the heaviest commonly used spokes, 14 ga or 2.0 mm, still stretch about 1/2 that amount. So the stretch is always significant. It is proportional to the tension, the length of the spoke, and the cross sectional area of the spoke. Stretch of Revolutions is not a reason to stop using them, it is the main reason TO use them. That stretch is nearly completely elastic and more stretch means that the spoke has almost no chance of going slack when the rim is compressed at the site of the given spoke by rider weight or an impact. That is exactly what you want. A spoke that isn't stretched much more than the amount the rim is compressed is in danger of going slack. That can cause loosening and definitely contributes to fatigue failure either at the J-bend or the nipple. The lightest possible spokes are always your best bet UNLESS they provide a wheel with insufficient stiffness. Higher stiffness is the only reason to change to heavier gauge spokes, not greater strength.
I have never had a nipple bottom out on a spoke sized according the any of the popular spreadsheets not matter how much the spoke stretched.