Originally Posted by
FBinNY
This is a case of raising the bridge or lowering the water. It's simply a question of outlook. Since the wheel has no way of knowing where you started, either action is functionally identical.
I agree with the res (unquoted) of the post. Using lighter spokes increases the elongation at the same tension, increasing the working distance in the spokes elastic range as the rim flexes inward.
Yes the actions are functionally identical. It's the thought process that is different. If you have some reason to insist on heavy DS spokes, then I would encourage you to make a better wheel by lightening up AT LEAST the NDS spokes. But if the wheel is already planned to be light spokes all around, I wouldn't bother to make the DS spokes heavier. It serves no purpose IMO. Hard to explain, but it boils down to this: I recommend Revolution, Laser or CX-Ray spokes exclusively. You can't build a more durable wheel. You want a little stiffer wheel, use a few more spokes. But I wouldn't use heavier spokes.