Originally Posted by
dabac
Your 40-year olds aren't an entirely fair comparison.
The rear probably has a far less lopsided spoke tension balance than many of the current designs, making it easier to keep NDS tension high enough to avoid fatigue.
Point taken. Although I typically build with DB spokes, I will use straight gauge when I don't care about weight (and I can save some money). Some folks are positively rabid about avoiding straight gauge at all costs, that it makes you want to dig into the underlying reasons for this fervor.