Originally Posted by
Metieval
so how much are you willing to stake behind your typed claims of knowledge?
Pretty sure gambling is not allowed on BF but...
Every time I go on a tour I suppose I am staking the successful conclusion of it on my knowledge, which has grown with experience. One day, when you do your own tour, you may find the same. A valuable use of BF as a resource is to ask questions as you did and gain perspective based on what other people who have toured have learned beforehand. No one says you have to follow that advice though.
When I work with people who are having a problem making decisions I sometimes tell them to take a piece of paper and draw a line down the center. On one side is the Pro's, on the other, the Cons. This helps to visualize the benefits involved. In this case:
Higher spoke count
Pros: strength, reliability, less tools needed as a result
Cons: slightly higher weight (off set by need for spoke repair tools)
Low spoke count
Pros: slightly less weight (off set by need for spoke repair tools)
Cons: compared to higher spoke count, less strength and reliability
This of course, is a sliding scale based on wheel quality and actual spoke count. A well made 28H wheel may in fact be stronger than a crappy 32H wheel.
It also depends on what you have on hand. I wouldn't not tour because all I had was a 28H wheelset or worry unduly about it. Depending on the trip commitment I might bring some tools along. If I were building a bike from scratch and anticipated off road/gravel touring as one of the uses, and as stated money was no object, I would pay attention to wheel strength and the relationship that spoke count and other factors make.
The big question, considering a new build with unlimited funds: What benefit does one attain by chasing a lower spoke count? If the answer outweighs the risks then it's a good idea.