Originally Posted by Niles H.
Some people have pointed out that using different spokes on the drive side of a dished wheel (a different gauge from those on the non-drive side) makes for a more durable wheel.
The application I am most interested in is long distance touring, with heavy loads.
DT Alpine III spokes have been r e c o m m e n d e d. Would using two different gauges make for a better wheel?
The logic of using different gauge spokes to make a more durable wheel escapes me. Marginally lighter wheel, yes. More durable wheel, no.
As far as marginally lighter is concerned, assuming that you could save 2 grams per spoke on a 36 spoke wheel by using smaller gauge spokes on the non-drive side, you would save a total of 36 grams (18 non-drive side spokes x 2), for a grand total weight savings of just over 1
ounce.
Inasmuch as your intended application is for heavily-loaded touring, I would stick with the conventional same-gauge spoke method.
I build my own wheels and use same-gauge spokes on my rear wheels.
Bob