OP might not be able to get 35mm tires on a road bike due to fork and stay clearances, but 25mm or 28mm would definitely be in order on rough roads. As it appears the OP is commuting, not racing, accepting a bit of a weight penalty for a more bombproof wheel may be in order. I'm about the OPs size and I have 36H Mavic Open Pros laced 4x with DT Swiss Comp (2.0-1.8-2.0) spokes to 105 hubs. I run 25mm tires. They have taken on many frost heaves, potholes, and other hazards without a whimper. I built them myself and tuned them up after the first 100 miles or so and they've run true ever since. Make sure your wheel builder trues, tensions, and stress relieves the wheels. They should also offer free truing for the first few months to a year.

IMHO 28mm tires are not funny looking in any way and for any non-competitive riding make great sense.

Weight penalty? Rider plus bike is about 250lbs, so even a 1/2 lb weight diff in tires would come to .2% (.002) and the net effect is even less. I guarantee you that the typically better rolling resistance of a wider tire and lessened bouncing on rough roads would far outstrip any weight "penalty."

Not to mention the species has not drastically changed for over 100'000 years

WHOA WHOA WHOA Ford is about 350 not 250 hahahaha he told me to pay attention to cracking on the rim

Having the wheel trued as we speak and have been shopping around for tires. I potentially have a hook-up for tires at cost. If that is the case, I will probably get a set of Conti Gator Skin in a 25C. Any opinions on *Chain Reaction Cycles | MTB | Road | TRI | Run they seem to be having a great sale on just about everything. Their tire selection is okay but it seems most of the tires I am looking for are 23C. Some pretty good road bikes on sale as well.

An old superstition best put to bed.

The Mavic Open Sport makes a durable wheel and it is not too expensive. At your weight 36 double butted spokes properly tensioned will make a strong durable wheel.
If your bike will clear them 28mm tires will make for a more comfortable and faster ride.

The Mavic Open Sport makes a durable wheel and it is not too expensive. At your weight 36 double butted spokes properly tensioned will make a strong durable wheel.
If your bike will clear them 28mm tires will make for a more comfortable and faster ride.

Absolutely agree. That's why I recommended that the OP consider higher volume tires and more bombproof wheels. You may have noted that my wheels aren't light by modern road bike standards and my tire choice is 25mm only because on my current bike the 28s give darn little clearance. My previous bike was more generous and I rode 28s all the time. My all-rounder currently has equally overbuilt wheels and sports 40mm tires. Don't read too much into my use of the phrase "weight penalty" as it is a common expression when weight is added to a bike.

How do you hold round, light gauge spokes while turning the nipple?

You don't need to hold spokes.

Put a tape flag on the first spoke after the valve hole as close as you can to the nipple without interfering with your spoke wrench, and another on the next spoke when you're dealing with dished (most rear and disc front hubs) or mark the spokes with a sharpie dot.

Watch how much windup you're getting (assuming no sticky nipples all the spokes will be about the same in that wheel half, or both wheel halves for symmetrical wheels). Overshoot by that much and backup.

With reasonable spoke counts (32 +/- a few) you don't need to be more precise than quarter turns. Add 1/4, 1/2, or however many turns you want, plus the extra for windup, and back up so the spoke wrench is in the appropriate position parallel or perpendicular to the brake tracks.

Anti-seize (my favorite, will prevent galvanic corrosion), grease, or oil on the spoke threads will limit windup. The same in the nipple sockets will limit how hard nipples are to turn.

To undo any windup you can also put a block of wood on the ground, stand the wheel's axle on it, and push 180 degrees apart with your hands moving around the wheel thus unloading the spokes enough to turn back; although you're better off just avoiding it.

With a tool called Twist Resist. I've found it invaluable, but I get a lot of use out of it, so it's worth it to me to have a tool that holds the spoke without marring it. Especially since about 80% of the wheels coming through here have black spokes, and will show the marks.

Whenever I tighten a spoke, I overtighten it. Then I loosen it by the amount I overtightened it, usually a quarter turn. This leaves the spokes untwisted. It works for me.

My wheel has been trued and I splurged on some Gatorskins in a 25c. What a difference! With my old 23s I was getting numbness in my hands after 20 km i took these new tires about 40km and I felt much more comfortable. Maybe I was tired or because of gusting winds but I found these tires to be a tad slower however, the gatorskins are night and day for comfort. Next purchase will have to be some decent wheels or a better bike! Thanks everyone!

The majority of the wheels I'm getting through here for repair and touch up are low spoke count with light gauge spokes. Not what I really prefer to work on, but that's what's coming my way, so I deal with it.
The overshoot and backup method does not give me the control I need with ultra thin spokes working under higher tensions than what is normal for higher spoke counts. These require tiny incremental changes, and for that, I need the control only available while holding the spoke.

Did you get them properly tensioned? That's the root of your truing problems.

Flat resistant tires tend to be a little stiffer/slower.

A fair point.

Superstition? So I take it you never personally experienced using T & S wheels? Doing that, more or less, in essence makes a bigger hub and stiffer wheels. Grab two spokes where they cross and squeeze, then see how much they move. Also I have twice had a spoke snap and the wheel pretty much stayed true enough to still roll thru the brake pads. But, it is something fastidious to do. On a Rando bike, no T&S spokes and use low flange hubs so I have the longest spokes and a slightly softer and more forgiving 14+ hour endurance rides.

You are implying that the lateral stiffness of a spoke affects the stiffness of a wheel. Wheels, as they roll, do not deflect spokes to the side. A wheel has its lower-most spokes in reduced tension compared with the rest of the wheel.

The stuff you espouse has been scientifically debunked for about 30 years.

Hey guys put about 200km on the tires with one flat (by nailing a curb nevertheless). My wheel was detensioned, then tensioned and completely trued. Since then I seem to be doing okay. Ya lots of people told me the 25s wouldn't be much slower but they are I've noticed in my ride times and top speed but they are very comfortable. I was just surfing Kijiji and saw some Mavic CXP 30s for $200 with rubber but I am pretty happy with how my wheels are performing right now. I have been noticing some sort of vibration whe I use my front brake but on a 25+ year old bike I am sure the bearings on my fork must be a bit worn. Thanks for all your help!

Do have the wheels checked for adequate truing and tensioning, occasionally.

The vibration is probably not from your bearings but from dents or burrs on your rims as the brake pads rub along the rim.

For what it's worth, the bearings in the fork steering mechanism are called the headset. The headset doesn't cause vibration during braking.

I've used anti-seize on the threads during building so spoke windup is minimal ,

touch up truing afterwards takes care of minor changes from unwinding.

in built wheels a drop of penetrating oil before starting the job on each spoke.. often helps ..

I haven't used anti-seize, but it sounds like a good idea. I use more conventional lubricant such as oil or grease, depending on what is closest in reach.

I aim to build a wheel that doesn't need touch up after a little riding.

I agree that penetrating oil is a good thing when I am about to work on an old wheel, especially where the nipples are reluctant to turn. It can, at times, be a very good thing, making the difference between a trashed wheel and a wheel ready to get back on the road for another many years.

250 lb people sometimes have crack problems too