Beefiest spoke for Mavic Open Pro wheel?
 

I just broke a spoke on a new Mavic Open Pro wheel that I ordered custom built from Colorado Cyclist just last year. I guess I screwed up on ordering the spokes because now that I look at them, I see they are on the skinny side.

Instead of having the one spoke replaced, I figured I would just have the whole wheel replaced.

I think the shop is recommending 2.0mm spokes. Are these the beefiest that can go on this wheel?

I asked about the Alpine III which I understand is a pretty strong spoke but I think they said, those would not work. Any idea why?


They also recommend triple cross over double cross. Will this make the wheel a bit stronger?

I probably should have gone with 36 hole over 32 too but I just use the bike for credit card touring so I am not carrying a whole lot of weight anyway.

What spokes did you order? Why did you go double cross?

The Alpine III is a triple butted spoke, 13-15-14 gauge. It's possible that the 13 gauge end is too thick to fit into the spoke holes in your hub. Contact whoever made your hub or check their website to find out for sure.

Triple cross is pretty much the standard for wheel construction. I don't know the physics involved but it seems to provide optimum strength.

Double butted 14-15 gauge (2.0 - 1.8 mm) spokes built triple cross is pretty much the standard for building strong wheels. The thin center section (1.8 mm / 15 gauge) stretches to provide a little shock absorption, and the 2.0 mm end sections provide strength where it's needed, at the ends.

Which spokes broke? Front, rear drive side, or rear non-drive side? Did they break at the elbow or at the nipple?

Ask whoever's building your wheels if they use a tensiometer and what level they tension the wheels to, and compare that to the rim makers recommendation for spoke tension. You can get that info from the rim makers website or e-mail their customer service department.

Use butted spokes, they are certainly not weaker than straight gauge spokes.
skinny does not equal weak. unequal tension on spokes equals weak. I would have a competent LBS replace the spoke, then detension and retension/rebuild the wheel up to spec. make sure it gets stress-relieved...

also, 3X is stronger, and easier to build well, generally speaking.

and it is important to note where the spoke broke....

my 2c

Thanks

The spoke that broke was rear drive side at the elbow.


I am pretty sure the hub is a Shimano Ultegra FH-6600.


I should have checked with you guys in the first place. :)

Actually I think that the stretching is good not because of any 'suspension' it provides, but rather because a bit of elongation and elasticity keeps the system under tension as it goes through cycles of weight bearing and release while riding. Its like a spring holding tension on the system, keeping the spoke from loosening --> breaking.

edit to clarify: the loose spoke isnt he one that will break, but if one spoke is loose, some other spoke is doing 'double-duty' so to speak, and is more likely to break.... loose spokes are just the sign of a wheel where the load isnt being shared equally (and minimized) among all the available spokes....