I have a new 2015 Kona Sutra, and at the start of next year I have a 3500km tour in Japan, I don't really want to carry anything I don't have to and I figure real spokes is one of those things(I will take 1 fibre fix kit). Gear bike and rider total 110kg (245lbs). My current spokes 36H Sandvik Stainless 14g. At a guess will my spokes last? or should I switch to the strongest spokes I know DT Swiss Alpine 3, If I do change them to the DT Swiss is it likely I will have any broken spokes during my trip?

DT Swiss Alpine III - the super strong spoke offers at the cycling shop ROSE Bikes

i've found that one lost spoke on a 36 spoked wheel is very rideable. a tweak or two on the surrounding same side spokes from a spoke wrench helps too.

Straight 14 gage is fine.

I used a 'more the merrier' approach with 48 spokes a tiny amount of truing makes it Work Great for many Days ..

I toured for 10 years on Freewheel Hubs (unbendable axle Phil hub) so all I needed was the freewheel remover .

I borrowed the Big wrench to unscrew the freewheel to actually replace the 1 spoke.



I have a set of wheels on my Road Bike 36_15 gage spokes .. in their 30th Year.


Dont over worry. Japan has Bike Shops to help you Out on the road.

I don't think they will readily stock my spoke size in Japan as I have disc brakes.

Bring a few extras then? Tape them to the inside of a Pannier onto the stiffener . I put the Right Rear in the pannier on that side, Left length in the left

and a couple for the front in one of the front panniers .. only used 1 . in a decade. .


Our LBS, here Has a simple Hozan spoke threading tool to make up a spoke or 2 for Touring cyclists , on the spot.

I've flat handlebars so keep my spares in there (won't work I imagine in drops)
Another point is those Alpine spokes aren't suitable for all hubs.
I was warned off them for my Rohloff as the J-bend is too think apparently

Are the wheels on your current bike machine or hand built? I've read time and time again that machine built wheels are more likely to break spokes. I haven't had any personal experience since the only wheels I've toured on haven't broken a spoke, so I can't speak to that. If yours are machine built, maybe take them into the LBS and explain the situation to them and ask them to give the wheels a good check for even/proper spoke tension.

Huh? The fact that you have disc brakes is irrelevant.

I thought that having disc vs rim brakes changes the hub, inturn would change the length of the spoke, am I wrong?

Spokes come in lots of different lengths and I couldn't imagine you having too many difficulties in Japan sourcing any size you needed.
Saying that, I've not been to Japan and am unaware of how rural you'll be so if your worried, take a few spares.
From memory, I've three of each size inside my handlebars.
I think you'll be fine.
Examine your spokes around your cassette as its surprising how much damage a chain that has skipped over the largest cog of your cassette can do without you spotting the damage.
As a one owner bike you'll know if this has happened.
If there is no damage to your spokes, I'd get them tension checked at your local bike shop (ask others in your area for a recommendation) and you should be good to go.
36 is a good number of spokes in a wheel and 110kg total is not much of a load.
I think you'll be fine having had the wheels tension checked and good to go (with the caveat of your spokes having no visible damage)

Yes. The length of spoke needed depends on the hub, lacing and rim. The variance can be several millimeters between different combinations of hubs and rims. They will be in a range for a given wheel size but they vary a lot in that range.

I would suggest that you use the wheels you have but you have them tuned before you go. Get several replacement spokes (no more than 6) of the proper length and zip-tie them under the rear rack. You may also (or instead of) get a Fiberfix spoke.

Don't take this the wrong way, but given the nature of your questions, I assume you don't have much wheel building experience. You should have someone show you how to replace a spoke on the driveside of a wheel (most likely spokes to break). It's something of an involved process and not something you should learn "on the road", figuratively or even literally.