15 Gauge Spokes for Downhill

[wimma]

Hey guys.
As you may know I've been busy replacing my wheels on my DH bike.
I've got new 729s and Hope Pro II's and I rocked up to Drift Bikes Newcastle to get some DT Swiss spokes quite a while back and they got me some for about 2.50 each (plus charging 20 dollars to measure the spokes:confused: ).
Anyway, I laced up the front wheel and took it into a different shop for tensioning/truing (also to put in the dish for the brake disk).

When I went to pick up the wheel they commented that the spokes were only 15 gauge and that they would have used 14 gauge for downhill, where (basically), the beefier the better.

I'm just about to lace up the rear wheel, and while I can't return the spokes for the front wheel, should I go back and replace the 15 gauge for the rear wheel for a beefier 14 gauge spoke?
Or are 15 gauge spokes good enough for DH?
Thanks guys

[|Matt|]

Sounds like they ripped you off. $2.50 for spokes sounds extremely steep.

Do you know what model of DT they were? They were probably Champion, Competition or Alpine III (in order of price). Champions are usually $1.00 each, Competitions are usually $1.20 and Alpine IIIs are usually $1.50.

The prices a relative to length (whether its custom or not) but $2.50 certainly sounds high. Maybe they put some sort of super light XC spokes on or something? I don't know much about spokes apart from the 3 that I listed sorry but the ones I listed are all more than fine for DH.

[Christo]

Sounds like they ripped you off. $2.50 for spokes sounds extremely steep.

They may have been black which are pretty much double the price.

[|Matt|]

They may have been black which are pretty much double the price.

The prices I quoted are what I have been charged for black spokes. I've bought black of all 3, and silver Champions which I can't say what price they were because I got them in a massive bundle of other parts with a discount so I don't know how much they were.

[wimma]

They were black competition.
And back to the topic, are 15 gauges ok for DH?

['Alex]

They were black competition.
And back to the topic, are 15 gauges ok for DH?

They will be fine.. I have Hope, black competition, Mavic 731 combo.
Mine are still going strong. Im ~100kg and a hack rider

[thecat]

$250 is pretty standard fort black spokes. Measuring up and calculating the length does take a bit of time and know how...


15 gauge will be fine as long as the build is good and you keep them tight and destress them occasionally.

Butted spokes such as (Alpine 3s) would have been better but it's not wheel threatening

[Gekigengar]

15 gauge will be fine as long as the build is good and you keep them tight and destress them occasionally.



Destressing the spokes? What do you mean by that, is that the process of loosening the spokes half a turn(or quarter) for a while and tightening it back up. Whats the purpose?

Please explain.

PS. I shall also check google

[Landon]

Yeah the DT Competition is a great spoke. That was a good choice.

You would most certainly have the 14 / 15 / 14 gauge version. They're only 15 gauge (1.8mm) through the mid section with 14 gauge (2.0mm) ends. There's also an even lighter 15 / 16 / 15 version.

The thinner 15 gauge mid section saves weight without any loss of strength. If a spoke is going to break from tension, it'll go at the elbow which is still 14 gauge.

You should build your rear wheel with the same spokes.

[mayo]

destressing the wheel is the process of pushing your body weight against the whole perimeter of the wheel on both sides, if done properly spokes should make a mettalic ping then you tighten the spokes that have come loose and there you have destressed wheel.

[Kirky]

Yeah, you'll be fine. I'm running 15g spokes on my DH bike, never had a problem. Just keep them tight.

[wimma]

Yeah all I know is my spoke key shows me that the nipples correspond to 15 gauge spokes.

Thanks everyone for your informative replies --- I've gone ahead and laced up the rear wheel with the 15g. :D

(PS HOPE PRO HUBS ARE REALLY FARKIN CLICKY AND LOUD!)

[thecat]

Destressing the spokes? What do you mean by that, is that the process of loosening the spokes half a turn(or quarter) for a while and tightening it back up. Whats the purpose?

Please explain.

PS. I shall also check google

Stress tends to build up at the nipples and elbows. Destressing is supposed to equalise them


There are a couple of ways to do it, the easiest is to grab two crossing spokes on one side with one hand and the corrisponding two on teh other side and squeeze them together as hard as you can. Work you way right around the wheel