Originally Posted by
cyccommute
I know that aluminum spokes exist but they aren’t likely to be used for the kinds of applications that people who want to have their touring bikes fixed under the spreading chestnut tree.
They're rarely used for high-performance applications either, because the need to use a higher volume of the material for adequate spoke bracing results in a wheel that's less aerodynamic and offers no obvious benefits.
Campagnolo likes to use aluminum spokes to make their mid-level wheels, such as Shamals, seem exotic and flashy. But what do they use for the entry-level wheelsets, like Zondas, that need to just work on a budget? Stainless steel. And what do they use for the Bora wheelsets that get raced at the top level? Stainless steel.