Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN

With an 80s hardtail, I assume that means 26 inch wheel and 36 spokes, probably a 2 inch wide tire that gives a good cushioned ride without too much road shock. In that case I would think that a 2.0/1.8 or 1.7/2.0 spoke would also work out ok. But if you are doing off road in rough terrain with that kind of weight on the wheels, then one of the more robust spokes suggested by cyccommute might be in order.

I carry my spare spokes in my seatpost, held in with a wine cork. The cork dried out and shrunk a bit, I wrapped electrical tape around the cork to make it fit tighter.