SJK

What is the general consensus regarding straight gauge spokes versus butted spokes in terms of strength? Is a wheel (say 32 spokes) built with straight gauge spokes stronger than one built with double butted spokes?

fmw

I doubt it, given the same tension, but they would be heavier.

johnny99

Depends on the spoke guages. Thicker ends are generally stronger. Both butted and straight guage spokes come in a variety of guages.

PhattTyre

Some say butted, assuming the ends are the same guage. So given a 14 straight guage spoke and a 14/15/14 butted spoke, many will claim the butted spoke is stronger. The reasoning behind this is that the thinner butted part will give more and strech under load, which relieves some stress from the bend (the weak spot on a spoke). I think it's good logic, but I can't say I've had any personal experience in the matter. As a pretty light rider I tend not to break spokes, but I always use butted because they're a little more forgiving, in my opionion.

bikingshearer 

I am assuming that by "stronger," you mean a wheel that will go longer without spoke breakage. Taking that definition, the short answer is: No. All else being equal, butted spoked wheels will be stronger than straight gauge spoked wheels.

The somewhat longer answer is that spoke breakage is most likely to happen where the spoke bends to go through the hub. (I know I have never seen a spoke break anywhere else, and I have seen plenty of busted spokes.) Butted spokes take some of the force that would otherwise impact the bend and distributes it to the butts - especially the forces that try to lengthen and shorten the spoke. The result is that less of those forces go into deflecting the spoke at the bend, which in turn means a longer lasting spoke.

How all of this affects a new-fangled wheel in which the spokes have no bend going through or into the hub, I don't know. My guess - and it's only a guess - is that straight gauge vs. butted there would affect weight (minimally) and stiffness of the wheel (again, minimally) but not longevity without spoke breakage. But for a stadard wheel with standard bent spokes, butted outlasts straight gauge.

AnthonyG

Yeah the real question is which type of spokes make the strongest WHEEL. Nominaly straight gauge spokes are stronger if you put them on a test rig but in the real world they can be too strong and place extra load on the rim eyelets so the rim cracks. Using butted spokes will make the most durable wheel with the best all round charecteristics.

Regards, Anthony

webist

I'm a heavy rider and have been on Mavic Open Pro/Ultegra/DB32 wheels for over a year now with no issues.

wagathon

The logic probably is the same as for butted frame tubes, i.e., they're not as strong where they're thinner, but, they don't need to be so strong where they're thinner. So, it doesn't matter (I'm using 32-hole Mavic Open Pros with Wheelsmith butted spokes and not expecting any problems--I've never broken a ss-spoke) .

johnny99

What guage? DB spokes come in 14/15/14, 15/16/15, and other variations.

531Aussie

Only out of curiosity, I recently weighed the spokes for a rebuild of a front CXP33.
The 32 straight DTs are 50g heavier than double-butted Wheelsmiths!

Big deal, I guess

johnny99

What guage spokes?

531Aussie

not sure about the Wheelsmiths, coz they've been sitting in my shed for few years, but the DTs are the 'plain' Champions -- aren't they 2mm?

anyway, without nipples:

32 x 292mm DT Champions = 241g
32x 294mm Wheelsmiths = 192g