Excuse the thread title - I'm trying to get my head around when to use DB vs straight guage vs bladed/elliptical spokes:

For stiffness & strength (say rear DS, or maybe rear DS & NDS for heavier riders) are straight guage more appropriate than DB? If so, why; if not, why not? Or is this a non-issue if spokes are properly tensioned?

Is there any good reason for using bladed/elliptical spokes on a rear wheel (other than pose value)? Seems to me that if a hub flange has to be slotted for bladed spokes, flange strength is going to be compromised to some degree for questionable aero value.

Are ellipticals like CX-Rays or DT Aerospeeds going to bring any meaningful benefit compared to DBs for a front wheel, especially at spoke counts of 28 or 32?

Thanks in advance.

The only reason to use straight gauge spokes is to save money. They are NOT stronger than a DB spoke, and they do a poorer job of spreading spoke load across a wheel.

A rear wheel contributes to aerodynamics, just not as much as a front. You can get bladed spokes that fit in a normal hub flange, and you can get hubs that are built for bladed spokes. Hub flange failure in quality hubs is so rare as to not be a factor (this does not apply to hubs modified by tweakers with jeweler's files). Whether the improvement in aerodynamics is a "good reason" is in the eye of the beholder. You may notice that the pros do use rear discs for TTs, and they do mount deep section wheels on the back as well as the front.

Whether ellipticals bring "meaningful benefit" again is in the eye of the beholder. If I were going for the state TT championships and was worrying about the last seconds, you bet I would be going for every advantage. If going to aero spokes was going to shave 30 seconds off my century times, I doubt I would make the investment.

The only reason to use straight gauge spokes is to save money. They are NOT stronger than a DB spoke, and they do a poorer job of spreading spoke load across a wheel.



Thanks Kerry. Forgive me for labouring the point but am I right then in thinking that the benefit of a DB spoke is that it's more elastic than a straight one and helps alleviate stress on rims when they're subject to shock? What about "triple butted" spokes like DT Alpines?
I'm getting a "Straight spokes are just stronger" and "DB spokes are too whippy" line from a couple of local wheelbuilders who are a bit old school. Their line is also that straight guage spokes are "stiffer" and make for better power transfer from a rear wheel.

Old school or just mis-informed? The first wheels I built in the '60s were with DB spokes, and everyone knew even then that they built the best wheels. Spreading the forces over a larger number of spokes makes for a MORE rigid structure, not less. There has always been a contingent of "straight gauge is stiffer" around, but I always wonder why they don't then use 13 guage spokes? And are 15 gauge stiffer than 14/15? Triple butting is a way to save a little more weight while spreading the forces relative to the butt.