Building wheels

[gtinut]

I am around 180lbs and getting ready to build some fat wheels.
My other bikes have 15ga and thinner spokes. Since fat rims like RD are single wall, can I use trick spokes and stay with 15 or 14/15ga with alloy nipples?

 

[Steve Vai]

I've built a few dozen fat bike wheelsets at this point. They've almost all been built using Wheelsmith DB spokes and alloy nipples. I haven't tried anything lighter yet as the wheel would be a bit squishy...

-Jim.

 

[Jason]

I am around 180lbs and getting ready to build some fat wheels.
My other bikes have 15ga and thinner spokes. Since fat rims like RD are single wall, can I use trick spokes and stay with 15 or 14/15ga with alloy nipples?

I'm using DT Swiss Revolution spokes.
http://www.dtswiss.com/Components/Spokes/DT-revolution-sup-®-sup

I'm over 200lbs and nothing catastrophic so far.

 

[gtinut]

Now , I need more help. used online calculator for Hope Fatsno and Rolling Darryl
http://www.kstoerz.com/freespoke/ give me
three cross
front 261.1 261.8
rear 262.2 261.9

Friend working at bike shop tells me following ( he used shop calculator):
Front is 264mm drive side, 263mm non drive.
Rear is 264mm drive / 265 non-drive (3 cross)

 

[Jason]

Now , I need more help. used online calculator for Hope Fatsno and Rolling Darryl
http://www.kstoerz.com/freespoke/ give me
three cross
front 261.1 261.8
rear 262.2 261.9

Friend working at bike shop tells me following ( he used shop calculator):
Front is 264mm drive side, 263mm non drive.
Rear is 264mm drive / 265 non-drive (3 cross)

I used 263

http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/hope-darryl-spoke-length-check-796407.html

http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/fat-bike-wheel-spoke-length-586486-2.html

 

[SmooveP]

Yep, 263.
And I'm riding on wheels with DT Revolution spokes with no problems.
For reference, I'm 155 lbs.

 

[Steve Vai]

I use 262drive/263 nondrive.

Jim

 

[gtinut]

Jim,
is the spoke going all the way through nipple?

 

[Steve Vai]

Yessir.

Jim

 

[gtinut]

friend used QBP (I think) spoke tool and came up with above numbers. I don't get it why his numbers are so much off.

 

[Steve Vai]

Because the qbp calculator sucks.

Jim

 

[gtinut]

Thanks Jim.
Should DT 2.0-1.8-2.0 or Wheelsmith 2.0-1.7-2.0 and 12mm alloy nipples be fine?
I don't think going thinner on single wall rims and me under 180lbs is a good idea.

 

[SmooveP]

Thanks Jim.
Should DT 2.0-1.8-2.0 or Wheelsmith 2.0-1.7-2.0 and 12mm alloy nipples be fine?
I don't think going thinner on single wall rims and me under 180lbs is a good idea.

I went with brass nips after reading about the effects of road salt and salt water on alloy nipples.

 

[Steve Vai]

I normally use the Wheelsmiths, 2.0/1.7, and Wheelsmith 12mm alloy nipples. I've never broken an alloy nipple, but you do need to clean your wheel every so often or they'll corode.

Jim