How light can I go on spokes as a featherweight?

hihihi8

So I'm learning wheel building, and I'm at the point where I'm attempting to build myself a weight weenie wheel for fun.

Some context: I weigh 110-115lbs constant

Rims: i'm looking at KinLin XR200's in 20H front and 24H rear.

Front Hub: Novatec A291SB-SL front, radial 20H lace

Rear Hub: Bitex RAR9 24H, 2x lace on both sides

Nipples: DT Swiss Alloy standard

Spokes: CN Aero330 or Aero360 ultra lightweight steel spokes

So how light can I go on the spokes? many will ask, why not DT revolutions or CX Rays? weight weenie, thats why (also curiosity). i reckon thats an extra 1.5 ish grams per spoke, so ~66 grams per wheelset. So what do you guys think will happen if i just go with them? will my low rider-weight save my censored , or will I be in for a mess of broken spokes and constant retruing or loss of tension?

Thanks!

timothyw

From the numbers the manufacturers quote, you'd be saving 0.95g per spoke over CX-Ray with the lighter 330 spokes, so just under 42g.

Personally my larger concern is the quality of the CN spokes, I've never heard of them before.

There's a reason most builders use Sapim/DT swiss, they are known to be quality spokes.

You'll probably be fine though, assuming you build the wheel well and aren't unusually powerful for your weight - that doesn't mean the wheels will be good though, flexy wheels aren't much fun to ride on.

hihihi8

timothyw said:

Personally my larger concern is the quality of the CN spokes, I've never heard of them before.

Thanks for the input. Their CN aero494's and aero424's are like a staple, and come standard for most budget wheelsets (esp from china). They seem to hold up pretty well from what i've heard. i've also owned a pair of wheels with 494's on them and have no complaints. Whether the lighter aero330's will meet those expectations is to be seen.

thecycleclinic

The xr 200 rim is not very stiff. In low spoke count with light spokes it will be a difficult build. Stiff wheels build up quicker. You'll find it time consuming to get the wheel stable as every time you stress it it will go out of true. 4 more spokes for the rear makes a world of difference and adds not much mass.