"Reasonable" light weight spoke combinations for road

[Kontact]

Originally Posted by Ralph

For reliable road riding.....do you mean in a group....not far from help.....where everyone has a cell phone....where wife at home is standing by.....or in a race....where you hold up a hand for help, etc?

Or do you mean reliable where you are off alone by yourself....on an all day adventure....or on long lonely ride, not necessarily loaded, but no one around for help either, or on a vacation on a ride by yourself, with no bike shops around to rebuild a wheel, etc?

I recently broke a front spoke on a Campagnolo Zonda....just riding along on a very smooth trail at about 12 MPH. I weigh 158. These are considered bullet proof, bomb proof wheels. Yet a spoke just broke. Got the wheel fixed, there was some sign I had hit something in past....some red paint there......but I don't consider these wheels bullet proof anymore. I take my 32/32 wheels on trips now. Figure most any bike shop can repair them.

Not meaning to be critical of your original question.....just stating I have changed my mind some about what I consider reliable wheels for various uses. And I am very easy on wheels. Good luck with your build.

Anything can break - even a 32 hole wheel. I'm just talking reasonable expectations. If a 32 spoke rear wheel is supposed to be nearly bulletproof, how far behind it is a 28 spoke wheel?