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Spoke Calculator

Wheel build wizard

Seven questions to help choose a cross pattern, hole count, spoke family and nipples. These are starting recommendations; the component specifications still need checking.

New to the terms? Glossary → · Build a wheel from start to finish →

What do you ride?
Brakes
Which wheel?
Hole count (if you already know it)
Rider + luggage
What matters most?
Straight-pull hub?

Your starting spec

2-cross28 holes (recommended)
Spokes: Double butted 2.0–1.8 mm (e.g. DT Competition, Sapim Race)Nipples: Brass
Why
  • The advisor starts at 28–32 holes for these road or gravel inputs. Check the choice against your components and use.
  • The advisor uses crossed spokes to transmit drive torque, rather than recommending radial lacing.
  • The general starting choice is 2.0–1.8 double butted: thicker ends and a thinner centre. Check the exact model and length for the build.
  • Brass is the default here for routine maintenance. Use compatible nipples and the preparation specified by their manufacturer.

Starting recommendations, not a wheel design approval. Follow rim, hub, spoke and nipple limits. Hub motors and proprietary lacing need their manufacturer's instructions.

Calculate the spoke lengths →Tension it when built →

How the recommendation is made

The advisor uses a fixed set of rules as a starting point, not a substitute for the component specifications. It suggests crossed spokes for rear or disc-brake wheels and offers radial only for a rim-brake front, subject to hub-maker approval. If you do not specify a hole count, it suggests one from your load and riding type. Spoke family follows your priority, with reinforced spokes taking precedence for high loads; nipples default to brass. Every recommendation shows its reasons.

The rules, in plain words

How many crosses should my wheel have?
For a conventional J-bend build, the advisor suggests 3-cross on 32/36 holes and 2-cross on 24/28. Those are its starting choices, not the only possible patterns. It offers radial (0x) only for a rim-brake front, and only if the hub maker allows it. Check the rim and hub specifications and spoke clearance before choosing a pattern; straight-pull hubs follow the maker's pattern.
What spoke type should I buy?
The advisor defaults to a 2.0/1.8 double-butted spoke (DT Competition, Sapim Race) for general use. Straight gauge 2.0 is its budget choice. A 2.0/1.5 (Laser, Revolution) saves weight but needs care to control twist while tensioning. Bladed spokes (CX-Ray, Aerolite) can reduce drag, but any gain depends on the wheel and riding conditions; compare cost and compatibility. For high loads it suggests reinforced spokes and, if you have not specified a hole count, 36 holes. That does not establish a safe load rating for the wheel.
Brass or aluminium nipples?
The advisor defaults to brass. It suggests aluminium only for a light road or gravel build when weight or aerodynamics is the priority. Aluminium saves weight, but the amount depends on the nipple model and spoke count. Check rim compatibility and the maker's assembly instructions; corrosion and rounded flats can make later adjustments difficult.
My hub is straight-pull. Does any of this apply?
Use the hub maker's lacing pattern and compatible spokes. The spoke-family and nipple suggestions are only relevant if they fit that hub and rim. The length calculator has a per-side straight-pull offset, but it needs the maker's dimensions and offset convention; it cannot establish compatibility from the offset alone.