Would anyone consider a 28h or 32h rim brake wheelset?

[Wingnut]

With Aluminium rims I prefer 32 hole as I've had issues with 28's staying true so only use lower spoke count on carbon rims...

[sugarkane]

I've build 24/28 for bigger guys and 28/32s for lots of gavel riding or touring ( eg The transcontinental races ) but generally with modern rims, hubs, spokes at your size it is overkill

[Rush]

I built my own 28/32 hole wheel set for this bike.

Alchemy 10 speed hubs, Hed Belgium C2 rims, Sapim CX Ray spokes. I weigh about 88 Kg and do lots of riding in Melbourne's north eastern fringes away from taxis and public transport. Have also done a few Audax Alpine rides and in summer I'll ride around the Bellarine Peninsula and Otways. Have done some gravel grinding on them too.

They've done over 10,000 kms and are on their second set of bearings. Have never gone out of true. I do carry a spare Kevlar spoke with me but I've done tests winding all the spoke tension off one of the rear spokes and the wheel and tyre can still run in the frame without any rubbing, even with a Continental GP4 seasons in 28 mm.

Low spoke counts make sense when you are racing but there are reasons why racers still build 'training' wheelsets.

[mattr]

Second, if you break a spoke, you can never ever keep going. You always have to stop and get out a spoke wrench to adjust the spokes around the broken spoke. With one broken spoke, the wheel will almost certainly be out of true enough to rub the brake pads even with the brake release open.

Really? I've not broken many spokes in the 20 odd years ive been riding/racing (Maybe half a dozen), but only had to adjust the wheel once. The rest of the time it's just been a matter of opening the QR and ignoring it, or quickly securing the spoke so it doesn't flap or get in the cassette. And that's all 28s or 32s.