Sapim Laser Straight Pull Double Butted 14|17|14g - 2.0|1.5|2.0mm Spokes
The Sapim Laser is the lightest round spoke we sell and the round equivalent of the CX-Ray: a 2.0mm spoke drawn down to 1.5mm through the middle, cold-forged from Sapim's 18/8 stainless in Belgium. A set of Lasers saves around 90 grams over a set of Sapim Race spokes on the same wheel, and because that weight comes off the rim end of the spoke it is felt more than the number suggests.
This page covers the straight-pull Sapim Laser Straight Pull Double Butted 14|17|14g - 2.0|1.5|2.0mm Spokes, the version with no elbow for straight-pull hubs from DT Swiss, Industry Nine, Hope and others. We sell Laser spokes only as part of a wheel we build, cut to length; choose your rim, hub and nipples in the configurator and the wheel ships from Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The Laser is a triple-butted spoke in effect: 2.0mm at the elbow, 1.5mm through the middle, 2.0mm at the thread, which keeps the stress-bearing ends at full size while the middle carries only tension. The 1.5mm middle is what makes it light and also what makes it stretchy; a Laser elongates more under tension than a Race or a CX-Ray, which is good for comfort and for sharing shock between spokes, and which also means it winds up more under the nipple during building. That is a builder's problem, not a rider's, and we hold each spoke as tension rises.
How it rides
A Laser wheel is noticeably light and a little more comfortable than the same wheel on Race spokes, because the thin middle takes the sharp edge off road buzz. Lateral stiffness is slightly lower, which a light rider will never notice and a heavy rider might. On a road wheel for a rider under about 80kg, or a cross-country wheel for a racer, it is the round spoke we recommend for the lightest build.
For heavier riders, gravel and trail wheels that take hits, or anyone who wants the most durable option, the Sapim Race or D-Light is the better spoke; the CX-Ray gives the Laser's weight with more strength if the budget allows. Many of the lightest factory wheelsets are laced with Lasers or their equivalent, so a custom wheel on them is in good company.
Specifications
| Gauge | 14/17/14G |
|---|---|
| Profile | Double-butted |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Spoke head | Sp14|17|14 |
| Finishes | silver, black |
This listing
This is the straight-pull Laser, a 14/17/14g butted section. A straight-pull spoke has no elbow: it leaves the hub in a straight line and the flange holds the head directly. That removes the bend that J-bend spokes break at, and it keeps the spoke loaded purely in tension. It only fits hubs built for it, and it is not interchangeable with J-bend - so check the hub before ordering, because a straight-pull spoke will not go into a drilled flange at all.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Sapim Laser Straight Pull Double Butted 14|17|14g - 2.0|1.5|2.0mm Spokes is cut to length for your build; the configurator reads the rim's ERD and the hub's straight-pull flange dimensions and works out the length. Straight-pull Lasers fit straight-pull hubs only; pick a straight-pull hub and the configurator offers them automatically.
We pair straight-pull Laser spokes with Sapim Polyax alloy nipples on the lightest wheels and brass Polyax nipples on carbon rims.
What goes into a Sapim spoke
Sapim has been drawing spoke wire in Belgium since 1918, and the range is built around one idea: the same wire and the same head, drawn to different middles. A Leader is 2.0 mm all the way through. A Race is 2.0 mm at the ends and 1.8 mm in the middle. A Laser takes the middle down to 1.5 mm. A CX-Ray is a Laser that has then been flat-forged into a blade, which is why it is light and aerodynamic without being a fragile spoke. Every one of them keeps a full-diameter head and thread, because those are the two places a spoke actually fails.
Treat it as what it is. One test, five pulls per spoke, measuring yield load on a straight pull in a machine rather than a laced wheel under a rider - and it does not capture fatigue life, which is what actually ends most spokes in service. It is also not new; it predates Snyder closing. But it is a real measurement, on real samples, by someone with nothing to sell, and it is part of why Sapim is what we reach for.
These are the spokes we build with day in, day out. We stock the whole working range in both J-bend and straight-pull, in the lengths our builds actually call for, so a wheel is not waiting on a spoke order. If you are not sure which model your build wants, tell us the rim, the hub and roughly what you weigh and we will tell you which one we would use.
An independent spoke strength test
The manufacturing detail above comes from the maker. The choice of spoke for a given build is ours, and we will explain it if you ask.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Sapim makes the Laser in Belgium; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Thin spokes reward careful building: we cut Lasers from the measured ERD of the rim in hand, hold each spoke against wind-up as we bring tension up with a gauge, stress-relieve the wheel twice and true it before it ships.
The configurator recommends a spoke gauge and count from your bike type and weight, and only shows spokes that fit the hub you choose.
Tension is the last thing we do and the thing we spend longest on. Every wheel comes up in three or four rounds, with a tensiometer reading on every spoke at each round, and is stress-relieved between rounds so the spokes bed into the flange and the nipples seat before the final true. It is why a wheel built here holds tension for years rather than needing a tweak after the first ride.
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty. Sapim Spokes warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship. The duration, conditions and claim process are set by Sapim Spokes and can change without notice, so ask us and we will confirm the current terms before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. Any wheel we build on this part carries ProWheelBuilder's one-year warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. Broken spokes are replaced for a year whatever the cause, and all wheel-side labor is included - truing, re-tensioning, rebuilding. Where the maker covers a failed rim or hub we handle that claim for you; where they decline, an eligible replacement comes at 25% off current retail. The customer covers shipping in both directions. Components supplied by the customer are not covered.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
Laser Straight Pull Double Butted 14|17|14g - 2.0|1.5|2.0mm Spokes questions
Will this straight-pull spoke fit my hub?
Only if the hub was built for straight-pull spokes - the flange holds the head directly and there is no drilled hole for an elbow to sit in. It is not a preference, it is a fit: a straight-pull spoke cannot be made to work in a J-bend flange. Check the hub, or send us the make and model and we will tell you which pattern it takes. The same Laser is listed separately in J-bend.
Laser or CX-Ray?
Same weight and butting; the CX-Ray is the Laser forged into a blade, which makes it stronger and more aero at a higher price. If the budget allows, the CX-Ray; if not, the Laser is the round spoke that gets you the same weight.
Is the Laser strong enough for me?
For riders up to about 80kg on road, gravel and cross-country wheels with 28 or more spokes, yes. Heavier riders and hard trail use call for a Race, D-Light or CX-Sprint; the configurator recommends from your weight.
Why do thin spokes wind up?
A 1.5mm middle twists more easily as the nipple turns, so an unheld spoke can be left twisted and later unwind, knocking the wheel out of true. We hold each spoke as we build to prevent it.
Silver or black?
Cosmetic only; both are the same 18/8 stainless steel.
Do I choose the spoke length?
No. The configurator calculates the length from the rim's ERD and the hub's flange geometry; we cut and thread the spokes here.
Which spoke should I pick?
The configurator recommends a spoke from your bike type, rider weight and rim; a stronger spoke is offered when the build calls for it.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
