Hmm i dont even see sapim delta spokes listed on sapim's website..
Seems to be
a new spoke, with the center section in a rectangular profile vs. the sharpened oval of the CX-Ray.
I felt the cx-rays and the dt swiss aerolite spokes are equal spokes and dt swiss lists aerolite spokes as a good spoke for mtb xc riding.
Yeah, very close to equivalent spokes. I'm sure DT and Sapim would disagree but I've worked with both of them and they're nice. Dimensions are almost identical.
I would have got the dt swiss spokes but the last wheel i built i had a few spokes that would not tension right.
Probably not a function of the spoke - I've built with DT for a loooong time and I've had problem builds but none caused by the spokes.
Also i am digging the shape of the spokes.. really easy to stop spoke wind up..
Yes - exactly this! Love building wheels with those vs. the equivalent 2.0/1.5 Revolutions or Lasers. Plus, the cold working to form the shape improves the fatigue strength. Won't make a stronger or stiffer wheel, but it should last longer.
I've built many wheels with the CX-Rays, and have built several MTB wheels with the Lasers, and aside from the price (roughly $3USD per spoke!) I don't see a reason to not use the CX-Rays in MTB builds. If the CX-Delta is less expensive because of the simpler smash-it-flat profile, I could see that being a really good option. Unfortunately I don't see it being available at the usual places.
I've got a set of American Classic hubs on 26" rims from my wife's bike, and was going to build her either a 29er or 650b wheelset (depending on her next bike) and was going to build with the Sapim Super spokes - 1.8/1.4 vs. the Revo/Laser 2.0/1.5 - but then I saw that it starts at almost $6 a spoke for the silver one, and is
$8.25 each for the black bladed spokes!! That would be $528 in
spokes alone for her wheelset. Okay, yeah, maybe not so much.