Im 63kg and ride 20/24, If i really give it some i can get them to flex easily.
Id go 28/32 if you want a good all rounder.
Like the guys have said the rim is a big part of the spoke count as is flange spacing,
That’s why i like the Alchemy elf hubs
Have a read through this
2012 Hub Review: Information overload? - Fair Wheel Bikes
and this
2013 Rim Roundup - Fair Wheel Bikes
Im 63kg and ride 20/24, If i really give it some i can get them to flex easily.
Id go 28/32 if you want a good all rounder.
Like the guys have said the rim is a big part of the spoke count as is flange spacing,
That’s why i like the Alchemy elf hubs
Have a read through this
2012 Hub Review: Information overload? - Fair Wheel Bikes
and this
2013 Rim Roundup - Fair Wheel Bikes
FWIW i was 84kg, i have 32h record to ambrosio chrono f20s, 32h dura ace to nemesis and 32h record to open pros and i’ve not a had a problem (despite hitting stuff intentionally).
i’m now 74kg, so i’ve got lots of spokes. muahahahaha
The op weighs 85kgs, definately go the 28/32h route with a box section rim. With light spokes you can still create a sub 1500g set pretty easy. What about ck hubs or dt swiss?
Beardos…!
Any thing over 28 is total fucking overkill!
I have a 990 gram wheelset that I can’t flex in a sprint!, thanks to wide spacing, good tension stiff rims…
Building 32h plus road wheels is basically ignoring the advances in hub geo, spokes and rim design…
In my experience with a 24/28 wheelset if you blow a spoke its an easy ride home as the wheels won’t go outa true that much…
20/24… No more riding… 32 plus… You won’t even notice…
Do your self a favour and ask the fairwheel guys what they think about spoke count once you’ve desided one the hub/rim combo.
They know a lot more about building awesome wheels than a bunch of beardos and hipsters ( sorry guys )
If your gona drop $1000 on a nice road wheelset then why not build one your gona love not an over built monster that you’ll end up regretting cause you wasted $1000 on a ‘bullet proof’ wheel set…
If your thinking about riding the forest of Arden and competing in the hell of the north then yea… 32h rim might be a good idea…
But your not 
how much was your 990g wheelset?
A bit more than the present budget.
But if he wanted to spend $400. Then sure ask the Beardos…
$1000 budget then please ask the guys that build those kinda wheels every day.
I’m also not advocating at 20/24 build at his weight for the record…
Having built the above wheels for you I can vouch the Enve rims give quite a bit more lateral stiffness than an Archetype (even though the Archetype is heavier and wider). For radial stiffness Enve’s are a class above anything. The Sapim CX Ray’s also add a lot of strength to your wheels. Heck, even at my 100+ kg’s I’d be confident ebough to ride them. No probs.
I responded to the word “bomb proof”. Having seen and assessed a fair share of damaged wheels I can vouch that the higher spoke wheels are ones that both absorb greater impacts and can also be trued (coaxed/forced?) back without resorting to big differences in spoke tension (thus shortening the life span of the wheel). There’s no problem with lower spoke wheel counts if you understand it will probably be new rim/rebuild time if you crash.
I’m also assuming that standard DB spokes will be used (he’s building to a price). As I suggested for regular riding wheels, not needing any adjustment, no issue of breaking spokes, and running them for 20,000km’s+ thus wearing out the rim sidewalls from braking before replacing the rims I think 28/32 is a good bet.
The same combo with CX Ray spokes = 24/28 for the same 85kg rider. They are that good.
Use Velocity A23 with the offset rear rim and I’d even build a 24h rear for the same rider. Yes I rate them even higher than the symmetrical Archetype as a rear. Front … I’d choose an A23 anyway because they’re cheaper and easy to source.
In truth, I think many people undervalue Velocity’s A23 prebuilt wheelsets … especially as some of them come standard with CX Ray spokes. Any LBS can order them and that means warranty (no drama’s for replacements). They really are a good prudect and very well priced … there were a few kinks in early production but they’ve all been sorted out long ago. The only problem is they’re not fashionable/without hipster cred … especially here in Oz where everybody is desperately vain to have something new/exotic.
Stop making sense spirito.
Hehe I wouldnt think if build a wheel set without cxrays! By my calculations CKs x rays and archetypes at 24/28 and a few spare spokes… Hmm $900
And that doesn’t include the kanye discount 
$1000 is a good budget. I reckon C X-rays Are totally in the budget.
More on CX Ray’s spokes:
The standard doubled butted Sapim Spoke (called Race) is rated at 1350 N/mm2 for strength in the middle section. The CX Ray is rated at 1600 N/mm2 even though they are lighter - 272g vs. 358g (based on 64 pieces x 260 mm length). Aero advantage is sweet but little is quoted about the fatigue life of CX Ray spokes which is more than 3 1/2 times that of the standard double butted (Race) spoke (3.5million revolutions vs. 980,000).
DCR Wheels - hand built bicycle wheel specialist Choosing spokes »
Stronger, aero and last almost forever (in wheels longevity terms). Well worth the price imo.
Around $3-3.50 each if you know where to get em from too
See above re: Velocity.
A23’s with offset rear rim (Tubeless ready !!), CX Ray spokes … pick them up from your LBS for less than $800. ShiRamPagnolo options. How can you beat that?
Ck hubs… And for the record I have to condone the a23s as a rugged option
C X-rays 24/28 spirito?
The one thing we all have in common Is the importance on wheels,
They really do make a bike or break a bike.
I also got mine from fair wheel I chose hubs spokes and rims then ran the combo by them,
They said its great then I left the lacing patterns and tensions up to them.
I’d easily run cheap alloy bar stem, cheaper pedals, to upgrade my wheels.
Don’t get cheeky now !!
But yes, I have been thinking about a modern road build for myself and wondering what wheels I’d opt for, especially as I’d be building them so can tweek where I think I might need. And … totally, I’d rock CX Ray’s laced to A23’s (the off center rear is a must !!) and White Indo hubs just becuase I like 'em (Cro-Mo axle’s, Ti freehub).
24/28h for my 100kg no probs (because I ride light™) but for a paying customer who’s my weight I’d suggest 28/32h.
Bet your last $'s my wheelset would be all silver with brass nipples (beardo approved).
Anyway, this is Tomas’ thread and I really like what he’s doing.
I’d even opt for a $20 Neco headset 
shit thanks for all the spoke related reading kind people. Doesn’t sit that easily with a hangover, but a good read none the less.
Seems like Sapim CXrays are the go. I’m not so ‘budget constrained’, rather i just buy into things that seem like good value. You’ve made a pretty strong argument for a spoke upgrade. I’d be happy to spend a grand, but if there was something baller for $5/600, i’d be happy with that as well.
Not sure when the bulletproof reference came in, I’m pretty light on wheel sets. The Bontrager Race wheel set i’m running at the moment has done 4000kms and i’m yet to break a spoke…
Hehe beardos love bullet proof wheels… It’s always very high on the agenda
I’d look at fairwheels new rims too they have a lot of buzz going on amongst the forum active wheel builders in the USA
You could also get the parts overseas and get em built here…
Complete wheels are expensive to ship thanks to the size of the box involved while the sum of the parts is a much smaller package
What do people think of HED Ardennes?