Buggering around with bikes and swapping bits around to build a new frame up.

I have a Hope wheel that is straight pull laced to one of their enduro (?) rims. I also have another that is *normal* hub laced to a Stan's Crest (or whatever the wider / slightly weightier one is). Both 29"

I'm building one bike with a bouncy fork and the other (donor) is going to have a new set of carbon rigids.

Is there a "better" choice of which wheel with which fork? Am I just navel-gazing with pointless questions on a Friday night stuck in looking after the kids

Don't think it'd matter personally.

Personally don't think it matters - unless you are heading on a very long tour and may need to source spares. I've found that SP spokes seem to be much harder to get hold of whereas J-bends are much easier to find in the right size.

Could have sworn I'd read something somewhere about SP being a stiffer wheel so assumed better on a bouncy fork.

It was on the internet though so was taking the advice with a big pinch of salt

Navel gazing, mostly.

A straight pull spoke is theoretically stiffer than one with an elbow, but considering one component in isolation in a complex system like a wheel won't mean much. It'll depend on the rim and hub geometry, and the tension in the wheel.

I'd fit the one with the widest rim to the rigid bike.