Front Wheel, Spokes Hitting Brake Calipers

There is a bit of play there, not much, however, when I'm peddling hard and leaning forward it would increase, so tighten the spokes I guess?

After 30+ years of wheelbuilding, I still got a lot from this book by Roger Musson:
http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/wheelbuilding/book.php
This guy is a legend in the UK.

It's available as a pdf download for $14 USD, and that covers you for future updates.
The current version covers UST rims which is handy.

My basic tips: Keep those spokes tight, but be careful to ensure they are EVENLY tensioned. Even tension is more important than a slight amount of runout on MTB bikes.
If you are not sure how tight they should be, do the fingernail 'ting' test on spokes on a few bikes when you are out with the gang, or in a bike shop.
W

If you're still around mate apologies for my heathen associates - I hate it when people go off topic too......

Anyhow - re your problem..

First - are you sure it's your brake caliper the spokes are touching? Have you got a bike computer? Check the fork and spoke mounted sensors aren't too close together - less than a couple of mm's and even a minimal amount of flex will have them touching.

Second, check your quick release skewer is tight and tighten it if it isn't. That probably wasn't the problem but eliminate the easy stuff first.

Third - check your brake caliper. Is it too close to the spokes? If something is only a couple of mm's from the spokes (and it might be washers sticking out past the body of the caliper) it's probably going to touch with minimal wheel flex. Check your brake pads are equally distant from the disc. If the outside pad is rubbing the disc your caliper is going to be closer to your wheel; centring the pads will move the caliper away from the wheel in this case. If it's washers sticking out, make sure you push them away from the spokes when you tighten your brake caliper bolts so they don't stick out past the caliper body.

Four - it's either a hub or spoke problem. To check which, steady the bike, grab the top of your wheel and move it from side to side, giving it some decent effort. If it's a hub issue the wheel itself will feel solid but it will move and you'll "feel" a 'knock' and might hear a faint noise. You just need to tighten the hub.

If it's spokes the wheel will feel mushy and it will move 'around' a solid feeling hub. You can also flex the spokes by squeezing pairs of spokes on the same side together. If any of them squeeze together more than a mm or 2 they're too loose. Unless you know how to fix this I'd suggest playing safe and getting the bike shop to do it. If you haven't been seriously jumping/crashing the bike then I'd get them to re-lace the wheel because well built wheels don't get that flexy through general riding.

One more thing - the last and worst case scenario is your fork. But you'll be at the bike shop by now and they'll check that out for you.

Hope that helps..

aww my one was good bring it back? ill play nice i promise

About your wheel. As others have pointed out, get your wheel trued which will cause the spokes to straighten and move into the correct position. This sometimes happens with OEM machine built wheels. They all loosen together and the wheel doesn't appear buckled, yet it's weakened and it's only when the spokes touch the brake caliper does it get noticed. It may be best to get the wheel rebuilt using the existing hub and rim with new spokes. At a bike shop, the staff would discuss with you your riding style and thus suggest the correct spoke and build.
How do I know all this? I work at a Specialized dealership. I'm no pro wheel builder yet I spend a good part of my time truing wheels and diagnosing problems like these.
Also, your brake caliper may require an alignment.
I should have offered this advice from the start and not an English language lesson and for that I apologise once more. So take care, best of luck with your Epic and do get involved with NobMob. Not everyone here is a closet English teacher.
And as for you Alex. Would you like to be shown around Menai, now that I have Monday and Tuesday free? I promise, no English lessons and I won't criticise your breaks, I mean brakes.

lol yeh man you can criticizzze my rear brake all you want, it has not yet been avid coded like the front (god i love that code!)
yeh ill hit a trail or 2 with you, all's fair in love and bicycles tee it up!