Advantage of spoke count?

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MattSoutherden
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by MattSoutherden

If you're going to get a set of race day wheels, then go for ~50mm deep tubulars.

Dura-ace hubs are brilliant, but you need to check them more often than hubs with cartridge bearings. If the races get damaged, then you can't just replace the bearings. The trade-off is that cup and cone run more consistently under varied load.

If servicing hubs is something you're comfortable with, then you can't get many better wheels than handbuilt dura-ace.

But really, for a newbie racer, just race the wheels you have. Some pro teams race alu clinchers. Looking badass might seem like a valid consideration, but getting dropped in the first 10k when you're running World Tour level kit is more dumbass than badass. ;) And crashing your new wheels is a real downer.

Still, you can always start practicing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw7HC8z ... PhoFUA9Mqi

:D :D
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Oswald
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by Oswald

I have broken a spoke once on a stretch of cobbles when my weight was only 64kg. But that was on a rear wheel with only 16 or 18 spokes (can't remember exactly), laced radially on the non drive side and 1x on the drive side to a 32 or 36 hole Shimano hub. Not a smart way to build a wheel :mrgreen: Should have used that deep section carbon rim for a front wheel.
Other then that I have never broken a spoke. I used to ride Open Pro rims with 32 spokes crossed 3x. But I know realise that was overkill, since my new wheelsets only have 20 spokes front and 24 spokes rear. Although I have only put a couple of thousand km on these wheels. Where I have put in tens of thousands of km on the Open Pro wheelsets.

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latsride
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by latsride

kulivontot wrote:Please raise your hand if you weigh 160 pounds or less and have broken a spoke ever.


I'm 143lbs and have broken 2 spokes on my old SRAM AL30. I've since gotten rid of those wheels and so far so good.

kulivontot
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by kulivontot

Broken spokes on sram wheels don't count since they will snap If you sneeze the wrong way

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

36 spoke wheelset stiffest, well it depends. I build alot of wheels and a 36 spoke rear wheel on miche Primato hubs with sapim race spokes is not as stiff latteraly (torsional stiff and radial stiffness I will not comment on) is lot lower than a 24 spoke rear wheel using an archetype rim, sapim laser spokes and the same hub. So the rim makes a huge difference to stiffness.

Stiffer wheels, latterally and torsionally lead to longer spoke life. This can be achieved buy using a stiffer rim. It is so easy to build stiffer lower spoke count wheels than any of the factory brands do. However if the same rim like the archetype is build up in 32H form spoke life is even longer and the wheel is even stiffer. Stiffer wheels are more reliable wheels full stop.

kulivontot
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by kulivontot

Hub dimensions matter way more than anything you just mentioned in terms of wheel stiffness.

Marin
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by Marin

No. Hub dimensions don't really vary that much compared to e.g. rim stiffness.

davidalone
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by davidalone

When making a comparison, apply the principle of Cetirus Paribus-

so yes, hubs, rim will make a difference. but given the same hub, rim, and type of spokes, more spokes will mke a stiffer wheel.

kulivontot
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by kulivontot

Nope

Slagter
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by Slagter

kulivontot wrote:Nope


Did you read the link I quotet earlier in this thread:

http://sheldonbrown.com/rinard/wheel/index.htm

If so, which part is it you disagree with?

kulivontot
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Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 7:28 pm

by kulivontot

I did not.
Read the 300 page wheel building thread.
Op asked about the advantages of switching from 32H alloy wheel to campy 21H alloy wheel. Claiming there's a loss of stiffness automatically is misleading.

sawyer
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by sawyer

davidalone wrote:When making a comparison, apply the principle of Cetirus Paribus-

so yes, hubs, rim will make a difference. but given the same hub, rim, and type of spokes, more spokes will mke a stiffer wheel.


Hi, this would only be true up to a point. Imagine a rim and a hub each with 60 holes in them
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bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

I did not mention the hub anywhere, of course hub dimesions matter that goes without saying. 21 spokes wheels can be as stiffer or stiffer than 36 spoke wheels and visa versa. Many variables and they come to together to make a wheel.

weightLight
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by weightLight

The more spokes the better, think of a disc, that's the ultimate amout of spokes.

by Weenie


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