WinterRider wrote:
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I can't find any advanced in-depth links to the value of bracing angles. Anyone with some links?
I question the value of lowering spoke tension.. for instance on the NDS just to achieve a minor improvement in angle. I haven't read much concern for the small angle on the DS.. I assume given the spoke tension.
IMO a symmetrical or near symmetrical spoke tension on the rear is more desirable. Higher spoke tensions within reason means greater durability of the wheel.
While I've been following your theoretical discussions with some interest, your above statement really got me scratching my head saying to myself "really, you need 'advanced in-depth links to the value of bracing angles'". Isn't that just obvious and so easy to prove to yourself even with the simplest of scientific apparatus. I think your obsession with the be all and end all of a good wheel being high and equal DS and NDS tensions is getting a little bit like, well, an obsession. Not saying you should stop exploring it cuz that's clearly not going to happen

. Take the extreme cases for example. Imagine a wheel with zero bracing angles and the spokes go straight up into the rim. Put all the tension you want on these spokes (and lets for a moment assume the rim, hub and spokes can all withstand this tension). Now imagine a second wheel with a decent amount of bracing angle on both sides (a front wheel for example) with much much less tension on the spokes. Which wheel, when a heavy lateral force is applied at the rim do you think will want to collapse first. I suspect it might be the first wheel. Why is that? I suspect it is because of the zero bracing angle. The second wheel will resist collapse, even though the spokes are at much less tension, because they have at least some bracing angle. Maybe I'm missing something, but that's what common sense says to me.
A standard 32 spoke 3x rim like the ones I've been building lately (Campy record hubs, Nemesis rims) have only 44% NDS spoke tension relative to the drive side yet seem strong as all get out. I absolutely love riding these wheels and feel more confident at high descending speeds on a technical descent than I do on any of my fancy carbon hoops. And as much as I like the "G3" or 2:1 spoke pattern on these wheels I did manage to pop a spoke last week on one of my rear Bora Ultra Twos. But that was a first and no biggie. Just replace the spoke and off I go. Unlike say, a Lightweight where if I damage a spoke it would take a fair amount of time to get it back from repair before I would be up and running again. Sometimes there's a lot to be said for the tried and true. Ok, that's all.