2020: state of the spoke count theory?

[maslow]

Originally Posted by tylercheung

I think this was it: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=252125



albeit I'm not sure how much of the supply problem are due to nefariousness vs. COVID supply problems...

Many thanks

[marciero]

I'm fine with 32/32 on my single-bike handbuilts for my weight and the type of riding I do-distance/rando, bikepacking, camping-and the rims I use-alloy, ~ 20-25 mm depth. Yeah, hindsight I would probably go 32/28 if I had to do over with some of the fronts. I'm sure 28/24 would be fine but why push it. The camping bike with panniers on the front I dont see the point in going lower than 28, but 28 would be fine. When I started building wheels, in the absence of compelling reason to use less spokes, the fact that more spokes are easier to build was a consideration. Another thing is that with more spokes you can build up with very even tension, which can be difficult or impossible with fewer spokes if the rim is not perfect. There is also the argument about breaking spokes. You can easily correct a 32, or leave it slightly out of true, and ride as per usual. Cant do that with 20 spoke rear. It wont ruin an epic ride, like the guy I saw at one D2R2 who broke a spoke on a descent and blew out the tire within seconds from rubbing. But then, with 32 spoke wheel you dont have to worry about that because you will never break a spoke.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by saab2000

I use 28/24 on my Boyd Altamont Lite wheels (3 sets on different bikes) and they’ve been super solid. I could probably get by on 24/20 but at my weight, pushing close to 190-200 sadly, why bother saving a few grams at the cost of stiffness, strength and durability.

I have the impression that 32 would be total overkill and even more so for the front.

NOT saying that you should do this BUT 24/28 vs 32/32..that second wheelset is 3 OUNCES heavier than the first...'overkill'..as in those 84 grams are somehow a 'deal breaker' and that 'overkill' would actually mean something? I doubt, w/o counting the spokes, you would even know. BUT, all things being equal....more spokes=more reliable wheel.

BUT yes, carbon rims 'can' mean fewer spokes compared to 'some' aluminum rims but when designing a wheelset, there are so many variables, hard to say '32h is dead' or anything like that.

For medium weight riders, 25mm deep aluminum rims in the 450 - 480 gram range (real weight, not advertised weight), 24/28 works well. Lighter riders might be able to get way with 20/24, and heavier riders might want to consider 28/32.

What Mark said altho again, hard to etch anything in stone..too many variables. I mean, unless you are counting spokes at the coffee shop, probably wouldn't even know. BUT, break a wheel on an underbuilt wheel..you WILL know that.

"More races have been lost due to equipment than won, due to equipment"
-anan