Have questions or want to discuss cycling? Join Now or Sign In to participate in the BikeRide community.

New: Take Part in the new April's Giveaway for a Chance to Win the Euybike S4 Pro Max ebike worth $1299


Spokes: To Interlace or Not to Interlace?
#1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fX5mAOzJVU
  Reply
#2
This is interesting, ichitan. Thanks for sharing. This helps me understand more about my bicycle wheels and helps me understand/get over the fear when it's time to true my wheel..
  Reply
#3
I don't find advice on spoke cross is accurate to my experiences.

Many will recommend certain cross, more or less, depending on the spoke hole count; but like it's actually better to go by what your needs are. If you're heavy, or doing heavy riding, you want more cross despite whatever the spoke hole count it. If you have a single wall rim, going more cross helps you get a stiffer lateral wheel. Lateral stiffness is really important, as I feel it will slow you down even more from the potential flex when you get up on it (especially on a climb).

If your needs are lesser, going less cross on a high spoke hole count helps to shed some weight. Since you have more spokes, you'll have a wheel plenty strong enough anyways. I can't say it's a ton of weight either, but can be as much as a couple ounces per wheel.

Certain cross patterns also give you better build schematics with certain spoke hole counts (despite whatever the recommended is). I think this is why many people prefer three cross, because with larger wheels (26" and up) the measurements tend to be very easy and favorable. Otherwise, you can get very unfavorable odd ends that you'll have to sew up on a miracle (being over or under by 0.4~0.6). For smaller 20" wheels, I don't find this tends to apply. Going 4 cross tends to be the easiest and most favorable values then. I think 4 cross is better for smaller wheels, despite that they are naturally pretty rigid when they true up (due to tighter constrained proportions). It's better because the wheel will take more impact pressure under those constrained proportions and have less material than a large wheel to brunt the damage. Makes me want to shout-out people like Dave Mirra, whose body was a machine that turns perfectly built wheels into mangled wheels of death. In my building experience for 20" wheels, 4 cross in the back and 3 cross up front is excellent.

Lateral lacing does make wheels that are stiffer on both axis, but just like how they become a mess under torsion, I think they also become a mess under impact more. I wouldn't recommend it unless your wheel are going to stay on the ground, and aren't going to be jumping on and off curbs or ramps or anything.
  Reply
#4
(09-27-2023, 09:51 AM)GirishH Wrote:  This helps me understand more about my bicycle wheels and helps me understand/get over the fear when it's time to true my wheel..

Learn what you can. When something needs repairing, make it a learning experience.

Because of the wider hub, and the greater angle of the spokes, fat bike wheels tend to go out of true less then bikes with narrow hubs. So you may never need to true your wheels.

I would like to be able to put a wider hub on my mountain bike. The wheel would be really tough.
  Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread
Author
Replies
Views
Last Post
 
9,595
05-09-2023, 08:07 AM
Last Post: ichitan
 
10,610
07-24-2014, 06:20 PM
Last Post: nfmisso
 
12,986
01-21-2014, 04:48 PM
Last Post: 1FJEF
 
13,104
03-11-2013, 01:42 PM
Last Post: nfmisso
 
23,628
10-06-2012, 07:01 AM
Last Post: surreypete
 
35,384
02-27-2012, 11:16 AM
Last Post: barefooter

Forum Jump:

[-]
10 Latest Posts
Tour of Luzon 70 years of Filipino Cycli...
Today 01:22 AM
What are the best cost effective ways to...
Today 01:19 AM
RECOMMENDATION
Today 01:04 AM
Injury Recovery
Yesterday 07:33 PM
Good morning form Alberta CA
Yesterday 09:40 AM
Unlocking speed on my e-bike.
04-27-2025 01:04 PM
MTB handlebar width
04-27-2025 06:25 AM
What is your favorite MTB trail/route in...
04-27-2025 06:16 AM
Bridgestone Blouson bike.
04-26-2025 07:57 PM
Thoughts on paceline riding
04-26-2025 05:51 PM

[-]
Join BikeRide on Strava
Feel free to join if you are on Strava: www.strava.com/clubs/bikeridecom

[-]
Top 5 Posters This Month
no avatar 1. GirishH
22 posts
no avatar 2. enkei
16 posts
no avatar 3. Flowrider
15 posts
no avatar 4. meamoantonio
15 posts
no avatar 5. SPINMAN
13 posts