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Spoke count?

on-yer-bikeon-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
edited April 2013 in Road buying advice
Apart from added weight what are the other disadvantages of 32 spokes over lesser spoke counts?
Pegoretti
Colnago
Cervelo
Campagnolo

Posts

  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 28,022
    on-yer-bike wrote:
    Apart from added weight what are the other disadvantages of 32 spokes over lesser spoke counts?

    1) A cat won't be able to squeeze through your wheel in motion and as a consequence you will go down... it did happen to me

    2) A rebuild will be 3-4 pounds more expensive than a 28 rebuild and up to 10 pounds more than a 20/24 one

    3) the three cross pattern is more difficult to clean
    left the forum March 2023
  • dennisndennisn Posts: 10,601
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    on-yer-bike wrote:
    Apart from added weight what are the other disadvantages of 32 spokes over lesser spoke counts?

    1) A cat won't be able to squeeze through your wheel in motion and as a consequence you will go down... it did happen to me

    2) A rebuild will be 3-4 pounds more expensive than a 28 rebuild and up to 10 pounds more than a 20/24 one

    3) the three cross pattern is more difficult to clean

    On the other side of the coin.

    1) When you break a spoke on a low spoke count wheel you are most likely not going any further.

    2) With a 32 or 36 spoked wheel there is no need to carry a cell phone to call for help. This will save you more weight than minimum spoked wheels.Testing has snown that not carrying a cell and using 32 spoked wheels will allow you to go 1 MPH faster than using low spoke counts and carrying a cell.
  • smidsysmidsy Posts: 5,273
    The weight difference is not even worth worrying about.

    As for the disadvantages....errr...nope....can't think of any (other than errant feline friends of course).
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • on-yer-bikeon-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    I think 'harder to clean' is a good reason not to have 32 spokes. Although you could always put one of those leather hub cleaning bands on. Are they still available?
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • cyclecliniccycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    32 spokes works well for most. For some less spokes works. For others 32 is not enough.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • smidsysmidsy Posts: 5,273
    Harder to clean in the same way as having a full set of teeth is harder to clean than dentures I suppose.

    You may have not noticed but the posts prior to mine were all tonge in cheek.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • on-yer-bikeon-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    So was my hub cleaning suggestion. Although there is an element of truth in some of them. I was thinking more about the ride quality.
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • smidsysmidsy Posts: 5,273
    IME there are only benefits from higher spoke counts. Low spoke wheels are generally harsher due to the tension required in the spokes.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • racingcondorracingcondor Posts: 1,434
    Having started building my own wheels a while back I prefer high spoke count, low profile rim wheels to high profile rims with fewer spokes. A good shallow rim has that bit of give to it that makes for a less harsh ride and as has been said is a lot easier to get home on if something does go wrong.

    At the speed I'm regressing through the ages of cycling I'll be riding lugged steel with wooden rims soon...
  • dennisndennisn Posts: 10,601
    racingcondor wrote:

    At the speed I'm regressing through the ages of cycling I'll be riding lugged steel with wooden rims soon...

    Nothing wrong with a lugged steel frame. I've been riding them for years. Seems that riding a carbon frame is really stressful what with all the members posts about whether or not their carbon frame is trashed because it got a stone chip or scratch.

    Wooden rims? Now that's another issue altogether.
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