Radial Lacing

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I just had a radial laced front wheel built. It has 32 straight gauge spokes on a box rim. I have never used a radial laced wheel. What happens to a radial wheel when a spoke breaks?



The spokes were measured for a different wheel and are short, with the threads showing a bit. I think it should be fine, but what do you think?

I just had a radial laced front wheel built. It has 32 straight gauge spokes on a box rim. I have never used a radial laced wheel. What happens to a radial wheel when a spoke breaks?

With 32 spokes, I'm guessing it won't be a huge problem, although the tension on the spokes would be higher than if they were crossed. Assuming that the hub flanges were designed with radial lacing in mind, there shouldn't be any problems there, either. However, as far as differences wrt 2x or 3x wheels, radial laced are probably softer (according to damon rinard http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/index.htm ) but the straight gauge spokes you used should be stiffer than butted ones.

The spokes were measured for a different wheel and are short, with the threads showing a bit. I think it should be fine, but what do you think?

Sorry, no idea, someone more experienced with wheel-building will have to answer this one :o

I just had a radial laced front wheel built. It has 32 straight gauge spokes on a box rim. I have never used a radial laced wheel. What happens to a radial wheel when a spoke breaks?



The spokes were measured for a different wheel and are short, with the threads showing a bit. I think it should be fine, but what do you think?

First check to see if the hub is rated to handle radial spoking. If not don't ride it far as the reason some are not rated for radial spoking is they will crack and the spoke will come out.
Radial front wheels are stiffer both radially and laterally. Radial wheels are harder on spokes, rims, nipples, and hubs. If there isn't sufficient thread interface between spoke and nipple, you could strip out the softer threads of the nipple.
I know it may sound a little gloomy, but I have also seen wheels in similar configurations last for thousands of miles.... I still would not take the risk myself.

I just had the builder use a new 2008 Ultegra hub. He suggested it.



Do you think failure is worse than with 2 or 3 cross?

I just had the builder use a new 2008 Ultegra hub. He suggested it.



Do you think failure is worse than with 2 or 3 cross?


HB-6600 Ultegra 2008 hubs are rated for radial spoking. Force vector on a radially laced hub crosses the smallest possible amount of hub structure. 2X or 3X put the force vector across a much larger potion of the hub structure. Shimano rates your hub to handle it.

I just had a radial laced front wheel built. It has 32 straight gauge spokes on a box rim. I have never used a radial laced wheel. What happens to a radial wheel when a spoke breaks?



The spokes were measured for a different wheel and are short, with the threads showing a bit. I think it should be fine, but what do you think?

I think you need to find a new wheelbuilder. Radial lacing does little to nothing on any wheel. If ya break a spoke, the wheel will go out of true, just like a interleved wheel. No threads should be showing, poor form, even if it 'may' be OK. If the builder gooned up this wheel, no telling what else they may have skimped on.

I just had the builder use a new 2008 Ultegra hub. He suggested it.



Do you think failure is worse than with 2 or 3 cross?



Great hub, sounds like the 'builder' didn't have the right length spokes or something. I would get a refund and look elsewhere.

Great hub, sounds like the 'builder' didn't have the right length spokes or something. I would get a refund and look elsewhere.
It was sort of my fault. I had spokes sitting in my basement, and wanted to use them.

He said they were to short for cross but he could do radial.

I've never had a wheel with threads showing - often they disappear before the wheel starts to stiffen up at all, when one is tensioning the spokes. You would be very unlikely to break spokes or that hub's flange on a well-built radially-spoked front wheel, but this one sounds a little dodgy.

Get the wheel rebuilt in 3 or 4 cross if it is for everyday road use.

Gosh, spokes only cost about $20 a gross retail! :rolleyes:

Radial lacing is for a very stiff front wheel, no comfort, for a deep v rim..

Get the wheel rebuilt in 3 or 4 cross if it is for everyday road use.

Gosh, spokes only cost about $20 a gross retail! :rolleyes:

Radial lacing is for a very stiff front wheel, no comfort, for a deep v rim..
$20 for 144 spokes, George???!!! By gum, put me on to your wholesaler!! ;)

$20 for 144 spokes, George???!!! By gum, put me on to your wholesaler!! ;)Don't get too excited, they are the cheap chrome ones not Stainless Steel, SS are 50c each! :eek:

Don't get too excited, they are the cheap chrome ones not Stainless Steel, SS are 50c each! :eek:
Shop quoted 85 cents & pennys scream when they see me! Also I hate to throw stuff away.

Seriously this was stuff sitting around in my basement for like 6 or 7 years, all new. I built up a 20 year old steel frame and figured now was the time. I have other front wheels.

What happens to a radial wheel when a spoke breaks?
The consequences of spoke breakage are more influenced by spoke numbers than spoke patterns. With 32 the wheel(and you) can usually survive one broken spoke w/o any major consequences.

The spokes were measured for a different wheel and are short, with the threads showing a bit. I think it should be fine, but what do you think?

I don't ride enough wheels to destruction to be certain, but I have quite a few built around non-ideal spoke lengths and they seem to be doing fine. Question is, what does "a bit" means to you?

A longer nipple would have hidden the thread, which would have looked nicer whether it'd been any stronger or not.