Campagnolo Vento - Why G3 in front?

[alpha2k]

I found that Vento is the only wheelset that has G3 in front from Campagnolo while all others are radially spoked. What's the trick here?

 

[artmichalek]

I found that Vento is the only wheelset that has G3 in front from Campagnolo while all others are radially spoked. What's the trick here?

Aesthetics and economics. The rear wheels use the G3 lacing to put twice as many spokes on the right side in order to balance the tension. There's no logical reason to do it on the front other than it looks good (well, some people think so) and it saves Campy from having to make the rim with two different drillings.

 

[violto]

Aesthetics and economics. The rear wheels use the G3 lacing to put twice as many spokes on the right side in order to balance the tension. There's no logical reason to do it on the front other than it looks good (well, some people think so) and it saves Campy from having to make the rim with two different drillings.

I think I also trust the g3 lace pattern more than a radial one because the spoke pattern is more like a standard wheel with the angled spokes.

Anyone think they can explain why campy rekons the g3 is better than a standard wheel other than that it looks cool?

 

[artmichalek]

I think I also trust the g3 lace pattern more than a radial one because the spoke pattern is more like a standard wheel with the angled spokes.

Anyone think they can explain why campy rekons the g3 is better than a standard wheel other than that it looks cool?

Well, a third of the spokes are still radial and the other two thirds aren't even close to tangential. They aren't crossed either. As for trusting radial lacing, it's perfectly safe if the hub was designed for it. (It's not even that bad for standard hubs, but we won't go there...) Like I said earlier, the G3 pattern is a great idea for a rear wheel because it allows twice as many spokes on the right side. On a standard wheel, the left side spokes are tensioned such that they don't go slack under vertical impact and the right side spokes (with their lower bracing angle) need a much higher tension to keep the rim centered. By having twice as many spokes on the right side, the required tension is reduced by half. This reduces spoke breakage and allows the rim as well as the right hub flange to be made lighter.

 

[JTE83]

The G3 pattern looks cool on the back wheel, but maybe it's bad for the front wheel. The single spoke has to counteract the double spokes - doesn't it?

 

[alpha2k]

The G3 pattern looks cool on the back wheel, but maybe it's bad for the front wheel. The single spoke has to counteract the double spokes - doesn't it?

The G3 in front is different from the one the back wheel. The 'double spokes' are distributed in both left and right sides. Thus left and right have the same number of spokes.

http://www.bikebitsuk.com/images/vento.jpg

 

[violto]

Shameless plug:

Check out my 2006 vento review/pics here:

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t317307-campagnolo-vento-and-bianchi-via-nirone-7-review.html

For 2006, campy have changed the front hub and now the G3 spokes are less 'radial' than the 2005 model. Don't know what diff it makes really as i haven't compared the ride between the two. Although, I am a little worried about that weight-saving CMC machined holes in the hub.... we'll see! 2yr warranty and you can't go wrong.

Cheers,

Tim