Radial spoked 20" wheel?

[M. Chandler]

I'm building up a new front wheel for my LWB recumbent, and have been
toying with the idea of lacing it with a radial spoke pattern. The rim
is a Velocity Aeroheat (ISO 406) and the hub is a Shimano LX unit. Even
with such a small, lightly loaded wheel, would the radial pattern be a
really bad idea?

--
Mark Chandler
Superior, CO
http://www.MileHighSkates.com

 

[Tom Sherman]

M. Chandler wrote:

> I'm building up a new front wheel for my LWB recumbent, and have been
> toying with the idea of lacing it with a radial spoke pattern. The rim
> is a Velocity Aeroheat (ISO 406) and the hub is a Shimano LX unit. Even
> with such a small, lightly loaded wheel, would the radial pattern be a
> really bad idea?

I have seen several cases of people having problems with radially built
wheels on the front of Easy Racers, which is a similar loading condition
to your bike (estimated 35%/65% front/rear weight distribution).

--
Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

 

[[email protected]]

Tom Sherman wrote:
> M. Chandler wrote:
>
> > I'm building up a new front wheel for my LWB recumbent, and have
been
> > toying with the idea of lacing it with a radial spoke pattern. The
rim
> > is a Velocity Aeroheat (ISO 406) and the hub is a Shimano LX unit.
Even
> > with such a small, lightly loaded wheel, would the radial pattern
be a
> > really bad idea?
>
> I have seen several cases of people having problems with radially
built
> wheels on the front of Easy Racers, which is a similar loading
condition
> to your bike (estimated 35%/65% front/rear weight distribution).
>
> --
> Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

Sounds like insufficient tension to me. My wife's Tour Easy has a
28-spoke front wheel laced radially, and it hasn't had to be trued or
tensioned since I built it 4 years ago- it used to be on the front of
my Lightning. The front wheel of my Tour Easy was laced radially until
a truck ran over it- I relaced it with an Alex rim, which required
1-cross lacing in order to reuse the same spokes.

(I know Jobst will probably slap me upside the head for switching
lacing patterns and head in/head out spokes, but so far, no problems.)
Jeff

 

[Benjamin Lewis]

[email protected] wrote:

> Tom Sherman wrote:
>> M. Chandler wrote:
>>
>>> I'm building up a new front wheel for my LWB recumbent, and have been
>>> toying with the idea of lacing it with a radial spoke pattern. The rim
>>> is a Velocity Aeroheat (ISO 406) and the hub is a Shimano LX unit. Even
>>> with such a small, lightly loaded wheel, would the radial pattern be a
>>> really bad idea?
>>
>> I have seen several cases of people having problems with radially built
>> wheels on the front of Easy Racers, which is a similar loading condition
>> to your bike (estimated 35%/65% front/rear weight distribution).
>
> Sounds like insufficient tension to me.

I don't think that can be decided without knowing more about the nature of
the problems. For example, what if they were hub flange failures?

--
Benjamin Lewis

Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.
-- Frank Lloyd Wright

 

[[email protected]]

I have generally used radially laced wheels on the front of LWB bikes
with _NO_ problems.

The wheels I used were mainly ones that I built myself and most of the
miles were using Airfree Tires.

Lewis.

**********

 

[Tom Sherman]

Benjamin Lewis wrote:

> [email protected] wrote:
>
>
>>Tom Sherman wrote:
>>
>>>M. Chandler wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I'm building up a new front wheel for my LWB recumbent, and have been
>>>>toying with the idea of lacing it with a radial spoke pattern. The rim
>>>>is a Velocity Aeroheat (ISO 406) and the hub is a Shimano LX unit. Even
>>>>with such a small, lightly loaded wheel, would the radial pattern be a
>>>>really bad idea?
>>>
>>>I have seen several cases of people having problems with radially built
>>>wheels on the front of Easy Racers, which is a similar loading condition
>>>to your bike (estimated 35%/65% front/rear weight distribution).
>>
>>Sounds like insufficient tension to me.
>
>
> I don't think that can be decided without knowing more about the nature of
> the problems. For example, what if they were hub flange failures?

It was a matter of the spokes coming loose, so it may just have been a
build problem. The wheels were re-laced on the same hubs two-cross and
have not had problems since (as far as I know).

--
Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

 

[Tom Sherman]

[email protected] wrote:

> I have generally used radially laced wheels on the front of LWB bikes
> with _NO_ problems.
>
> The wheels I used were mainly ones that I built myself and most of the
> miles were using Airfree Tires.

Lewis,

How high was the tension on the spokes on your wheels?

--
Tom Sherman - Near Rock Island

 

[A Muzi]

M. Chandler wrote:
> I'm building up a new front wheel for my LWB recumbent, and have been
> toying with the idea of lacing it with a radial spoke pattern. The rim
> is a Velocity Aeroheat (ISO 406) and the hub is a Shimano LX unit. Even
> with such a small, lightly loaded wheel, would the radial pattern be a
> really bad idea?


Well, what will be better about it? Stronger? no. Lighter?
Sure, by the weight of a few mm of spoke length.

There are known flange failures from radial spoking but it's
not all that common, either ( manufacturer's warnings
notwithstanding).

There's probbaly no harm on a small wheel, they being
generally less trouble radial than bigger ones, but it won't
make anything better, either. If you think it's pretty, go
for it.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[Benjamin Lewis]

Tom Sherman wrote:

> Benjamin Lewis wrote:
>
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>
>>> Tom Sherman wrote:
>>>
>>>> M. Chandler wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I'm building up a new front wheel for my LWB recumbent, and have been
>>>>> toying with the idea of lacing it with a radial spoke pattern. The
>>>>> rim is a Velocity Aeroheat (ISO 406) and the hub is a Shimano LX
>>>>> unit. Even with such a small, lightly loaded wheel, would the radial
>>>>> pattern be a really bad idea?
>>>>
>>>> I have seen several cases of people having problems with radially
>>>> built wheels on the front of Easy Racers, which is a similar loading
>>>> condition to your bike (estimated 35%/65% front/rear weight
>>>> distribution).
>>>
>>> Sounds like insufficient tension to me.
>> I don't think that can be decided without knowing more about the nature
>> of the problems. For example, what if they were hub flange failures?
>
> It was a matter of the spokes coming loose, so it may just have been a
> build problem. The wheels were re-laced on the same hubs two-cross and
> have not had problems since (as far as I know).

Ah. I believe Sheldon Brown has mentioned that this can be a problem with
radially laced wheels, because the spokes are more in line with the holes
in the rim, and this creates less friction between the nipples and the rim,
which are thus more apt to turn.

--
Benjamin Lewis

Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.
-- Frank Lloyd Wright

 

[[email protected]]

>>>>>
How high was the tension on the spokes on your wheels?
<<<<<

I have not measured it but, as with all wheels using Airfree Tires, the
spokes need to be _really_ tight.

Lewis.

******

 

[Steve Knight]

I have a arrowhead laced such 36 spoke I think on my road bike it has held up
very well under my weight and abuse.

--
Knight-Toolworks & Custom Planes
Custom made wooden planes at reasonable prices
See http://www.knight-toolworks.com For prices and ordering instructions.