Well-built 32 hole OK for commuter?

[Jeff Kwapil]

Replacing my rear wheel, a couple of questions.

I don't doubt the wheel builder's skills, my local bike shop is highly recommended by reliable
sources. But they are 100% racer-oriented and maybe rough & tough stuff is outside their experience.

-- Can a 32-hole rear wheel hold up for a 200 lb commuter, 24 mile/day ? I was ready to buy a new
36-hole hub, bike shop said my 32-hole Campy is OK. This is for L.A. My experience is commuting
among Chicago's winter-induced potholes. I learned to specify 36-hole rear wheels, but L.A.'s
streets are much better.

-- Will tall aero rims be OK? I thought boxy MA3-type rims would be the way to go. Bike shop says
tall rims + short spokes = strong wheels

 

[Gary Smiley]

I weigh 200 and only commute 8 mi/day on a hybrid. You'll be commuting around 6000 mi/year! I beat
the hell out of my 32-spoke wheels, and I would never even think of using anything less than 36
spokes. If you're building a wheel, go with 36 spokes. You weigh 200 lbs- you'll never notice the
weight difference of an additional 4 spokes, and your wheel will last longer and stay true longer
and have fewer problems. Use regular rims. The aero rims don't stay as true- they're not for
commuting.

Jeff Kwapil wrote:

> Replacing my rear wheel, a couple of questions.
>
> I don't doubt the wheel builder's skills, my local bike shop is highly recommended by reliable
> sources. But they are 100% racer-oriented and maybe rough & tough stuff is outside their
> experience.
>
> -- Can a 32-hole rear wheel hold up for a 200 lb commuter, 24 mile/day ? I was ready to buy a new
> 36-hole hub, bike shop said my 32-hole Campy is OK. This is for L.A. My experience is commuting
> among Chicago's winter-induced potholes. I learned to specify 36-hole rear wheels, but L.A.'s
> streets are much better.
>
> -- Will tall aero rims be OK? I thought boxy MA3-type rims would be the way to go. Bike shop says
> tall rims + short spokes = strong wheels

 

[GearóId Ó Laoi]

36 is better. You may be fine with a perfect 32. I weight that too and have 36 on most of my bikes
but have 32 on a couple and with a perfect build and stress-relieving which is VERY important,
they are fine.

 

[Mike S.]

"Gearóid Ó Laoi, Garry Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> 36 is better. You may be fine with a perfect 32. I weight that too and have 36 on most
of
> my bikes but have 32 on a couple and with a perfect build and stress-relieving which is VERY
> important, they are fine.
>
Its all in how you ride the wheels. Some guys I know beat the snot out of their wheelsets, some
dance on them like they're feathers. If you "ride lightly" on your wheels, then you may be OK for
the 32 hole wheels. If not, then stick with the tried and true.

Mike

 

[Harris]

"Jeff Kwapil" wrote:
> Replacing my rear wheel, a couple of questions.
>
> I don't doubt the wheel builder's skills, my local bike shop is highly recommended by reliable
> sources. But they are 100% racer-oriented and
maybe
> rough & tough stuff is outside their experience.
>
> -- Can a 32-hole rear wheel hold up for a 200 lb commuter, 24 mile/day ? I was ready to buy a new
> 36-hole hub, bike shop said my 32-hole Campy is
OK.
> This is for L.A. My experience is commuting among Chicago's winter-induced potholes. I learned to
> specify 36-hole rear wheels, but L.A.'s streets are much better.
>
> -- Will tall aero rims be OK? I thought boxy MA3-type rims would be the
way
> to go. Bike shop says tall rims + short spokes = strong wheels

Tall aero rims are strong and allow high spoke tension which can result in a strong wheel. But aero
rims tend to be heavy. The aerodynamic effect can be an advantage to racers traveling at high speed,
but I don't see them helping a commuter averaging 16 mph or so.

I would look for a shop that listens to me. A 36-spoke wheel with a box section rim may well be
lighter and less expensive than the wheel they are proposing. (BTW, they may not even have 36 hole
rims in stock.)

Build quality is more important that the components unless you get into some really lightweight or
low spoke count stuff. Your tire choice is also part of the equation. If you plan to commute on
rough roads, you may want to use 700 x 28 tires (if they will fit your frame).

Art Harris

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

jeff-<< Can a 32-hole rear wheel hold up for a 200 lb commuter, 24 mile/day ? I was ready to buy a
new 36-hole hub, bike shop said my 32-hole Campy is OK.

probably is but no such thing as a free lunch...so use a heavy-ish rim, like a Velocity Deep V...

<< Bike shop says tall rims + short spokes = strong wheels

Perhaps but it's not quite that simple as the spokes are only about 1cm shofter..285 vs 295 for a
Open Pro and a Deep V...

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

gary-<< The aero rims don't stay as true- they're not for commuting.

Altho I agree with your rec. of 36h wheels for this guy, just being 'aero' doesn't make it a poor
rim for him..namely the Velocity Deep V-great rim for all around use.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[David Ornee]

"Jeff Kwapil" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Replacing my rear wheel, a couple of questions.
>
> I don't doubt the wheel builder's skills, my local bike shop is highly recommended by reliable
> sources. But they are 100% racer-oriented and
maybe
> rough & tough stuff is outside their experience.
>
> -- Can a 32-hole rear wheel hold up for a 200 lb commuter, 24 mile/day ? I was ready to buy a new
> 36-hole hub, bike shop said my 32-hole Campy is
OK.
> This is for L.A. My experience is commuting among Chicago's winter-induced potholes. I learned to
> specify 36-hole rear wheels, but L.A.'s streets are much better.
>
> -- Will tall aero rims be OK? I thought boxy MA3-type rims would be the
way
> to go. Bike shop says tall rims + short spokes = strong wheels

Jeff,

Your MA3 idea is a good one. It is hard to beat for the money. See some good wheel building
information at URL: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/Wheels.asp If you want more beef, try Bontrager
Fairlane OSB, Mavic T520 or Velocity Dyad. I think that the build quality is more important than
tall vs. short rims. I suggest a quality builder who uses quality butted spokes and quality brass
nipples. If you are happy with your 32 hole Campy hub, find a builder that has a good reputation
with urban delivery and/or touring riders. My thought on tall rims is: tall rims + short spokes =
more lateral stiffness. This can be good, but the quality of the build is paramount.

Suggested reading "the Bicycle Wheel" by Jobst Brandt.

David Ornee, Western Springs, IL (grew up in and bicycle commuted from SW LA to Redondo Beach daily)

 

[David Ornee]

Another thought: If you stay with the Campy rear hub, I suggest an offset spoke bed that helps the
spoke support angle and therefore the side to side spoke tension balnce. If you noted in Peter
White's site, he uses the OC version of the Velocity Aerohead to work with Campy rear hubs. Campy
rear hubs need a little extra help in that regard. Bontrager Fairlane OSB is a good rim for this
application. See some of the details at URL: http://www.bontrager.com/rims/detail.asp?id=109&pt=6 If
you decide to go 36 spoke, Rivendell carries that version of the Bontrager Fairlane OSB.

David Ornee, Western Springs, IL

 

[digger]

David orrne your town westen springs is some how connected to my town rugely in england,the first satalite call or something?

 

[Baird Webel]

On 2/9/03 10:06, in article [email protected], "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> gary-<< The aero rims don't stay as true- they're not for commuting.
>
> Altho I agree with your rec. of 36h wheels for this guy, just being 'aero' doesn't make it a poor
> rim for him..namely the Velocity Deep V-great rim for all around use.

The only problem with the Deep V, particularly when you are talking about commute-type applications,
is the narrowness of it limits the range of wider tires that you might use. I believe the widest
recommended tire for such a rim is 25mm, though I've gone as wide as 29mm (measured width) on the
Campy Atlanta rim on our tandem. I wish they made a Deep V that was 21 or 22mm wide.

Baird

--
Baird Webel Washington DC

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Sat, 08 Feb 2003 21:54:15 -0500, Jeff Kwapil wrote:

> Replacing my rear wheel, a couple of questions.
>
> I don't doubt the wheel builder's skills, my local bike shop is highly recommended by reliable
> sources. But they are 100% racer-oriented and maybe rough & tough stuff is outside their
> experience.
>
> -- Can a 32-hole rear wheel hold up for a 200 lb commuter, 24 mile/day ? I was ready to buy a new
> 36-hole hub, bike shop said my 32-hole Campy is OK. This is for L.A. My experience is commuting
> among Chicago's winter-induced potholes. I learned to specify 36-hole rear wheels, but
> L.A.'s streets are much better.
>
> -- Will tall aero rims be OK? I thought boxy MA3-type rims would be the way to go. Bike shop says
> tall rims + short spokes = strong wheels

Well, I weigh about what you do and use 32-hole wheels. Mostly because that is what is most easily
available cheap.

I _prefer_ the v-shaped rims to the box-section ones. My experience is that a moderate v-shaped rim
is stronger. I don't go for the real aero ones, but the last MA2-s I used were just not all that
round, and whether it was luck or real, they did manage to get damaged sooner.

My usual choice is a Mavic rim, since tires fit them well.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | When you are up to your ass in alligators, it's hard to remember _`\(,_ | that your initial
objective was to drain the swamp. -- LBJ (_)/ (_) |

 

[Thomas Reynolds]

"Jeff Kwapil" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Replacing my rear wheel, a couple of questions.
>
> I don't doubt the wheel builder's skills, my local bike shop is highly recommended by reliable
> sources. But they are 100% racer-oriented and maybe rough & tough stuff is outside their
> experience.
>
> -- Can a 32-hole rear wheel hold up for a 200 lb commuter, 24 mile/day ? I was ready to buy a new
> 36-hole hub, bike shop said my 32-hole Campy is OK. This is for L.A. My experience is commuting
> among Chicago's winter-induced potholes. I learned to specify 36-hole rear wheels, but L.A.'s
> streets are much better.
>
> -- Will tall aero rims be OK? I thought boxy MA3-type rims would be the way to go. Bike shop says
> tall rims + short spokes = strong wheels

FWIW, I weigh 200-230 lbs depending on the time of year and commute 30 miles each way across San
Diego. I have many thousands of miles (like about 7,000 on the rear and 12,000 on the front) on a
set of 32 spoke Mavic Open-Pro rims that are still going strong. Besides my own weight I am also
carrying my lunch and two sets of batteries and lights plus a full Camelback.

Tom

 

[Jeff]

Wow!! I thought it was a tiny unprovocative question. That post provoked some response!!

For the group, to schlep my 200 lbs. on my daily commute, I bought Velocity Deep V rims for my Campy
32-hole hubs.

I went with my local LA bike shop's recommendation, Kings ( http://kingsbicyclestore.com/ ). Gotta
support your neighbor when they do quality work.

Also gotta promote the renowned wheel-builder who gave advice, specifically Peter Chisholm
http://www.vecchios.com .

Regards, Jeff

 

[Bret Wade]

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> gary-<< The aero rims don't stay as true- they're not for commuting.
>
> Altho I agree with your rec. of 36h wheels for this guy, just being 'aero' doesn't make it a poor
> rim for him..namely the Velocity Deep V-great rim for all around use.

I've have a lot of experience with 32H Deep-Vs and agree that they are strong, trouble free wheels.
I rode a pair of Cane Creek Deep-Vs for three years and never had to true them. About a month ago, I
got knocked down by a car that clipped my rear wheel hard enough to tear it out of the dropouts. The
rim was only 1 cm out of true and I could have salvaged the wheel except that the rim joint is no
longer flush. I replaced it with a new CC Deep-V.

Here's a link to some photos of commuters that use standard Deep-V rims. The Nexus hubs only come in
36H, but the front wheels are 32H. The main problem with this configuration is that long stem tubes
aren't available in the wider sizes, so you have to deal with valve extenders.

http://www.fischer-wade.com/bikes/commute.htm

BTW, Peter might be a tad upset to learn that those front hubs are both Record. No room for them on
the race bike what with all those boutique wheels I own. ;-)

Cheers, Bret