Wheels?

[SKAUFMAN12]

I don’t know if this has been talked about. I am noticing that most of the boutique (Mavic, Shimano)wheels are laced radial on the front and rear non-drive side and 2-cross on the drive side. Can a set of Dura-Ace/OP be built like this and will they be as strong and durable, or are the pre-built hubs and rims better/stronger/better engineered than the off the shelf individual products.

Also, has anyone built a set like this and what would it weigh and how has it held up?
(OP rims 28 radial front, 32 2X drive side rear, radial rear non drive side)

 

[artmichalek]

How well a wheel like that will hold up will depend on your weight, spoke selection, and riding style. Dura-Ace hubs (and just about every other hubs you can buy by themselves) are not warranted for radial lacing. There is a chance, especially with higher spoke counts of cracking the flanges on the hubs. This is a small chance though. I know some rather heavy riders who have gotten a lot of mileage out of lower end hubs laced radially. However, you will have to inspect your hubs for cracks more often, and if they do break Shimano doesn't owe you replacements. The weight savings and aerodynamic gains of radial vs. 3x lacing aren't drastic. Radial/2x in the rear will however help balance out the spoke tension between the two sides.

 

[SKAUFMAN12]

How well a wheel like that will hold up will depend on your weight, spoke selection, and riding style. Dura-Ace hubs (and just about every other hubs you can buy by themselves) are not warranted for radial lacing. There is a chance, especially with higher spoke counts of cracking the flanges on the hubs. This is a small chance though. I know some rather heavy riders who have gotten a lot of mileage out of lower end hubs laced radially. However, you will have to inspect your hubs for cracks more often, and if they do break Shimano doesn't owe you replacements. The weight savings and aerodynamic gains of radial vs. 3x lacing aren't drastic. Radial/2x in the rear will however help balance out the spoke tension between the two sides.

Thank you. I think I read that the new Dura-Ace hubs were now approved for radial lacing. I weigh 150 lbs. But again, I see this type of setup in Ksyriums for riders who weigh 200+. Why would the K's be stronger than the customs?

 

[artmichalek]

Thank you. I think I read that the new Dura-Ace hubs were now approved for radial lacing. I weigh 150 lbs. But again, I see this type of setup in Ksyriums for riders who weigh 200+. Why would the K's be stronger than the customs?

The Kysrium hubs are designed with extra material on the hub flanges to handle the increased tensile stresses induced by a low number of high tension spokes. I just checked the Shimano web site, and you're right about the new DA hubs being radially compatable. At 150, I wouldn't be too worried even if they weren't.