32 spoke lacing patterns?

Tarckives Bikes
1

just picked up a cheapo machine built front wheel to mess around with. 32 spokes is cool, but 3x is lame in the front.

looked around a bit but i cant find any cool patterns i can do and still use the spokes i already have. i originally tried 2 leading 2 trailing but the spokes are way too long for that. looked at some twisted designs a bit but i think i need way longer spokes for that.

am i to be stuck with a lame ass 3x front wheel? or do i need to buy new spokes?

theres got to be something other than traditional (lame ass) 3x. :bear:

-j

2

3x front is the only way to go.

3

^ specially if it’s already built. Changing the lacing patterns after a wheel has been tensioned weakens hub flanges and rims where the spokes have “set in”. Spokes shouldn’t be reused in all but the most ghetto of situations. Also, nothing beats 3x.

4

You’re stuck. You need 3X + ~10mm for twisted. For a 3x crows foot, you’d need a 36h rim.

5

Anything else is lame.
Snowflake/Twisted patterns are the ugliest.
Radial is pretty ugly.
3L 3T looks mildly interesting (36H rim though).

2x or 3x wins. Time tested, thurston approved.

6

how about 2 leading and 2 Trailing

http://www.terminalvelocity.demon.co.uk/WheelBuild/3leading.htm

ive run 3 leading 3trailling on the front for quite a while and never had any problems, it was a pretty strong wheel actualy

7

^he was hoping to avoid buying spokes

8

oops 2L 2T does take shorter spokes

9

I have 32 hole front laced crow’s foot alternate radial. I’m not sure if you’d need new spokes for that or not though.

10

I built a wheel like that too. It takes 2X and radial.

11

If you’re too cheap to buy new spokes, don’t relace your wheel.

If you’re willing to buy new spokes, I laced a 32h front wheel 2 leading 2 trailing and I think it looks great. It requires the same length spokes as 2x. I laced the rear 3x, because it is generally accepted as a the strongest way to lace a 32 spoke wheel (I think? Correct me if I’m wrong), but, from all accounts, it’s a strong lacing pattern, when built correctly. Definitely strong enough for a 32 spoke front wheel for a 130lb rider, like myself. It’s stayed true and tensioned thus far (only been about 3 or 4 months).

12

^ But they look stupid.

13

This is objective fact.

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Here’s a 3 leading, 3 trailing 36 spoke wheel:

14

oops someone already mentioned “Crow’s foot”

15

3x is “strong” in a sense that it flexes more to absorb the shock/bumps.
I ran radial on the front of my BMX bike and 2x in the back.
You could easily get away with less x’s on road bike.
And I still say the strongest/stiffest “pattern” is radial, at least for fronts.