Radial laced front wheel?

[your_neighbour]

Just inherited a 26" rim brake front wheel for my off road rigid tourer build that is slowly coming together, Rim is a Mavic 32H with a Deore hub. in v'good condition.

I know radial lacing is usually done on road bikes for aero and a minor weight saving, Not sure why it was done on this wheel, looks?

Is this lacing pattern alot weaker for a front wheel compared to 3X, Is this going to be disaster for a off road tourer? Should i bother getting it re-laced to a 3X pattern?

Thanks

 

[SummitFever]

Radial lacing on a vbrake rim is good. It's no stronger or weaker than 3x provided the hub flanges are up for the job. Not sure if Deore hubs are approved for radial lacing. If they are then it's all good.

 

[redbruce]

Radial lacing on a vbrake rim is good. It's no stronger or weaker than 3x provided the hub flanges are up for the job. Not sure if Deore hubs are approved for radial lacing. If they are then it's all good.

Shimano do not recommend radial lacing for pretty well all their traditional hubs, including Deore.

Personally I would get them re laced as 3X for your purpose. However it may be cheaper to buy a replacement wheel.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Radial lacing does make the wheel a bit stiffer laterally, due to the direct pull of the spokes between rim & hub, but as Redbruce pointed out most hubs are not recommended for radial lacing as the flanges are too thin (particularly in the bit between the hole & the rim of the flange. Hubs designed for radial lacing will have taller flanges, with the spoke holes set further in from the edge).

 

[your_neighbour]

Thanks for the info, I might look around for another used front wheel on here, rather not be stuck in the bush curled up in a wombat hole for the night with a busted front wheel.

thanks again

 

[kalem]

If you are using disc brakes it is a very bad idea, but you said tourer so maybe you're not?

 

[redbruce]

If you are using disc brakes it is a very bad idea, but you said tourer so maybe you're not?

Maybe you missed the salient two words within the intro sentence: "Just inherited a 26" rim brake front wheel.... "

Also plenty of tourers have a disk front (reliable performance wet or dry) with v brake rear (gives clearance for bags).